BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The speakers at the Rio Grande LNG final investment decision (FID) celebration ran out of superlatives as they addressed a small crowd invited to the event.
One described it as “The largest project of the private enterprise. Another said “It’s the biggest endeavor ever” for South Texas.”
“A great day for the company,” said another.
”A beacon of progress,” added one of the community stakeholders during the two-hour event held Thursday at the Brownsville Events center.
And after each of them extolled the economic benefit the liquefied natural gas is going to generate when its pledge to hire at least 35 percent of the 5,000 jobs from the area workforce and how the company chose the Port of Brownsville to build its terminals, the last of the eight speakers decided to wrap it up quickly.
“That’s All Folks,” said Sergio Tito Lopez, making reference to Porky Pig’s saying at the end of its Looney Lunes shows.
Lopez, a port commissioner with the Brownsville Navigation District, said there was very little else for him to say about he heard the previous speakers.
The event was to celebrate the big announcement NextDecade made on a positive final decision this past July to invest billions of dollars to construct the natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville. It was held at the Brownsville Events Center.
David Keane, senior vice president of policy and corporate affairs with NextDecade, said on Thursday they are excited for this project that will connect the RGV with the rest of the world.
Vicente Gonzalez, the U.S. Rep. for Texas’ District 34, described the investment project as the first of its kind, adding this is the time to seize the opportunity to bring a green energy production company to this part of the country.
“I know there are some concerns out there,” he said before the celebration, “but this going to be the cleanest and safest energy project in the country.”
Paul Marsden, president of Bechtel Energy, said the port will be on the global map as a hub to supply natural gas.
He said they are committed to bringing quality jobs here and added some 200 people are already working at the site along Texas Highway 48.
Ed Campirano, the port director, people are going to start seeing a lot of more activity there.
The celebration ended with a campaign toast given out by Matt Schatzman, president and CEO with NextDecade.
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