In Md. Legislature, Heated Debate on Natural Gas

Montgomery Objects as Pr. George's Seeks to Raise Hurdles to Storage Facility

Prince George's County lawmakers are trying to make it harder for Washington Gas to store liquefied natural gas in a residential neighborhood near the District's border, a location the company says is critical to meeting demands from customers throughout the region.

Some Montgomery County lawmakers are concerned that legislation that could stand in the way of a proposed storage tank in Chillum would mean higher natural gas bills for their constituents.

The debate has ignited tension in Annapolis between delegations from the two counties, with Prince George's lawmakers insisting that their neighbors to the west defer to local leaders.

"I know Montgomery County is having a difficult time because of the cost. But for us, it will cost many, many lives if something happens," Del. Tawanna P. Gaines (D-Prince George's) said of potential safety hazards. "You can't compare money to lives."

Washington Gas is seeking approval from the Prince George's County Council to build a 12 million-gallon storage tank near the West Hyattsville Metro station. The gas company considers the tank the most cost-effective and reliable location for its gas supply and said the alternative, a pipeline, would push costs onto business and residential users from Frederick to Southern Maryland.

The legislation, sponsored by Del. Dereck Davis (D-Prince George's), would increase the number of votes required to approve such a facility from five to seven on the nine-member County Council. The delegation withdrew more stringent legislation last year that banned storing the gas in densely populated areas.

Natural gas is not flammable when stored in liquid form, but a government-commissioned study found that terrorist attacks on tankers carrying the gas could trigger a massive fire. The proposed Chillum tank would be the first such storage facility inside the Capital Beltway, although there are two others in Maryland -- one in Calvert County and another near Interstate 95 in Baltimore.

Typically, bills backed by local delegations are given wide deference in the General Assembly. But Davis's bill requires the blessing of the Montgomery County delegation because it would affect the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, a bi-county agency.

"It's an awkward position for us to be in," said Del. Luiz Simmons (D-Montgomery). "We don't want to have to make decisions affecting their neighborhood, but we're concerned about the impact of moving the cost on to ratepayers in Montgomery County and elsewhere."

The Prince George's Planning Board rejected the company's proposal in the fall because it conflicted with its long-term vision for development around the Metro station. The plan is under review by the zoning hearing examiner, who will ultimately make a recommendation to the council, which serves as the zoning authority.

There is lingering unease among Prince George's residents about whether Washington Gas is taking every precaution to ensure their safety, lawmakers said. After a house in District Heights exploded last spring, company officials acknowledged leaks had been more frequent in the county because of weakened service-line connections caused by a change in gas composition. Those gas lines are now being repaired and replaced.

"There's a lot of skepticism, a lot of real unease about the company," Davis said. "It's incumbent on us to ensure safety is first and last."

Tim Sargeant, a spokesman for Washington Gas, stressed that the storage of liquefied gas has nothing to do with the leaks. The company supplies 415,000 customers in Maryland and 1 million residential and commercial users throughout the Washington region.

"We are very aware and sensitive to their concerns," he said. "We're trying to not only address those concerns as diligently as possible but also . . . meet our state obligation to provide adequate gas supply and service."

Until 1999, Washington Gas had two vaporized gas storage tanks on the 21-acre site. The new facility, slated for completion in 2008, would store liquefied gas to be used on the coldest days of the year. Sargeant said it would include state-of-the-art fire protection, 24-hour security and gas monitoring.

Del. Kathleen M. Dumais (D-Montgomery) said one of her concerns is changing the rules while the company's application is going through the process. Montgomery County's qualms about the price and reliability of the gas supply in the region are shared by the Greater Washington Board of Trade, a regional business group.

But Imani Kazana, whose home is about 600 feet from the proposed tank, said Prince George's County's legislation is necessary because "there needs to be more scrutiny and more control over where it's going."

Kazana, who is president of the Avondale Citizens Association, thinks Montgomery County's power to stop the legislation is not fair.

"There's something wrong with that picture."