FERC Official Criticizes Political Attempts to Thwart U.S. LNG Development
Emphasizing that the United States particularly needs increased natural gas supplies the next two winters prior to several new LNG import terminals coming online, FERC’s Director of the Office of Energy Projects Mark Robinson criticized politicians who often oppose LNG development in order to protect the public from a perceived, but not necessarily real harm. Speaking at the Wachovia Securities’ 2006 LNG conference in Houston, Robinson stated, “We cannot let populist politicians affect the national agenda,” He cited as a recent example the attempt by Massachusetts politicians to scuttle the Weaver’s Cove LNG project by inserting a provision in a federal transportation bill that would impede the passage of LNG vessels en route to the facility proposed for Fall River, Mass. Read more in yesterday’s Platts LNG Daily. [Subscription required]