Puerto Rico governor says Aguirre LNG facesrndelays due to FERC consultation holdup

摘要

The Aguirre Offshore GasPort Project in Puerto Rico, which would allowrnthe conversion of a major power plant to cleaner fuels, is facing majorrndelays in spite of FERC’s signoff on the LNG project, the territory’srngovernor lamented last week.rnIn a letter posted on FERC’s website earlier this month, GovernorrnAlejandro Garcia-Padilla warned of dire economic consequences of arndelay — potentially forcing a shutdown of a major power source or stiffrnfinancial penalties.rnEven though FERC approved (CP13-193) the Aguirre OffshorernGasPort Project last July, Garcia-Padilla said the signoff wasrnconditioned on other permits and approvals, one of which is stalled.rnThe sticking point is completion of Endangered Species Actrnconsultation by FERC with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NationalrnMarine Fisheries Service.rn“I have been informed that these consultations have not begun inrnearnest because FERC has not submitted to NMFS the requiredrnbiological assessment for [the project]. This is causing major delays forrnthe construction and delivery of the [project],” he wrote.