27 Aug 2008

Baltimore County seeks review of Sparrows Point decision — Energy Current, Houston, TX

BALTIMORE: James T. Smith Jr., county executive for Baltimore County, Md., on Aug. 15 filed a petition for a [writ] of certoriari with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting that the court review the decision made by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in May regarding the proposed Sparrows Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

11th hour for proposed LNG terminal — WKRG TV, Mobile, AL

David Underhill with the Mobile Bay Sierra Club said, "The applicant seeks a permit to commit 'aquacide:' perhaps not mass, indiscriminate killing of marine life like some other proposals, but reckless behavior."

Its up to the administrator of the U.S. Maritime Association to give the project thumbs up or down.

But Governor Bob Riley could stop it too, and he has until October 10 to decide.

LNG meeting gets hot — The Press-Register, Mobile, AL

One woman said she was in favor of the terminal because she didn't want her children to be beholden to energy coming from the Middle East. She was apparently unaware that much of the LNG imported at the TORP facility — like most of the LNG sold worldwide — would emanate from the Middle East.

If the ongoing study were to reveal impacts [Gov. Bob Riley] deemed unacceptable, he would have the authority to require that the facility change its operating practices or shut down, according to officials familiar with the conditions under consideration.

All of the federal agencies that regulate fisheries remain firmly opposed to the terminal plan, because of the potential impact on the Gulf's food chain. The TORP terminal would suck in about 46 billion gallons of seawater each year to turn the imported LNG into a usable product.

Webmaster's Comments: If the Alabama Governor thinks he has the power to shut down the LNG terminal once it is in operation, good luck!

BHA boss supports LNG plant — The Nassau Guardian, Nassau, Bahamas

It's not clear how soon the government will give AES a response to its proposal, which has been on the table for more than seven years. Throughout the five-year administration of Perry Christie, government officials had said repeatedly that AES, which wants to construct an LNG plant on Ocean Cay, was the front-runner in the approval race.

But that approval never came.

Within days after being re-elected last year May, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told reporters that LNG projects were not a priority of the new administration.

EIA Administrator: Increased domestic gas supplies could affect U.S. LNG imports — Sutherland LNG Law Blog, Washington, DC

Platts LNG Daily reports that the Administrator for the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Guy Caruso, said yesterday that increased domestic natural gas supplies, particularly from the production of shale gas, could limit U.S. demand for LNG imports. [Subscription required]

Webmaster's Comments: The message keeps being repeated by industry and government — the LNG bubble has burst. It's time for Calais LNG, Downeast LNG, and Quoddy Bay LNG to pack up and go home.