NEW ORLEANS, May 19 (UPI) -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco says she opposes development of new offshore liquefied natural gas terminals that might harm the state's fishing economy.
Blanco is concerned about "open-loop" LNG terminals that use water from the Gulf of Mexico to warm frozen LNG, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Thursday. Some scientists have warned the process could harm marine life.
The "open-loop" systems already has been approved for use by two terminals off Louisiana's coast, one of which received its first shipment of liquefied gas in March.
"Until studies demonstrate that the operation of the (open-loop system) will not have an unacceptable impact on the surrounding ecosystem, I will only support offshore LNG terminals using a closed-loop system having negligible impacts to marine life," Blanco said in a letter to acting federal Maritime Administration chief John Jamian.
Although scientists have warned the open-loop system could harm the ecosystem, the Maritime agency and operators say the loss of fish would be minimal and the alternative "closed loop" system would be more costly.
