Lawmakers expressed concern that the U.S. Coast Guard and other government agencies do not have the resources to secure the rapid increase in liquefied natural gas import terminals expected to come online in the next few years.

Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and several Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee suggested Wednesday that Coast Guard officials were not being honest and acknowledging that new demand will stress the office’s capacity.

There are currently five import terminals across the country and one in Puerto Rico, but energy companies have submitted applications to build new ones in 10 states and five offshore areas, according to the committee.

The need for more import terminals comes from a projected 600 percent growth in the need for natural gas within the next 25 years.

“The dramatic increase in terminals will assist in meeting the demand, but it will also increase the number of potential terrorist targets,” said Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. “We must ensure these new facilities and tankers are adequately secure.”

Rear. Adm. Brian M. Salerno, the Coast Guard’s director of inspection and compliance, said his office was exploring the issue.

“We’re very mindful that there will be new facilities online,” he said. “We will be looking at resources very quickly.”

J. Mark Robinson, director of energy projects for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said no facilities would be approved without emergency response plans and other security features.

“We would not allow a tanker to come in if the [security tools] were not in place,” he said.

Thompson said committee members were offering to assist the Coast Guard and help find new funds, but first the department would need to express the need.

“Not very often do I find the committee offering help and help is denied,” he said. “Clearly, if 15 applications are put online within the next three years, we will have 15 more LNG facilities that will need to meet requirements.”

Thompson praised efforts by the Maritime Administration to increase the number of U.S. mariners on LNG tankers.

H. Keith Lesnick, director of the administration’s Office of Deepwater Port Licensing, said four companies have agreed to place mariners on their ships, enticed by priority application processing.

“Federal and state government, local municipalities and the communities surrounding LNG import terminals can be assured that with American mariners, the LNG vessels are manned by professional seafarers who have the integrity and the training necessary for the safe transport of LNG,” said Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association President Ron Davis.

Matthew E. Berger can be reached at mberger@cq.com.