PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Southeast Texans are encouraged to attend a community forum hosted by the Save Sabine Lake coalition to discuss a proposed pipeline.
The first of two community forums takes place Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at 7 p.m. at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur.
The second meeting is Thursday, July 21, 2022, at 7 p.m. at the Bridge City Senior Citizen Hall.
Zoom links are also available for those who want to attend virtually.
In June 2022, a coalition of organizations led by the Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN) launched a month of action to stop the proposed Blue Marlin crude oil pipeline.
The 37-mile Blue Marlin Pipeline would stretch from Nederland to a deep-water port in the Gulf. The meeting will allow landowners along the pipeline route to discuss how they can protect their property.
Dallas-based company Energy Transfer is seeking approval to build and operate the massive crude oil export terminal, which would move nearly two million barrels per day through the lake, according to the Save Sabine Lake website.
PACAN CEO and environmental justice activist John Beard, Jr. says Energy Transfer is the wrong company to operate a pipeline, and Sabine Lake and Bessie Heights Marsh would be the wrong places for a pipeline.
"We're taking our campaign door to door and to the airwaves to show that Gulf Coast folks oppose this risky pipeline," Beard said.
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The coalition says the pipeline would negatively impact Sabine Lake’s highly-sensitive oyster reefs and fisheries as a result of dredging, sedimentation, turbidity, degradation of water bottoms, pollution and oil spills.
In addition, the coalition says an oil spill in Sabine Lake or Bessie Heights Marsh would result in large-scale greenhouse gas emissions.
Mary West says that Sabine Lake is crucial to the community and local economy.
"We believe that Energy Transfer's Blue Marlin project puts all of us at extreme risk of environmental and economic catastrophe," West said.