Mexican court orders review of Gulf of California gas moratorium

A Mexican federal judge has ordered environmental authorities to review requests for a moratorium on liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in the Gulf of California. The ruling follows an amparo lawsuit filed by the Proyecto de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (ProDESC) and the Mexican Center for Environmental Defense (DAN).

The court found that previous responses from the Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment of the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA) and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) were “neither congruent nor exhaustive” regarding calls for a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The judge voided those responses and ordered new ones that are properly founded and motivated.

The decision clarifies that ASEA and Semarnat possess the authority to conduct strategic assessments and potentially suspend or revoke authorizations for gas projects. This legal precedent could impact several developments, including the Amigo LNG terminal near La Paz and the Saguaro project, which involves an 800-kilometer pipeline and a liquefaction plant in Sonora.