Protests escalate over Louisiana pipeline by company behind Dakota Access

Louisiana residents are starting to get involved in environmental issues and are making themselves heard about the disputed Bayou Bridge pipeline

Scott Eustis did not stop smiling for hours. The coastal wetland specialist with the Gulf Restoration Network was attending a public hearing in Baton Rouge. Its subject was a pipeline extension that would run directly through the Atchafalaya Basin, the world's largest natural swamp. Eustis was surprised to be joined by more than 400 others.

"This is like 50 times the amount of people we have at most of these meetings," said Eustis, adding that the proposed pipeline was "the biggest and baddest I've seen in my career".