BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The Save RGV group is urging Cameron County residents to show up at an upcoming commissioners court meeting to protest plans to give Texas LNG a big tax break.
The nonprofit has also penned some talking points for residents that wish to speak in the public comment period of the meeting, or send a video.
Cameron County Commissioners Court meets January 2, 2024, starting at 9:30 a.m.
“Please plan to attend and join your community in making a strong showing against tax abatements to multi-trillion dollar fossil fuel corporations. They have already given Rio Grande LNG $300 million in abatements,” the Save RGV group stated in an email alert sent to supporters.
Texas LNG is a subsidiary of Glenfarne Energy Transition LLC. The company has a 50-year lease on a 625-acre site located within the Port of Brownsville. Texas LNG plans to construct and operate a 4 million tonnes per annum (“mtpa”) liquefied natural gas export terminal on a deepwater frontage site at the port. The company expects to close its project financing in 2024 with construction commencing shortly thereafter.
Save RGV points out that on December 19, Cameron County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to consider entering into an agreement to give large tax breaks to Texas LNG. Save RGV said the commissioners did this in spite of numerous vocal and written comments in opposition.
“We need your help. It’s time we tell them (again), no tax break giveaways for LNG,” Save RGV said.
A spokesperson for Glenfarne responded: “Glenfarne Energy Transition, a global leader in clean energy, and the owner of Texas LNG, is dedicated to Cameron County and improving the social, economic, and environmental quality of life for local residents and businesses. We are proud that Texas LNG will be the lowest emission LNG facility in the United States. The construction and operation of Texas LNG will improve the quality of life for the area bringing hundreds of direct and indirect jobs with competitive pay to the area along with billions of dollars in economic development, and we look forward to continuing to engage in conversations with the community and its elected and appointed leaders to advance our community.”
Texas LNG says it is “proud" to be located within the Port of Brownsville and the “vibrant” Rio Grande Valley region.
“We are committed to becoming an exemplary member of the community by operating in a safe and responsible manner, providing tax revenues and good paying jobs,” the company says.
On its website, Texas LNG lists three key principles:
Here, below, are the talking points Save RGV has prepared for residents wishing to protest. The group urges residents to add their own comments to these talking points in order to have a greater impact.
1. Tax abatements to Texas LNG are not an incentive to keep them here. They decided on this location in 2014. Their permit is specific to this particular environment and location. They cannot threaten to build elsewhere if tax abatements are not granted. They would have to apply for a NEW permit which would cause further delays. It has been 10 years since they were permitted for our Port. Giving them tax incentives now is not fiscally prudent, nor beneficial to our growing community.
2. The Point Isabel ISD voted against giving school tax abatements to Texas LNG last year, clearly sending a strong message from affected communities. Do not grant County tax abatements in deference to one of our school districts. Listen to your constituents and do not consider, publish nor enter into any agreement with Texas LNG granting tax abatements.
3. We are a poor county. Taxes are rising year after year, rent is skyrocketing, housing prices are 40-50% over valued and climbing. Giving tax abatements to trillion dollar corporations, that can absolutely afford to pay taxes, should not even be a consideration. Subsidizing these multi-trillion dollar industries with taxpayer money is unconscionable.
4. Per the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) there are no air quality monitoring stations in the vicinity of any permitted LNG terminal site at our Port. At the very least, the County must demand these corporations pay to install air quality monitoring stations in Port Isabel, Laguna Vista, Los Fresnos, and Laguna Heights, preferably near our schools. The cumulative impacts from Texas LNG and Rio Grande LNG, not to mention the additional heavy industrial companies targeting our Port, will directly impact air quality and will be felt in these communities due to the prevailing SSE winds. If the corporations, or our County officials refuse, it is because they do not want us to know the toxic air we will be breathing. Are you comfortable turning our communities into a cancer alley like so many industrialized fossil fuel coastline cities along Texas and Louisiana? Without air quality monitoring stations, we won’t know what damage has affected our children until it’s too late.
5. The argument that Rio Grande LNG was granted tax abatements is not an excuse to give Texas LNG the same consistent consideration. To excerpt a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers… .”
6. It appears suspicious that the County put this on their agenda for consent the week before Christmas, knowing full well people are distracted and busy. Is this an obvious attempt to suppress public comment? This item should have been tabled until Q1 when the public had resumed routine activities and could schedule time to be properly involved in the public comment process, especially in light of the numerous comments voicing strong opposition to abatements for Texas LNG. Instead they voted to consider an agreement for tax abatements unanimously. Tell them this was wrong.
Save RGV added: “Thank you for your continuous support. Your letters and comments do add up and do make a difference.”
Editor’s Note: We have reached out to Texas LNG for comment about both Cameron County Commissioners Court’s plans to provide them with a tax abatement and Save RGV’s plans to protest the abatement. We will bring their reaction as soon as we get it.
