Natural Gas Plant Plans Terminated

Victory became official last week for local environmental watchdogs, as long-stewing plans to put a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant off the coast of Carpinteria were terminated by the California State Lands Commission. Known as the Clearwater Port project, the proposed LNG facility had been in limbo since the fall 2007 after its initial application was met with fierce concern from environmental groups. Required by the State Lands Commission to address hundreds of questions in its application, Northernstar Energy, which was proposing Clearwater, went back to the proverbial drawing board but never returned.