Fishermen and other groups aren’t happy about recent federal permitting of large, liquid natural gas (LNG) processing sites in the Gulf, to be built by Shell Oil.

Activists are asking the 5th U.S. Court of Appeals to review the terminal’s permit, and they question its legality. Gulf Landing, as it is called, is to be built by 2010 and is one of seven proposed LNG terminals for the Gulf. Each would require massive amounts of warm water to treat the super-cold LNG arriving by ship. Some marine biologists say the terminals, when they suck up ocean water, would kill large amounts of fish eggs and marine life.

Folks are talking about a Shell Oil boycott, saying each terminal’s life span would be 30 to 50 years, also tying the country even more to fossil fuels (instead of energy alternatives).

The Tulane Environmental Law Clinic is handling the lawsuit on behalf of the Sierra Club, the Gulf Restoration Network and the Louisiana Charterboat Association. The three groups have joined together in a so-called “Gumbo Alliance” to fight the new terminals.

FS