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Powerful Assembly Chair Says Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) No Longer Fits in With California's Clean Energy Plans

[Editor's note: Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, who chairs the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee, joined other members of the legislature and environmental leaders at the Malibu Pier on Saturday to voice his strong opposition to the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal being pushed by BHP Billiton, the largest mining company in the world. Even more significant is what Levine had to say about natural gas and how it fits in with California's turn away from fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy. Here is his entire statement.]

I'm Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, and I'm here to help us stop this LNG terminal. It turns out that this project is unneeded and dirty, and more imports of natural gas are unneeded and dirty.

Today California is headed in a different direction, and it's not to the past. It's to the future, and the future looks greener, cleaner, and renewable.

About four years ago, BHP assured me that their LNG project was clean and safe. The required draft Environmental Impact Report concluded that this project was safe and environmentally sound. There was no indication that federal or state laws would need to be relaxed, bypassed, or as our U.S. Representative Waxman recently found out, ignored by an inveigling federal bureaucrat.

California's energy supplies were dwindling and prices were going up and up. We didn't have strong viable alternatives, and our commitment to renewable power was not as strong as it is today.

Increasing the supplies of natural gas seemed like a natural. The infrastructure was already in place, the natural gas-fired power plants were already built, and bills which I worked tirelessly on that would mandate the use of clean renewable fuel sources, were a few years away from reality.

In fact, I didn't even know if the Legislature and the Governor would support our efforts to rapidly wean California off fossil fuels. The hardest sell was trying to get people to understand that clean renewable power is viable, and relying on energy efficiency to meet our demands was not only practical, it was cheaper than building new power plants.

We did it anyway. I and some of my colleagues took steps that some considered "beyond the edge." I was told it couldn't be done. That renewable power was too expensive and it would take massive investments in transmission lines to access these clean resources in remote locations. Well, after four long years of dedication to the environment and perseverance, it's finally paid off.

• Legislation that I wrote helps make California's commitment to energy efficiency a reality.
• Legislation that I co-authored requires the utilities to purchase at least 20 percent of their electricity by from clean in-state renewable sources by 2010.
• Legislation that I co-authored requires the utilities to purchase only clean electricity, even if it's imported.
• Legislation that I co-authored requires $3.4 billion dollars in solar energy investments over the next 10 years.
• The most significant problem with accessing these clean energy sources with transmission lines; is being solved.

Today, through our commitments to renewable power, we have succeeded in transitioning away from natural gas.

Today, we find out that this project does not comply with our Clean Air Act as the original draft Environmental Impact Report purported.

Today, it turns out that the federal government is playing dirty politics to thwart California's commitment to a clean environment and is trying to inflict this project on us, bypassing our clean and green state and federal environmental laws.

This proposal is fraught with bad federal government politics and is a giant step backwards for California. We're done with the past. Today, I'm here to look toward the future.

Today, I urge your support, in fact, I implore your support to "Terminate this Terminal"

For more information, please visit www.coastaladvocates.com

Posted on March 12, 2007

Comments

You are crazy if you think solar or wind can produce reliable base electricity. You ae way overboard.

Posted by: S Lotsoff at March 12, 2007 05:12 PM

You are crazy if you think solar or wind can produce reliable base electricity. You are way overboard.

Posted by: S Lotsoff at March 12, 2007 05:13 PM

It is way overdue to deal with these issues - all of us owe Levine a vote of thanks!

Posted by: Ellin Lieberman MD at March 12, 2007 05:14 PM

Given we already have a new terminal delivering gas to California from Mexico, why do we need another one?? Sempra's Costa Azul will meet 33% of California's gas demand and could meet 83% of California's gas demand should it be expanded; something currently being review. Currently, PUC estimates gas demand increasing a rate less than 1% annually. Given we already have half empty gas pipes running into California and we have an LNG terminal ready to flood more gas on the market, why are we even considering more LNG terminals? Oh thats right - because some Australian companies aim to shaft Californians with floating white elephants that we'll be on the hook for to the tune of billions of dollars.

Posted by: Ed Bashford at March 13, 2007 09:33 AM

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