Port Commissioners say no to LNG plant.
Port Canaveral commissioners yesterday unanimously ended a proposal to sell port land to build a liquefied natural gas plant on Merritt Island. Commissioner Fritz VanVolkenburgh gave his reasons for rejecting the LNG facility:
“I took into account the property being so close to residences, there would be stressors that could impact the local community, whether these stressors were psychological, health-related, or environmental. Property values could be negatively impacted as well”
The parent company of Florida Natural Gas wanted to build the LNG facility to fuel cruise ships and rockets. Canaveral Port Authority CEO Capt. John Murray said an LNG plant is not the best use of that property, adding that the space industry is looking for waterfront assets.
Space news.
The Artemis II astronauts are expected to arrive at Kennedy Space Center Friday after flying in from Houston. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell will greet them at KSC. NASA is still working toward an April 1st launch of the astronauts on a mission around the moon.
The next rocket launch from the Cape is scheduled for Friday. The four hour launch window for the Starlink mission opens at 7AM tomorrow.
In other space news, the military may test a hypersonic missile from the Cape soon. Although no public announcements have been made, hazard warnings point to a launch attempt today or Saturday. The launch hazard area for the hypersonic missile extends 1,200 miles eastward from the Cape over the Atlantic.
FPL blocks plan to cut power bills.
Legislation that died in Tallahassee would have potentially cut FPL bills for Floridians. Florida Power & Light enlisted six lobbyists to help kill it. Meanwhile state regulators approved a rate hike for FPL that the state’s own consumer advocate said would provide “unconscionable” profits to FPL.
Florida Attorney General vs. the NFL.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier put National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell on notice that a minority hiring rule violates Florida’s Civil Rights Act. The rule was established by the league to combat the historically low number of minorities in prominent coaching positions. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more.
In a March 25 letter, Uthmeier told the National Football League that its diversity hiring policy, known as the Rooney Rule, “brazenly violates Florida law.” The two-decade-old initiative requires teams to interview minority candidates for head-coaching and front-office positions.
Uthmeier argues the policy conflicts with state law prohibiting consideration of factors such as race, color, religion, sex, nationality, or age in employment decisions. He asked the NFL to respond by May 1, confirming it will no longer enforce the rule, warning that failure to do so could prompt civil rights enforcement action.
A request for comment from the NFL is pending.
Good news. Bad news.
There’s good news/bad news on gas prices. Prices are still high, but Florida remains below the national average. The price for a gallon of regular decreased again in Florida yesterday. Three states continue to pay more than $5 for a gallon for regular, with the price in California nearing $6 a gallon
Brevard Zoo is illuminating this week.
The Brevard Zoo is holding a special event this week, Illumi-Nature. Over 10 acres of the zoo will glow with illuminated displays of animals, flowers, and mythical creatures. Check the extended hours at BrevardZoo.org.
