Thanks for keeping the proposed offshore natural gas terminal near Malibu on the front page. Malibu coast lovers need to know that this proposed pair of giant, round floating tanks will be plainly visible from our city. And that will open the door to offshore oil drilling in Santa Monica Bay and the argument that protecting our scenic views goes out the window.
At ten stories high, that’s twice the height of the San Onofre nuclear domes sitting 17 miles offshore of Malibu. Charming sunsets guaranteed. But far more important than the aesthetics is the very real, very serious danger these floating terrorist magnets will present. One small leak and the vessels will explode, sending a shock wave of highly-compressed gas out for dozens of miles.
All it would take is for a container ship to veer a few hundred yards off course. After it accidentally or purposefully hit the floating gas terminal, our city would be quickly enveloped in a deadly, odorless cloud that would ignite and kill thousands.
These concentrated gas terminals do not belong in Oxnard, Malibu or Long Beach. They belong far offshore, where terrorists or accidents can happen and not kill people.
Hans Laetz