Federal Court in Maryland Says Coastal Zone Rules Trump LNG Plant

A federal court in Maryland has ruled that Baltimore County can restrict where a liquefied natural gas terminal is built in Chesapeake Bay because the restrictions are part of the county’s coastal zone management plan. The ruling says:

...this Court noted that the 2005 amendments to the Natural Gas Act expressly reserve to the states their rights pursuant to three environmental statutes: the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 …, the Clean Air Act …, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act…

Why is this important? If New York State decides to put the kibosh on Broadwater’s LNG proposal for Long Island Sound, it will do so under the authority granted bu the Coastal Zone Management Act (there's more here). Of course that’s a big “if” still. Here's the court decision. Thanks to Adrienne at CCE for alerting me (and others).