Reps. Have Plan To Kill LNG Terminal In Mass.

Two Massachusetts lawmakers say they have a plan to deal a final blow to a proposed liquefied natural gas facility in Fall River.

U.S. Reps. Barney Frank and James McGovern said on Thursday that they are adding language to a House appropriations bill that would bar construction of an LNG terminal within five miles of Fall River.

The project proposed by Weaver’s Cove Energy LLC has drawn opposition from local residents and officials in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

McGovern says that the problem with the proposed facility is where Weaver's Cove wants to build.

"There are 1,000 other places to build an LNG facility," he said, "but in the middle of a downtown is just plain stupid."

McGovern said the new bill could be considered "overkill," given his previous efforts to block the plant's construction, but that "it brings us to a finale. I think psychologically that's important from the perspective of investors. We need to get people to invest in the waterfront. We need to get people to believe there's a future down here."

The lawmakers said they had bipartisan support for the measure and a promise from the House leadership it would be approved by Oct. 1.

Weaver’s Cove Energy has not yet commented on the new proposed restrictions.