Analyst's note:  The Obummer administration is doing its level best to bring this nation to its knees.  Also see I See Something – Former U.S. Marine Colonel is Warning

"The environmental terrorists at the EPA don’t miss many opportunities to choke American energy production and if they do happen to let one slip past they are quick to correct their error."

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The environmental terrorists at the EPA don’t miss many opportunities to choke American energy production and if they do happen to let one slip past they are quick to correct their error.

A liquified natural gas export terminal had been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s environmental review process for a facility in Corpus Christi, TX.

That operational facility would result in the export of LNG and would mean that somewhere in the world, someone would be purchasing and benefiting from energy produced in the United States. It could even be in Ukraine or another area in which an enhanced U.S. presence might have a political benefit.

The EPA simply can’t allow something like that to happen. They quickly sprang into action, sending a notice to federal energy regulators that their review of the project had been determined by the EPA to have been “insufficient.”

Surely there must be some kind of bug or plant species that they can claim is endangered by the development and it is their job to find it. They simply must look harder. Barring a biological discovery upon which to peg a delay or denial, they can always fall back on “old reliable,” the ubiquitous evil of Co2.

Correspondence from EPA Region 6 said that the review of Cheniere Energy’s terminal did not “contain enough information to fully consider environmental justice, wetlands, indirect effects and greenhouse gas emissions.” That should be broad enough to tie it up indefinitely or to permanently kill the project.

The obstructionist tactic being used was made possible through a recently announced policy from what is ironically called the Department of Energy to implement a “streamlining” of the LNG terminal approval process. While promoted as a means through which to speed up terminal approvals, critics recognized it for what it is proving to be, a means to delay or prevent approvals.

The “streamlining” required environmental impact reports to be issued prior to permitting. In EPA government speak, streamlining makes things more cumbersome. This change is expected to add an average of 4.6 years to LNG projects, longer when the accompanying lawsuits are factored in.

The heretics at the FERC issued a draft environmental assessment just last month which endorsed the Cheniere Energy project, stating that “approval of the proposed Project, with the mitigation measures recommended in the [report], would ensure that impacts in the Project area would be avoided or minimized and would not be significant.”

“Construction and operation of the Project would result in mostly temporary and short-term environmental impacts; however, some long-term and permanent environmental impacts would occur.”

EPA disagreed, with Region 6 Chief of Planning and Coordination Craig Weeks writing, “EPA’s review identified a number of potential adverse impacts to aquatic resources, air quality, environmental justice populations, and wetlands.”

The EPA delays add to the expense and uncertainty of energy development and are an impediment to production. The Corpus Christi terminal is one of 16 that is currently proposed, all of which may face similar obstacles.

Republicans and industry representatives are pressuring the anti-energy Obama regime to allow the process to proceed in a timely manner. America is experiencing production booms, with higher demand and prices overseas.

While FERC and the Department of Energy have recently independently approved other projects, their futures remain murky, with only one, in Freeport, TX receiving the required approval from both. That proposed facility could be the next victim of an ambitious EPA and their zero energy, zero economic growth policies.

Rick Wells is a conservative author who recognizes that our nation, our Constitution and our traditions are under a full scale assault from multiple threats. Please “Like” him on Facebook, “Follow” him on Twitter or visit www.rickwells.us

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