The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted approval to Venture Global for the construction and operation of the CP2 terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, along with the CP Express Pipeline connecting it to the gas pipeline network in Texas and Louisiana. This development, announced on Thursday, is poised to become the largest U.S. terminal for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Commissioner Allison Clements, in her final meeting with FERC, was the sole dissenting vote. She raised concerns about the project’s environmental impact, including significant greenhouse gas emissions. The CP2 terminal will still require additional permits from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy to export gas to countries without free-trade agreements.

The Biden administration had earlier paused LNG export approvals in January to reassess their environmental and economic impacts. This pause has been contested by 25 Republican governors and recently blocked by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr., ruling in favor of Louisiana and other Republican states. Judge Cain, appointed by former President Donald Trump, deemed the pause irrational and a potential risk to significant infrastructure projects in the state.

The CP2 project has faced opposition from environmental groups like Earthjustice and Friends of the Earth, who cite pollution and climate concerns. Venture Global’s CEO expressed approval for FERC’s thorough review process, while the Sierra Club criticized the project for exacerbating pollution in low-income communities.