Our Governor and Lt. Governor should recognize the flaws in the analysis of the impacts of the proposed BHP Billiton Cabrillo LNG Port and oppose it now. The receptor zone for air pollutants from the proposed Cabrillo LNG port has been incorrectly defined as being 22 miles up and down the coast from its location off the Malibu coastline. It is patently erroneous to use Emma Wood State Beach in northern Ventura County and Oxnard Airport as baseline or future indicators for Cabrillo LNG Port impacts.
The proposed port site is well south of these locations, and they are not in the path of prevailing wind and currents. Specifically, this definition ignores the scientific facts that there are often strong westerly winds or Catalina eddy inversion layer conditions that would carry and/or concentrate this project’s significant pollutants as smog in Malibu, the South Bay and Los Angeles County.
Through a misleading manipulation of the boundaries of the impact areas, Los Angeles County, local governments and the South Coast Air Pollution Control District have been excluded from environmental review and mandatory political decision-making processes. Likewise, the likely explosion impact and fire zones from a terrorist attack or industrial accident have been misleadingly confined to a smaller area because topography and meteorological conditions have not been properly analyzed.
What needs to be done immediately is to insist on an expanded scientifically impact area in the EIR to include Malibu and the South Bay. The EIR should include evaluations of the probable effects of air pollution and a possible explosion/fireball from the LNG port and its accompanying ships and industrial activities on Malibu and Los Angeles County residents and environments. Also, its enormous byproduct of carbon dioxide will hurt our Earth’s atmosphere and lead to more global warming.
Dr. Jeff Harris
Wayne Nastri,
EPA Region 9 Director
Laura Yoshi
EPA Region 9
Deputy Director
Debbie Jordan
Art Director
Alexis Strauss
Water Director