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Recommendation to request the Public Safety Advisory Commission to consider the risk and hazardous assessments for the proposed LNG facility; and
Direct City Manager to communicate a City Council position regarding safety considerations for the proposed LNG facility to the Port of Long Beach.
DISCUSSION
The debate regarding a proposed Liquefied Natural Gas facility at the
Port of Long Beach has been focused on legislative issues concerning Federal
and State jurisdiction over the project. Now that the Federal Energy
Legislation has been finalized by Congress, with language to ensure local
involvement in the decision making process, we should focus our attention to
ensuring that safety remains the most important issue to be considered for this
project. When the City Council voted on June 7, 2005 to continue the non-
binding discussions regarding the future long-term natural gas contract to
benefit the citizens of Long Beach, it also directed the City to “conduct a risk
assessment and a hazardous assessment, including fiscal impact, by qualified
experts as soon as feasibly possible” per the memorandum of understanding.
There has been extensive discussion of the public safety impacts of this
project beginning as early as May 11, 2005 when the City Council requested a
status report on the LNG negotiations (attached). The City Council’s Federal
Legislation Committee received a report from our Police and Fire department
regarding the operations of the Boston LNG facility and there has been a
number of LNG workshops and forums throughout the community. At all the
discussions, repeatedly and appropriately - safety is the number one concern.
I believe that the risk assessment and a hazards assessment approved
by the City Council action of June 7, 2005 should be referred to the Public
Safety Advisory Commission for its involvement and consideration. I would
also like to request that the City Council formally request the Port of Long
Beach to consider public safety...
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