Cheniere's Texas LNG Terminal Closer to Approval

Cheniere Energy's proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas will not lead to widespread harm to the environment, a draft review concluded on Friday, moving the project a step closer to a possible approval later this year.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's draft review concluded the project will result in a permanent loss of more than 25 acres of wetlands, but said measures Cheniere plans to take will minimize any further disturbance on wetlands.

The Corpus Christi project is one of about two dozen in the United States that hopes to ship gas from the domestic energy boom to countries in Asia and Europe eager to reduce their use of coal.

The project would have units to produce 782 million British thermal units of per year of LNG, a marine terminal with two berths, a compressor station, and other facilities.

FERC will take public comments on the draft review until Aug. 4 and to issue a final environmental review by Oct. 8. It is not known exactly when a final decision on the project would be made.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Sofina Mirza-Reid)