Protecting biodiversity

We communicate regularly with landowners and community members on our efforts to avoid and minimize land impacts. We also work with local communities near our Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi liquefaction facilities to identify coastal restoration and marine habitat projects that would benefit from our social investment. Examples of projects that we have invested in as a result include:

• Funding the improvement of public waterway access infrastructure on the Sabine-Neches waterway in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, City of Port Arthur, Jefferson County and Sabine Pass Port Authority.
   
• Supporting the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program in their shoreline planning and engineering efforts to improve waterway access at Violet Andrews Park in Portland, TX, as well as an oyster reef restoration project in St. Charles Bay, TX.
   
• Supporting the Coastal Conservation Association with the development of ~160 acres of artificial reef to enhance fisheries habitat.

Our operating LNG facilities represent a permanent conversion to industrial land use. The footprint is fixed and established based on the requirements for the safe and efficient operation of the LNG projects.  

The construction of new facilities or expansions of operating assets may impact ecosystems outside of the operating footprint. In such instances, the projects endeavor to minimize impacts to new habitats, and where unavoidable impacts are necessary, formulate biodiversity management plans and strive to restore disturbed land to its pre-construction conditions whenever feasible. Rigorous monitoring of our initiatives is a key aspect, and we transparently report outcomes to relevant regulatory authorities. Also, we explore opportunities to restore and reconstruct ecosystems within the broader scope of our operations. These efforts, whether linked to construction projects or undertaken voluntarily, underscore our commitment to environmental stewardship.

Cheniere projects undergo thorough biodiversity assessments, aiming to identify and avoid critical habitats or priority areas and assess potential impacts on sensitive species and ecosystems. As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project planning and permitting process, we submit Resource Reports to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission who performs Environmental Impact Statements or Environmental Assessments with our cooperation. This environmental documentation covers potential impacts on water ecosystems, biodiversity (including threatened and endangered species and migratory birds), air quality and other environmental factors, and socioeconomic and cultural impacts. Throughout this process, we actively develop mitigation measures to minimize impacts and engage the public in identifying significant concerns.

We conduct cumulative risk assessments to understand potential biodiversity risks near our operations. The insights from these assessments are crucial for incorporating additional considerations into our impact avoidance and mitigation plans, ensuring a comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship.

We require all of our chartered shipping vessels to follow international standards focused on reducing impacts to marine ecosystems. This includes best practices for handling ballast water, wastewater management, and spill prevention and control measures. Our chartered vessels are also compliant with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships’ (MARPOL) international agreements on preventing pollution from ships and the International Maritime Organization’s low-sulfur fuel requirements. Furthermore, our chartered fleet is among the cleanest in the industry, thanks to a range of efficiency and emissions reduction technologies.