Louisiana Parishes Battle Over LNG Money
NPR’s Morning Edition yesterday featured a story describing the current conflict between Louisiana’s Cameron Parish and the Port of Lake Charles over the proposed Cameron LNG terminal. The debate centers on the fact that the Cameron LNG terminal is being built in Cameron Parish, but on property owned by the Port of Lake Charles, a tax-exempt, state entity located in neighboring Calcasieu Parish. Because of its tax-exempt status, the Port of Lake Charles does not have to pay any taxes to Cameron Parish, despite the significant revenue it will receive from leasing the land to Sempra LNG, the terminal developer. In the lawsuit, the Port of Cameron is challenging the Port of Lake Charles’ authority to develop the property. According to one elected official in Cameron, “it’s one thing to operate a ship channel to maintain a right-of-way to your district, but its another thing to come into our district and set up operation [from] which we cannot benefit.” Sempra LNG responded by saying that both sides still support the project, and that the fight is over who Sempra will pay once the plant is operating.