Industry Experts Discuss Federal-State Tension Over LNG Terminal Permitting Process
Posted on Mar 2, 2009 in Federal Regulation, Policy, Legislation and Politics, Regas Terminals & Capacity, State and Local Issues | Comments Off on Industry Experts Discuss Federal-State Tension Over LNG Terminal Permitting Process
Platts LNG Daily offers coverage of the ongoing tension between a number of state governments and the U.S. federal government over the LNG project permitting process. According to one industry player, Center for LNG President Bill Cooper, the tension arises from FERC’s willingness to issue project authorization before the pertinent state governments issue all of the required permits. Cooper notes, however, that the Commission may not preempt a state’s right to withhold a state permit and he is unaware of any instance where FERC granted an LNG project developer permission to begin construction before all of the necessary state permits were issued. [Subscription required]