Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Long Beach LNG Saga May End With Whimper, Not Bang

The explosive debate over whether to locate a liquefied natural gas terminal near downtown Long Beach may be coming to an end.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "Harbor Commission President James C. Hankla, in a Dec. 4 letter to the Long Beach mayor and City Council, questioned whether city officials still want the gas terminal. He said his staff has been working to move the project forward while the city has failed to negotiate a deal with the energy company for lower-cost natural gas for Long Beach residents.

"Hankla warned the City Council that harbor authorities saw no sense in completing the environmental review, already past due and expected to take several more months, absent 'a clear understanding that the city is prepared to support the project.'"