PLANS FOR a second subsea pipeline from the Bahamas to Broward County, Florida, have won preliminary environmental approval from the US government after a lengthy review concluded it would have minimal impact on coral reefs, endangered species, or public safety. The Tractebel Calypso pipeline (see our item on 21 Jan 03), proposed by a subsidiary of the French utility giant Suez, would cause only temporary and minor environmental harm along its 144-km route from Grand Bahama island to southern Broward County, according to a draft environmental impact statement from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. We have concluded that if the project is constructed and operated as planned with proper mitigation measures and careful resource monitoring during construction, it would be an environmentally acceptable action, the report states.

The commission already has given preliminary environmental approval to the Ocean Cay pipeline proposed by AES Corp., raising the possibility that both projects will be built.

Under each proposal, ships would carry liquefied natural gas to the Bahamas, where it would be converted to gas and pumped through the pipelines to Florida. The gas would serve mainly as fuel for power plants. The Bahamas is still reviewing the proposals.