[Ellesu]

Freeport has said that Main Pass' annual economic impact would be $85.6 million, and that it would produce as many as 900 jobs during a three-year design and construction period.


Good to know Louisiana can afford to be so picky.

[dogbyte12]

What would the economic impact be to the fishing communities though? I suspect less than $85 million, but environmental concerns aside, the fishing community out here isn't chopped liver. Louisiana's culture is strongly tied to seafood. Kill off the fisheries, and you kill the culture.

[chemicalman]

Blanco's opposition to the project means that the project as designed is dead. Blanco had until Monday to support or oppose the port. The Maritime Administration provides permits for the ports.

She said in her veto that she would support a closed loop system that uses gas, rather than water, to reheat the supercooled gas. But Freeport has said that option would cut too deeply into its profits.

The "open loop" design is a BIG concern among the fishing industry. Warm sea water is used to heat the gas and the water is cooled after it vaporizes the gas. The temperature change could effect the survival of fish eggs, larve, plankton, etc. The "closed loop" design may be a little more expensive to build, but the environmental impact is far less.