U.S. Supreme Court justices will discuss reviewing a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal at Sparrows Point later this month.
Judges are scheduled Sept. 29 to determine if they will review the case or deny the appeal of a May decision by a federal appellate court that invalidated a Baltimore County law targeting the proposed facility.
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith has asked the country’s highest court to reinstate the law, which prohibits LNG plants in sensitive coastal areas. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled the Natural Gas Act supersedes local zoning laws.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which ultimately will approve or deny the $400 million facility and 88-mile pipeline proposed by AES Corp., is expected to vote in late November.
Court officials said the justices is expected to issue an order — determining if they will accept the case — in early October.
