FERC Chairman Pat Wood, a staunch advocate of liquefied natural gas (LNG), said last Wednesday he was not particularly worried that a few energy companies have been forced to withdraw their plans to build LNG import facilities due to intense local opposition in certain parts of the nation. In fact, he said he welcomed local input on projects, and advised sponsors to do their “homework” at the local level.

“We’ve got 30 some odd [LNG] projects that are proposed. The National Petroleum Council told us last fall that we need…10 total” to meet the expanding demand for natural gas, he said during a press briefing that followed last Wednesday’s regular Commission meeting.

“So, I’m not despairing, but I think we’re watching that. We’d like to see the appropriate number [of terminals] in place,” Wood told reporters. “We also recognize that investment and those jobs can go to plenty of places other than the two [towns] that voted ‘no'” to the siting of LNG facilities near their communities.

Wood was referring to the decision of the residents of Harpswell, ME, in mid-March not to lease land to TransCanada Corp. and ConocoPhillips to build terminal and regasification facilities, effectively blocking the so-called Fairwinds LNG project in that town. The companies, however, said they hope to build the project elsewhere in Maine. Also citing local opposition, Calpine Corp. this month dropped plans to study the feasibility of siting an LNG terminal and other facilities in the far northern end of California in Humboldt Bay.

“We’re going to be looking at safety and environmental issues [related to LNG projects] like a hawk in every place, regardless of where they are. I would prefer that the [project] applicants do the local homework, and see if the folks there have some intrinsic issues with the development” of LNG facilities, Wood said.

“I have to say [that] I kind of welcome the populist approach there, where people have the chance to debate [and] discuss” the pros and cons of a proposed LNG plant. “[It’s] important to have a lot of local involvement. I come from a small town myself.”

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