Rio Grande Valley Needs LNG Jobs

We’re a family of engineers who work in the energy industry. I’m a petroleum engineer who works in the oil and gas business.. My husband is an offshore deepwater drilling consultant, and our son and daughter are both petroleum engineers.

We know about risk management, risk reduction, safe work practices, safety and environmental protection systems, regulatory enforcement and all of the other measures taken to keep people and the environment safe.

Because we know the industry, we’re confident that the liquefied natural gas industry will have a positive impact on the Rio Grande Valley. Like other areas of the energy industry, LNG operations are tightly regulated and use state-of-the-art safety and environmental systems.

As a member of a South Padre Island Homeowners Association and a mother, I want a bright future for my community and for future generations. I’m concerned about the economy and job opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley.

This area needs the good-paying, local jobs that the proposed LNG projects will provide for years to come. I know from experience that the benefits of this industry will ripple through the economy, impacting not only direct hires but also those in support industries. People with good-paying jobs spend more money locally and can save to send their children to college.

The bottom line is I would not support bringing this industry to an area where my children and future grandchildren will live if it were not safe.

Lorri Charvat
South Padre Island