The Baja California Travel & Living Webzine

Environmentalists to Fight Gas Terminal Near Ensenada

Floating LNG Receiving Terminal off Rosarito
in northern Baja California

(04/22/05) Mexico's environmental agency approved another LNG terminal to be located five miles off the shores of Rosarito. The $55 million dollar project was approved in record time.

The floating platform is a significantly smaller project than the $680 million dollar Sempra and Chevron facilities mentioned below. The larger facilities will have refineries located on shore and a fixed platform located yard off the coast of the protected Coronado Islands.

This approval deals only with the effects of the project and was passed through the process quickly because the floating platform has less impact than a fix terminal. Additional permits are required before construction can begin.

Although the Sempra project is approved, things are on hold as environmental groups fight in court and the Baja California Legislature investigates the legitimacy of the approval awards.
 

Surfers are also attempting to block the construction of the refinery ashore, near what is know as Harry's. A cult surf spot for years the unique break offers a shallow-water right-hand barrel will be replaced by the Chevron/Texaco gas refinery. "Harry's is an epic, backdoor barrel that will go the way of Killer Dana if we don't stop it from being destroyed," said Greg Long, a San Clemente surfer.

Former Surfer Magazine photo editor Jason Murray says, "If the construction of the LNG terminal goes ahead, we are going to lose one of the most dynamic and beautiful waves in the North Pacific."

Chevron/Texaco announced plans to build the 680 million

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through ProPeninsula
 

(01/19/05) Greenpeace Mexico and the Mexican Environmental Law Center today announced new efforts to block plans for a liquefied natural gas import terminal off of Mexico's Pacific coast near the U.S. border.

The terminal will be located just several hundred yards off the shores of the Coronado Islands. The project will be part of a planned natural gas distribution system to meet the needs of energy hungry Southern California and Arizona. The project also includes a refinery ashore and a pipeline to transport the vaporized product across northern Mexico and into the Southwest US.
 

The Coronado Islands, 16 miles south of San Diego, have long been held as an environmental refuge. The organizations attempting to block this development claim the increase shipping traffic and pollution will disrupt the delicate environmental balance of the desert island.

The islands shelter the Xantus' murrelet, an environmentally threatened small black-and-white seabird whose population is estimated to be less than 10,000 and which only breeds off the northwest coast of Baja California.

For years the Mexican government has protected these islands, not even allowing the small number of pleasure boaters ashore. They are a popular destination for day fishing boats from San Diego as well as sailors and divers.

The Mexican Environmental Law Center has helped five environmental and civic groups file legal complaints against the authorization, arguing that the Environment Department failed to gather sufficient scientific information about impacts on the Coronado Islands, an isolated bird nesting area uninhabited by humans.

Chevron/Texaco did not have immediate comment.

(Click on Map to expand)

refinery project in October of 2003, 12 miles north of Ensenada to process the liquefied natural gas (LNG) from fields in Australia and Asia. With the rising price of oil and demand for energy in the southwestern US, the profitability of processing the 'dirty' gas is now more viable. One of the byproducts of refining LNG is sulfur dioxide, which smells like rotten eggs. However, when the refined product is used, it produces fewer harmful emissions than most other fuels.

"This is clearly a case of Not in My Backyard" says an environmental researcher. "With the growing needs of Southern California for energy the energy companies have exported the problem to Mexico where environmental resistance to the project is weaker." He added, "Imagine how far they would get if they wanted to put such a terminal on Anacapa Island or Catalina? I don't think a great number of the Americans investing in the area are aware of the plans for this industrial facility."

Additional Resources

Surfers Save the Waves
Green Peace Mexico
Mexican Environmental Law Ctr
What is LNG?
International Construction Report
Chevron/Texaco Press Release

Coronado Islands in 1924 - San Diego Natural History Museum