State control over LNG sites sought
Six Democratic senators are seeking to give states the power to determine the need for and location of liquefied natural gas terminals.
Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon; Chris Dodd of Connecticut; Maria Cantwell of Washington; and Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin of Maryland, introduced legislation Tuesday to repeal portions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which gave that authority to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Prior to the passage of the 2005 Energy Bill, such decisions had historically been decided by siting agencies in each state.
'Oregonians have said time and again that they don't want some federal agency 3,000 miles away forcing LNG terminals on them,' Wyden said. 'I'm not going to stop until Oregonians get to decide whether or not they need LNG terminals and, if they do, where to put them.'
'I am adamantly opposed to an LNG facility at Sparrows Point, and deeply disappointed by FERC's response to it,” Mikulski said. “I found FERC all too eager to rubberstamp the project despite the significant and very real concerns of Baltimore residents and the State of Maryland.”
Cardin complained that 'FERC has totally disregarded the safety risks of locating a LNG facility in a densely populated, urban area or what the substantial upgrades to security would entail. I am strongly opposed to locating an LNG facility at Sparrows Point and I am deeply concerned about security and environmental risks to the Port of Baltimore and Chesapeake Bay.'
There are two proposals to site LNG terminals in Oregon, as well as terminals in Baltimore, Maryland and Long Island Sound, that have been approved by FERC.
A copy of the bill along with Wyden's statement on the bill can be found here.