Lawsuit challenges Louisiana’s approval of CO2 pipeline in Maurepas Swamp

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A nonprofit environmental group has filed a lawsuit against Louisiana state agencies, alleging they overstepped their legal authority by allowing Air Products to construct a CO₂ pipeline through the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area, a 100,000-acre protected wetland spanning five parishes.

The lawsuit, filed by Healthy Gulf, names the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan, and the LDWF Commission as defendants. It argues that the pipeline agreement violates land conservation agreements that prohibit commercial or industrial development within the wildlife refuge.

“The Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area is protected for a reason—it’s a vital refuge for Louisiana’s wildlife and a cornerstone of our conservation efforts,” said Andrew Whitehurst, Water Program Director at Healthy Gulf. “Allowing a carbon waste pipeline to cut through these lands not only violates the law but undermines the mission of LDWF to protect, not exploit, state lands.”

Background: Air Products’ blue hydrogen project and Louisiana’s carbon capture push

The lawsuit targets Air Products’ Blue Hydrogen Clean Energy Complex, a $4.5 billion industrial facility announced in October 2021 as part of Louisiana’s growing investment in carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). The project, located in Ascension Parish, was hailed by then-Governor John Bel Edwards as a landmark clean energy initiative.

“There is no state in the nation more affected by climate change than Louisiana,” Edwards said at the time. “Carbon dioxide generated in the manufacturing process will be captured, removed, and permanently sequestered instead of being released into the atmosphere.”

Air Products promised to create 600 permanent jobs and nearly 2,000 construction jobs, while also making Louisiana a leader in hydrogen energy and carbon sequestration. The pipeline now at the center of the lawsuit would transport CO₂ from the facility 39.8 miles to injection wells beneath Lake Maurepas, where the company plans to store carbon underground.

Lawsuit alleges Louisiana violated land conservation agreements

The lawsuit claims Louisiana officials granted Air Products the right to build the pipeline through Maurepas Swamp without having the proper legal authority to do so. Specifically, the agreement signed on Oct. 13, 2021, allegedly violated land donation and acquisition agreements that established the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area for conservation purposes.

According to the filing, state agencies:

• Approved a pipeline right-of-way without adhering to legal conservation requirements.
• Failed to restrict development to pre-existing rights-of-way.
• Allowed commercial and industrial use on land protected for hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation.

The lawsuit argues that LDWF and the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission breached their duty to protect the land, violating agreements with private donors who contributed to the creation of the wildlife refuge.

The plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction to stop any pipeline construction in the area.

What’s next?

Air Products continues to move forward with its carbon sequestration efforts despite ongoing concerns from conservation groups and community members. The Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources is expected to issue Class VI injection well permits later this year—marking a key regulatory milestone for the company’s carbon capture operations.

However, this legal challenge could disrupt or delay pipeline construction, depending on how the court rules on the conservation claims.

This is a developing story.

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