Efforts by Sound Energy Solutions to produce and run an LNG plant on Pier T of the Port of Long Beach took a step backwards this week as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that the city of Long Beach would not be required to complete an environmental impact report in the project’s feasibility.
“Everything I can think of works against you,” Judge James Chalfant said to the SES lawyers.
Long Beach habor commissioners had voted in January that the report was not needed, but SES sued, claiming that the decision was erroneous. Lawyers for SES presented their claims to the judge for about a half-hour before the decision, but were not able to sway his decision.
“The court made the right decision,” said City Attorney Bob Shannon. “There was no duty to go forward with the project, and there was no duty to complete the EIR.”