The Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport no longer opposes a proposal to bring the tankers through the Bay.

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In a blow to opponents of a planned LNG terminal in Fall River, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport has withdrawn its objections to bringing liquefied natural gas tankers through Narragansett Bay.

The warfare center reached an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard that would allow the Navy to carry on its operations in Narragansett Bay within the security zone of a passing LNG tanker.

In light of that agreement, the warfare center said it no longer requests that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reconsider its approval of the LNG terminal.

Last summer, the agency granted permission to Weaver's Cove Energy to build the terminal. But several parties, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Fall River and the Naval Warfare Center, appealed that approval with the FERC.

Today, the FERC is scheduled to vote on whether to reconsider the Fall River project. It is also expected to decide whether to reconsider its rejection of a plan to convert the KeySpan LNG facility in Providence into a major terminal.

The Naval Warfare Center had asked the FERC to revisit the Weaver's Cove approval, arguing that the huge security zone surrounding LNG tankers would disrupt the Navy's testing operations in Narragansett Bay.

"The moving safety and security zone to be enforced around LNG tankers as they transit the lower Narragansett Bay to the proposed terminal will significantly and adversely impact in-water testing, conducted by the Undersea Warfare Center which is essential to the Navy and the security of the nation," the Navy said in a filing to federal regulators in August.

But in a Jan. 6 filing with the FERC that was made public yesterday, the Undersea Warfare Center said it had reached an understanding with the Coast Guard that addresses the concerns.

The filing letter outlines the understanding between the Coast Guard and the Navy.

"The presence of USN personnel or vessels (or those in direct support of the USN) within such zone shall not be considered a security-related violation," the letter said. It was addressed to Capt. Michael W. Byman, commander of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and signed by Roy A. Nash, the Coast Guard's captain of the Providence port.

Opponents of the Weaver's Cove LNG project were elated when the Navy appeared to join their cause in August.

Among them was Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, who has been leading the fight against LNG proposals in Fall River and Providence. At the time, he issued a statement:

"FERC will be hard-pressed to ignore the objections of the U.S. Navy with respect to the adverse impact of the Weaver's Cove proposal on critical naval programs and the security interests of the nation as a whole."

Yesterday, Lynch said he was disappointed to learn the Navy had withdrawn its objection.

"It's a disappointing yet not entirely surprising flip-flop by the Navy," Lynch said in an interview.

The Warfare Center, in filing its August motion to rehear, wasn't "in lockstep" with the Bush administration, Lynch said. "This, to me, is only confirmation they were brought back into lockstep."

"Rhode Island . . . is now left alone at the altar."

tbarmann@projo.com / (401) 277-7369