Golden Pass Products LLC (GGP) released a press statement Friday that GGP received Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a proposed $10 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project to be built at the existing Golden Pass LNG import terminal in Sabine Pass.

“It’s great,” Bill McCoy, president of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, said. “It’s the next step in a long process… We’re glad to see that this step has been taken.”

According to the press release, “FERC’s publication of GPP’s final EIS is the culmination of significant efforts dedicated to designing a safe, environmentally sound project.”

McCoy was quick to point out GPP’s “impressive” adherence to the federal standards set them by the FERC.

“The regulations are strict,” McCoy said. “But what this says is that Golden Pass has done everything that they’re supposed to.”

The FEIS, according to the press statement, “concluded GPP would have no significant impact on the environment when recommended mitigation measures are implemented.”

“We’re delighted to have completed the environmental review phase of the project,” Sean Ryan, president of Golden Pass LNG, said through press release. “It shows what you can achieve by bringing together the right location, the right design, and the right team.”

GPP is currently expecting permitting to be done in 2017. The proposed $10 billion would be invested over a five-year period to build liquefaction facilities to supply customers around the world, pending a decision on investment. Many jobs are expected to be created by the project during the construction phase and during its 25-year operations period.

McCoy lauded GPP as “one of the strong members in the Port Arthur Chamber” and cited a definite boon to the Port Arthur area in the thousands of new jobs and increased revenue that the project would bring to Southeast Texas.

“That’ll be [estimated] 1.75 million dollars to spend on food and lodging, and they’ll spend it here in Port Arthur, Texas,” McCoy said of the expected workers’ spending habits when they arrive in Port Arthur to work.

“Golden Pass Products is a great, great resident of our city, and we’re glad that they’re moving forward in a positive way.”