Along the Port Arthur Ship Channel in southeast Texas, Sempra Infrastructure is building Port Arthur LNG which is set to play a significant role in North America’s liquefied natural gas exports. As construction progresses, the company is also leading a major wetland restoration initiative for the Gulf Coast—demonstrating that responsible energy development and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Turning Construction Byproduct into Opportunity
For decades, storms and hurricanes have eroded marshes along the Gulf Coast, weakening natural barriers that protect communities and wildlife. To help restore this critical ecosystem, Sempra Infrastructure is repurposing nearly two million cubic yards of sediment dredged from the project’s ship berthing areas, turning what would normally be considered a byproduct into a powerful tool for restoration.
Rather than discarding this nutrient-rich material, crews carefully pump it into nearby marshes at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area, gradually raising the land and replenishing soil lost over decades. As the sediment settles, it forms the foundation for new vegetation, helping to rebuild wetlands that sustain wildlife, improve water quality and provide natural protection against storms and flooding.
Restoration Powered by Collaboration
This initiative is a true collaboration, involving Sempra Infrastructure, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management, STREAM Inc., Ducks Unlimited, Bechtel and its dredge subcontractor Great Lakes.
Together with these organizations, Sempra Infrastructure is helping rebuild more than 1,200 acres of marshland along the Gulf Coast, making it one of the largest projects of its kind in the region.
“For me, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate that impacts from industry don’t have to be a negative-sum action. When industry is willing to work with natural resource agencies, projects like this one can result in positive benefits for everyone,” said Jim Thompson, permitting and compliance manager for Sempra Infrastructure.
Helping Coastal Communities and Wildlife Thrive
With the restoration already underway, sediment has been placed across much of the area, and Port Arthur LNG team members have begun reintroducing native grasses by hand. The work is labor-intensive, with each seedling carefully planted to ensure it takes root and thrives. Salt-meadow cordgrass, saltgrass and seashore paspalum were selected for their resilience and ability to coexist, creating a diverse and sustainable marsh. Additional planting is planned for summer 2026 to complete the full effort.
Over time, the restored marshland will balance 80% vegetation and 20% open water. It will serve as a vital nursery for shrimp, crabs and fish and support waterfowl and land-based wildlife, benefiting outdoor enthusiasts long connected to southeast Texas. In addition to boosting biodiversity and improving habitat quality, the marsh will help provide natural storm protection by buffering potential surges.
A Living Example of Responsible Energy Development
For those who call Southeast Texas home, the restoration carries personal meaning.
“I’ve grown up along the Texas Gulf Coast, and I have a deep appreciation for this region,” said Trevor Nailon, an environmental inspector on the project. “Being part of a project of this scale, one that benefits the local community and creates a space my family and I can enjoy for years to come through fishing and hunting—is incredibly meaningful to me.”
As Port Arthur LNG prepares to deliver energy to communities around the world, the restored marshes beside it stand as a living example of how critical infrastructure and environmental stewardship can advance together.
The work along the ship channel is helping fuel resilience, restore habitat and strengthen the coast, ensuring the Texas Gulf remains a place where people, industry and nature can thrive.
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These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that Sempra has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra’s website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements.
Sempra Infrastructure and Sempra Infrastructure Partners are not the same company as San Diego Gas & Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and none of Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners nor any of its subsidiaries is regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
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