On June 5, 2007, Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton issued a Record of Decision (ROD) denying BHP Billiton’s application for a
Deepwater Port license for the proposed Cabrillo Port project offshore of Ventura County, California. The denial was based on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s May 18, 2007, letter to Administrator Connaughton disapproving of BHP’s application.
In his disapproval letter, Governor Schwarzenegger recognized California’s “need to expand its access to natural gas,†stating that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) “can and must be an important addition to California’s energy portfolio.†His disapproval of the Cabrillo Port Project was primarily based on concerns that the Cabrillo Port project, as proposed, would result in significant and unmitigated impacts to the State’s air quality and marine life.
Because the Maritime Administrator received timely disapproval from Governor Schwarzenegger, the application was denied and no further action will be taken on the application as submitted.