Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary John A. Hughes has determined that the proposed LNG off-loading pier in the Delaware River is prohibited by the State’s Coastal Zone Act. The decision is in response to the Dec. 7, 2004 application of Crown Landing LLC to ascertain if a new pier facility to transfer liquefied natural gas (LNG) from ships in the Delaware River to storage tanks in New Jersey is allowable under the Coastal Zone Act. In his letter of decision to the company, Secretary Hughes writes that his decision “does not come without some appreciation of the need for additional natural gas supplies in this country nor the relative cleanliness of natural gas compared to other energy fuels.” However…