formulanone/Flickrhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Developer confirms funding for massive Rio Grande gas terminal

The Port of Brownsville was the last major deepwater port of Texas still undeveloped by large fossil fuel projects. Dylan Baddour has the story for Inside Climate News.

In a nutshell:

The LNG development of the Port of Brownsville will result in one of the largest gas export terminals in the world and further reinforce the industrial domination of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the border with Mexico. Legal moves and countermoves continue to fly with opponents challenging the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on impact decisions such as air quality, environmental justice and a determination by FERC that the project is in the public interest.

Key quote:

“The oil and gas companies and the politicians can’t find it in their hearts to keep the industry in an industrial space,” said Lela Burnell, the daughter of a shrimper in the Port of Brownsville and the plaintiff in multiple lawsuits against plans for Rio Grande LNG. “Why do they feel like they need to just inundate and take over the whole coast? They don’t want to leave one spot where there is a sanctuary or a safe zone for nature.”

Big picture:

Since Congress legalized oil and gas exports in 2015, seven LNG export terminals have been built with three more under construction and beyond that 11 additional projects have been permitted. The greenlighting of the Brownsville terminal would signify a heartbreaking defeat for those who had hoped to keep the Rio Grande Delta free of major fossil fuel facilities and also make way for fracked gas transport from the Permian Basin via the proposed Rio Bravo pipeline and subsequent export via ocean-going tankers. Fossil-fuel supporters laud LNG as an emissions-friendly successor to coal and key to a lower-carbon future while LNG opponents dismiss such rosy platitudes as just so much greenwashing.

Get the full story in Inside Climate News.

insideclimatenews.org

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Developer confirms funding for massive Rio Grande gas terminal

Earth's worsening climate crisis demands immediate action

Wildlife populations drop sharply as habitat loss continues

Florida’s homelessness crackdown complicates hurricane recovery

Insurance costs squeeze commercial real estate as climate risks rise

Contamination from flooded industrial sites during major hurricanes is a growing concern

Midwest eyed as safer business spot amid rising climate risks

Western states could see significant carbon cuts with new energy transmission projects

Houston area has more than 100 unauthorized air pollution events already this year

An EHN analysis finds nearly half were related to flaring.

LISTEN: Mokshda Kaul on making the clean energy transition work for all

“Coalitions become this interesting way to create buy-in.”

Op-ed: Is plastic the biggest climate threat?

A plastics treaty for the climate and health must address overproduction of plastics and head off the petrochemical and plastic industry’s planned expansion.

Residents say Pennsylvania has failed communities after state studies linked fracking to child cancer

Last year Pennsylvania Department of Health studies showed increased risk of childhood cancer, asthma and low birth weights for people living near fracking. Advocates say not enough has been done since.

The fossil fuel industry is disproportionately harming low-income and minority women: Report

“Women, in all of their diversity, must be at the center of climate and energy decision-making.”

Op-ed: People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance

The discourse on climate resilience must include affordable housing policy solutions.