WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), and Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) voiced disappointment after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) denied their request to extend the public comment period on the environmental assessment (EA) on Dominion’s proposed natural gas liquefaction facility at Cove Point:

“We are extremely disappointed by FERC’s denial of our simple request for an additional 30 days for the public comment period during the environmental assessment on Dominion’s proposed natural gas liquefaction facility at Cove Point. With considerable public interest and a great deal of substantive and technical information within the initial draft of the environmental assessment, we believe it is reasonable and appropriate for the Commission to provide our constituents with additional time to review, understand, and comment on this document. Our request respected the process set forth by FERC and was based on agency precedent. It’s unfortunate FERC has denied this request, refusing to respect the need for Marylanders to have sufficient time to review and understand the contents of the environmental assessment document and provide comment to the agency as it prepares to make a final decision on the project.”