Dundalk Sen. Norman Stone Jr. made another attempt Wednesday to block a liquefied natural gas terminal in Sparrows Point. But he conceded that it was unlikely that the special session of the General Assembly called to deal with high electric rates would consider the bill.

“I’m trying to kill this project,” Stone said. “I put this in on the spur of the moment. … I want to keep this to everyone’s attention.”

Stone’s bill would ban waterway dredging of more than 250,000 cubic yards within a half mile of the Sparrows Point site proposed for a LNG terminal in Southeast Baltimore County. This would effectively prevent the company from making the channels deep enough for the estimated 150 huge tankers that would arrive each year.

The bill also says the state Public Service Commission “may not recommend” approval to build any LNG facility in Baltimore County or within two miles of a residence.

This story continues below
Advertisement

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has the ultimate authority to approve or deny the application by AES of Virginia to build the plant at Sparrows Point, but the PSC would make recommendations to FERC.

“I’m not certain at all it could be passed,” Stone said.

A lobbyist for AES, American Joe Mieduszewski, said he was not concerned about the bill because it was unlikely to get a hearing since it not part of the agenda being pushed by the General Assembly leadership.

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com