(May 17, 2004, updated 5:20 p.m.) -- Publicly citing requests by other Councilmembers who pointed to a lengthy May 18 Council agenda, Councilmembers Bonnie Lowenthal and Dan Baker have removed their jointly agendized item regarding the Liquefied Natural Gas facility proposed to be built and operated by a Mitsubishi subsidiary in the Port of LB.

Responding to an inquiry by LBReport.com, Mark Taylor, chief of staff to 2d district Councilman Dan Baker, said the item was removed after multiple Councilmembers expressed concerns about a lengthy May 18 agenda with numerous time-consuming issues.

Councilwoman Lowenthal's chief of staff, Niki Tennant, tells LBReport.com, "Unfortunately, when we submit agenda items for agendizing, we often do not know the makeup of the upcoming agenda. We inadvertantly chose a very busy agenda upon which to post this item. We've conceded to our colleagues' request that this item not be discussed, due to a very heavy and time-consuming agenda for May 18th."

On May 13, Councilmembers Lowenthal and Baker agendized an item for the May 18 Council agenda with the following accompanying memorandum:

No date has been set for bringing the item back.