WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger’s decision to veto the proposed Cabrillo Port LNG project.   Last month, the State Lands Commission and California Coastal Commission voted to reject this project. 

“I am very pleased Governor Schwarzenegger listened to the public and vetoed this misguided LNG project,” said Capps.  “This project was so flawed.  It posed too great a threat to our community’s safety, our air and water quality, and our local economy.  Without a doubt the Cabrillo Port LNG facility was the wrong approach to meeting our energy needs.  After being thoroughly rejected by the public, two state agencies, and now the Governor, I hope that it is abundantly clear that dangerous and unnecessary offshore LNG facilities are not the silver bullet solution to solving our energy demands.”

A copy of a letter sent by Congresswoman Capps earlier this week urging the Governor to veto the LNG project follows: 

May 14, 2007

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, California  95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

We are writing to urge you to veto the proposed Cabrillo Port Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Deepwater Port Project.  As you know, both the State Lands Commission and the California Coastal Commission voted to reject this project last month. 

Cabrillo Port represents an unacceptable threat to the South Central Coast.  According to the final Environmental Impact Report, the proposed LNG project will cause twenty significant and unmitigated impacts to air and water quality, public safety, marine wildlife, views, recreation, noise, and agriculture.  These impacts will degrade our environment, negatively impact the south central coast economy, and harm our state’s coastal resources. 

Before we embark on this potentially harmful and irreversible project of a dubious nature we should first concentrate on reducing our energy needs and increasing our use of safer alternative energy sources.  There are faster, cheaper and longer-term energy solutions, such as conservation, efficiency and renewable energy that are available now.  These alternatives will not endanger public safety or our economically valuable coastal environment.

As you are well aware, the air quality of Southern California suffers from high levels of pollution.  Cabrillo Port would violate the federal Clean Air Act and degrade our air quality, even with mitigation measures.  The proposed LNG facility would be the largest smog-producer in Ventura County and interfere with its efforts to achieve clean air standards.  Cabrillo Port will also contribute to global warming.  According to some estimates, the proposed project would be responsible for up to 25 million tons of global warming pollution per year.  We commend you for playing a leading role in efforts to curb global warming pollution. Unfortunately, Cabrillo Port jeopardizes these efforts. 

This project would also seriously impact water quality and the marine environment.  The proposed facility would be sited adjacent to a National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.  Massive water intake and discharges, including vessel oil spills, sewage, ballast and wastewater, from LNG operations would damage these fragile marine ecosystems, killing zooplankton and small fish critical to the survival of marine mammals and fisheries.  These discharges would also violate California’s state water quality regulations designed to protect marine life and human health.  And according to the National Marine Fisheries Service, noise and collisions resulting from Cabrillo Port represent a significant threat to marine mammals, especially whale populations.

Finally, Cabrillo Port would be located near major shipping lanes, and could impact commercial, recreational and naval navigation.  An accident at the facility or on a tanker, for example, could engulf shipping lanes and threaten humans, marine wildlife or vessels caught in the range of an explosion.  A recent GAO report indicates that the risk assessment models used for the Cabrillo Port project do not go far enough to protect public safety.  Moreover, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, Cabrillo Port and the proposed subsea and onshore pipelines would overlay a number of seismic fault lines prone to major earthquakes. 

Few issues are as important to California as the protection of our coastal and ocean resources.  You have been outspoken in your defense of these resources in the past and we hope you will continue that position by vetoing this ill conceived project.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. 

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.