Judge: Zoning exemption for gas plant is improper

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A judge has ruled that Calvert County improperly granted zoning exemptions for a proposed facility to liquefy and export natural gas that has drawn opposition from environmentalists.

In his ruling, Judge James Salmon said the county is required under the state constitution to apply zoning laws uniformly, and that a 2013 county ordinance exempting the proposed Cove Point plant fails to do so.

But the judge wrote in his ruling that he does not expect his decision to have any direct effect on whether the plant will be built.

Still, environmentalists told The Daily Record (http://bit.ly/1p5nu3W ) that they believe the ruling will delay the $3.8 billion project.

Richmond, Virginia-based Dominion Resources wants to build the plant to take advantage of a boom in gas production fueled by new drilling techniques.

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Information from: The Daily Record of Baltimore, http://www.mddailyrecord.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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