The Murky Future of Texas’ Last Untouched Coastline

This two-part series centers on the Rio Grande Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant under-construction in Port Isabel, Texas, a $18.4 billion project mired in legal issues for a decade related to its environmental impacts on nearby communities of color.

Part one of this series examines LNG proliferation in Freeport, Texas, and Cameron, Louisiana, which residents say have impacted the neighborhoods and fishing industries these facilities are next to. By comparison, Rio Grande LNG, and some Rio Grande Valley officials, say it will not impact the local shrimping industry or air quality and will instead provide jobs and “energy security.”

Part two examines how the relationships between a group of elected officials in the Rio Grande Valley and the parent company of Rio Grande LNG is potentially obscuring risks the project poses to the public.

While officials in the cities closest to the plant have declared official opposition to the Rio Grande LNG project, officials in Brownsville (about 10 miles away), including state and federal officials, have aggressively backed it, thanks to NextDecade (the LNG developer) lobbying the officials via meals at upscale restaurants, private events, constant communication, and positions on a company board.

But NextDecade's in debt, is backtracking on its climate commitments and is planning to expand, all while lacking the federal authorization to operate once it finishes construction.