The US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Maritime Administrator was acting within his authority under the Deepwater Port Act when he designated New Jersey as an additional adjacent coastal state with respect to the application of Atlantic Sea Island Group LLC (ASIG) for a license to construct and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility at a site to be located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 13.5 miles off the coast of New York and 19 miles off the coast of New Jersey. The 45-day timeframe in the statute for such designation was held to be directory rather than mandatory. ASIG v. Connaughton, No. 08-259 (DDC, December 8, 2008).
(Source: Holland & Knight)