Hobbs: LNG terminal at Port of Brownsville will lead to higher wages across lower RGV

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Hiring 5,000 construction workers to build a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville will lead to increased wage rates across the lower Rio Grande Valley. That is the view of Pat Hobbs, executive director of Workforce Solutions Cameron.In a wide-ranging interview that also included news of big developments at SpaceX, Hobbs said he expects a decision from NextDecade on their Rio Grande LNG terminal to “pop” any day now. “We're expecting the LNG to pop any day… for NextDecade to make their final investment decision. And when they do I think that's going to be the start of a large scale change in the wage rates for the Valley region, which is long overdue.”So, wage rates are going to go up, Hobbs was asked.“Rates are gonna go up, I predict. I won't believe it until I see it but all the signs say that the skilled workforce in the Brownsville, Harlingen, (lower) Valley area is going to increase. The value of their services is going to increase on par with the rest of the state. So, our workers our skilled workers won't have to leave the Valley in order to make a decent living.”Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian website.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.