PORT
ARTHUR, Jul 30, 2013 (Menafn - The Port Arthur News - McClatchy-Tribune
Information Services via COMTEX) --An Open House designed to educate
the community about Golden Pass' Products plans to expand the company's
LNG terminal drew a packed crowd Tuesday.
From Port
Arthur city officials, to Sabine Pass business owners and local
anglers, there were plenty coming to get educated about the 10 billion
expansion that will add liquefied natural gas export capabilities to the
existing terminal.
"This certainly is going to
contribute to our economic growth. Not only for the city of Port Arthur,
but for the entire region, and especially Sabine Pass," Port Arthur
Mayor Deloris "Bobbie" Prince, said.
By the time
the project is operational in five years, Southeast Texas will have
already started reaping the rewards of the massive investment, Bill
Davis project executive, said.
The venture will take the area's abundance of the natural resource and make it available to marketplaces all over the world.
Currently, the project is in the federal permitting stages, and the first shipment is expected to go out in 2018, Davis said.
The
LNG project will bring an estimated 45,000 jobs across the nation
during construction, 2,600 permanent Jefferson County jobs during
operations, and a 31 billion economic gain both directly and indirectly,
Davis said.
The project has received its free
trade agreement permits for doing business with countries such as Chile,
Australia, Panama, and others, and is awaiting a permit to do business
with non-free trade nations.
The project is also
awaiting permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
begin pre-filing for the necessary design, environment and construction
permits.
Construction is slated to begin once the permitting process is complete, likely in 2015.
Kirk Blood was among the community members attending the open house. His feelings, he said, were mixed about the venture.
As
owner of Tammie's Old Time Diner in Sabine Pass, Blood said he is
thrilled that the project will bring economic growth to an area that is
all but stagnant these days.
Not only is Sabine
Pass still reeling from the damage caused from hurricanes Rita and Ike,
lately many oil-related jobs that had sustained the area are gone.
"The
oilfield has gone down, there are not nearly as many rigs, construction
or drilling -- just not much going on right now," Blood said.
Add to that the storms that cut the population in half, and you have a community struggling to survive, he said.
But,
while the jobs are welcome, Blood, a member of Saltwater Angler League
of Texas, said he is concerned the added ships using the channel could
negatively affect the area's fishing.
"I am interested in knowing how they are going to manage their ships. There could be some conflicts," Blood said.
According
to Blood, Golden Pass' vessel management plan allows 200 ships per
year. When either coming or going, the ships because of their dangerous
load, are required to have a security zone.
"It could kill our fishing," Jim Meadows, 57, of Nederland said.
Meadows,
also a member of S.A.L.T. said the believed the LNG ships were no more
dangerous than other ships carrying cargo to and from local refineries
and petrochemical plants, yet the Homeland Security guidelines are more
stringent on those carrying the LNG product.
"I'm
not mitigating the danger on any of these ships. They aren't coming in
here with Dawn dishwashing liquid. They are all dangerous," Meadows
said. "But, our reaction that they need extra security might be over the
top."
Tuesday's open house in Sabine Pass was the
second for the company. The first was in Starks, La., and a third is
scheduled in Vidor from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at theVFW Post 8246,
2110 S. Main St.
Post to be found at:
http://www.menafn.com/e5d5c855-addc-4a0e-8ac5-3863cf89bfbf/Golden-Pass-LNG-Open-House-draws-crowd-to-Sabine-Pass?src=main
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