SD Union Tribune: Mexican congress votes to support of attempted shutdown of Sempra LNG terminal

[Hans Laetz, Newsgroup Editor]

Action by members of Mexico's chamber of deputies is non-binding

BY SANDRA DIBBLE

More than two weeks after Ensenada’s mayor attempted to shut down
Sempra’s liquefied natural gas terminal outside Ensenada, supporters
in Mexico’s federal legislature on Tuesday called for a review of the
facility's permits.

The non-binding measure, known as a punto de acuerdo, also called for
the removal of Mexican military forces that have been safeguarding the
installation since Feb. 11.

The resolution was proposed by José Narro Céspedes, a legislator from
the state of Zacatecas and member of Mexico’s leftist Party of the
Democratic Revolution, the PRD. It passed with 259 votes in favor, 95
against and five abstentions.


The measure gave support to the move earlier this month by Ensenada’s
mayor, Enrique Pelayo, to shut down Sempra’s Costa Azul LNG terminal,
“temporarily and partially” by sending members of the municipal police
to the facility.

Pelayo was not successful in his attempt, and the action drew harsh
criticism from Mexican federal officials. Pelayo, who took office on
Dec. 1, has alleged that the permits were not properly issued, an
assertion that state and federal authorities have denied.

Jeffrey Weldon, a scholar at the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de
Mexico in Mexico City said “the resolution will not lead to much. This
will be settled eventually in the courts.”

Mayor Pelayo is a member of Mexico’s once-ruling Institutional
Revolutionary Party, the PRI, while Baja California’s state government
is controlled by Mexico’s ruling National Action Party, the PAN.

Tuesday’s congressional vote was largely divided along party lines,
said Francisco Javier Orduño, a representative from Baja California.
He voted against the measure, along with nine other legislators from
Baja California who are members of the PAN.

“The people who proposed this don’t even know the state of Baja
California,” Orduño said. “There are other interests at play here.”