FERC Issues Final EIS for North Baja Gas Line
Posted on Jun 11, 2007 in Canada & Mexico, Environmental, Federal Regulation, Pipelines | Comments Off on FERC Issues Final EIS for North Baja Gas Line
Platts LNG Daily [subscription required] reports that FERC has issued a favorable Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 126-mile pipeline proposed by North Baja Pipeline to connect the Energia Costa Azul LNG import terminal to California and Arizona markets. The pipeline would be built in three stages with initial operations beginning in 2007 and construction completed in 2010....
U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Amend Coastal Zone Management Act
Posted on Jun 11, 2007 in Federal Regulation, Policy, Legislation and Politics | Comments Off on U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Amend Coastal Zone Management Act
On June 7, 2007, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced S. 1579, which would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). Specifically, the bill would lengthen the time allotted for the Secretary of Commerce to review objections made by state agencies. The bill would also require the Department of Commerce to submit a report updating Congress regarding the development of a memorandum...
Weaver’s Cove Opponents Challenge FERC Decision in Court
Posted on Jun 11, 2007 in Federal Regulation, Litigation, Regas Terminals & Capacity, Safety & Security, State and Local Issues, Vessel Transportation | Comments Off on Weaver’s Cove Opponents Challenge FERC Decision in Court
Opponents of the Weaver’s Cove LNG project argued Friday before a federal appeals court against FERC’s decision to approve the project. Attorneys for the opponents argued that FERC should have revisited its decision when Weaver’s Cove Energy decided to use smaller vessels and receive cargos more frequently after a federal law prohibited the use of public funds to...
MARAD Signs Training Standards Agreement with Maritime Academies and Unions, Seeks to set Global Standards
Posted on Jun 6, 2007 in Federal Regulation, Vessel Transportation | Comments Off on MARAD Signs Training Standards Agreement with Maritime Academies and Unions, Seeks to set Global Standards
During a press conference attended by LNGLawBlog, Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton signed an agreement with the major maritime academies and seafaring unions to establish training standards for crews operating vessels carrying LNG. Connaughton said that there was a three-step plan to implement these standards: (1) maritime academies would revise their curricula to...
FERC Denies Canadian Province’s Request to Suspend LNG Review
Posted on Jun 5, 2007 in Canada & Mexico, Environmental, Federal Regulation, Regas Terminals & Capacity, Vessel Transportation | Comments Off on FERC Denies Canadian Province’s Request to Suspend LNG Review
FERC ordered that application reviews can continue for the Quoddy Bay and Downeast LNG terminal proposals on the Maine side of Passamaquoddy Bay. New Brunswick argued that because the Canadian federal government declared that LNG carriers would be prohibited from using Canadian waters to reach the terminals, FERC ought to halt its permit review process. FERC “recognize[d] that...
MARAD to Sign LNG Training Agreement with Maritime Academies and Unions
Posted on Jun 5, 2007 in Federal Regulation, Vessel Transportation | Comments Off on MARAD to Sign LNG Training Agreement with Maritime Academies and Unions
MARAD announced yesterday that Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton will sign an agreement with the major U.S. maritime academies and seafaring unions to implement training standards for crews aboard LNG carriers. According to the press release, “[t]he agreement will help expand the pool of U.S. mariners qualified to sail the ships in the growing worldwide LNG fleet.”...