Attorney General Gansler Announces State of Maryland Has Filed Request for Rehearing Regarding LNG Terminal

BALTIMORE, MD (February 13, 2009) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler today announced that the Office of the Attorney General, on behalf of the State of Maryland, has filed a Request for Rehearing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging it to reconsider and rescind its authorization of the AES Sparrows Point LNG Terminal and pipeline under the Natural Gas Act.

“FERC’s decision to approve an application for a liquefied natural facility and pipeline in Maryland was hasty and in violation of numerous environmental laws,” said Attorney General Gansler. “The State must move forward for reconsideration to protect Maryland residents, wildlife and the Chesapeake Bay.”

The State filed the request because FERC’s decision was rushed through in the last days of the Bush Administration and issued despite the fact that critical environmental reviews are still ongoing and the public has not been provided sufficient opportunity to review the Final Environmental Impact Statement upon which FERC’s decision is based. The Office of the Attorney General is asking FERC to rescind its authorization and allow the necessary environmental reviews to run their course before determining whether the project’s marginal benefits outweigh its significant adverse environmental impacts.

As it stands, Maryland claims the FERC decision violates seven separate federal statutes: Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Magnuson-Stevens Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Natural Gas Act, and Administrative Procedures Act.