The court held that three environmental groups lacked standing to bring the lawsuit.
The Department of Justice announced that the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denied a petition to review a legal challenge of the Maritime Administration’s approval of a deepwater port license to a liquefied natural gas company under the Deepwater Port Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Three environmental groups claimed that modifications to the project required the submission of an amended application, the reopening of public comment, and the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement. The court did not rule on these claims but held that the groups “failed to establish standing” and failed to show how the export project would cause specific injury.
The Maritime Administration first authorized the deepwater liquefied natural gas port off the shore of Louisiana in 2017. After Delfin Midstream modified aspects of the project, federal officials told the company in 2024 that more environmental review was necessary and declined to issue a license for the port.
In the January 2025 Unleashing American Energy executive order, President Trump directed the Maritime Administration to reconsider the necessity of additional environmental review and then issue the license. The Maritime Administration concluded that the modifications would reduce the environmental impact and licensed the project in March 2025.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Trump and his energy advisors as they promote the development and expansion of domestic energy.
- For Administrator Stephen Carmel as he heads the Maritime Administration and reviews licensing for offshore energy projects.
Sources: Department of Justice, Work Boat, Marine Link
