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Lands Commission rejects LNG project

To the delight of an applauding crowd of more than 500 in the audience, the California State Lands Commission voted 2-1 Monday night to reject BHP Billiton’s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas termainal 14 miles off the Malibu coast.

The commissioners voting against the project, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and State Conrtoller John Chiang, disagreed with their own staff’s report that California’s need for LNG outweighed the potential dangers of the project.

“I’m concerned that the people who live here will bear the brunt of the impacts and the [poor] air quality,” Chiang said.

Following the vote, BHP Billiton officials quickly ran out of the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, where the 12-hour hearing took place. A spokesperson for the company said a statement would be released later today.

Keeley Brosnan, who along with her husband Pierce has been a vocal opponent of the proposed plant, said she did not know what to expect coming into the hearing and was elated by the outcome.

“Lt. Gov. Garamendi [who chaired the meeting] handled this entire proccess so well and with so much sensitivity,” Brosnan said.

The Lands Commission vote was technically considering the project’s Environmental Impact Report and BHP Billiton’s application for a 30-year lease of two 24-inch pipelines that would transport the gas from the terminal to the shore. With the panel’s rejection, the company will have a difficult time pursuing its plan. The Lands Commission decision cannot be appealed, although the company could file a lawsuit.

The California Coastal Commission will vote on whether the project satisfies state and federal coastal protection laws on Thursday in Santa Barbara. The Coastal Commission staff has recommended a “no” vote.

Look for more information on the Lands Commission hearing later today on this Web Site and in The Malibu Times print edition, which will be available Wednesday afternoon.