Tax incentives for a new natural gas export facility on Jacksonville’s Northside have cleared a legislative hurdle.
The Mayor’s Budget Review Committee unanimously approved a $23 million property tax refund for the project on Tuesday, according to WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union.
Houston-based Eagle LNG Partners LLC plans to build the $542 million facility on a riverfront tract along Zoo Parkway. Eagle LNG already runs a plant on the city’s Westside.
The Times-Union reported the export facility would not create a large number of new jobs, though the 12 jobs would have an average pay of $85,000 and be in place by the end of 2023.
City officials said the facility would put Jacksonville’s port in a great position for delivering natural gas by ship to Caribbean markets.
Natural gas is a more cost-efficient energy source than coal and it produces about half of the carbon emissions. However, climate scientists say an electrical system dominated by natural gas would continue to heat the planet, as energy demand is expected to rise nearly 30% by 2050.
