Apr. 18--A Suffolk legislator yesterday described as "something out of a science-fiction movie" several possible scenarios from a terrorist attack on a liquefied-natural-gas platform proposed for Long Island Sound.

Staff of the congressional Government Accountability Office presented findings from a report on potential threats to LNG facilities at a special hearing of the Suffolk County Legislature yesterday in Riverhead. One legislator concluded after the meeting that nightmare scenarios are a possibility for the proposed Broadwater Energy LNG facility and that additional study is required. "They gave us a litany of concerns," Legis. Wayne Horsley (D-Lindenhurst) said. Among them, he said, was the possibility that ignition of gas could create a fireball that would "burn anything in its path" for 1 1/4 miles.

But Broadwater officials said it was incorrect to say the report applied directly to their proposed facility, noting that Broadwater as proposed is nine miles off the coast of Long Island. "The key message here is that the GAO report said a catastrophic event with LNG was unlikely," said John Hritcko, senior vice president of Broadwater. "The reason we're siting this facility nine miles from the nearest shoreline is that it provides more han adequate protection in that unlikely occurrence." Horsley said GAO officials are still working on studies to fully examine security issues and other concerns.

One study is due this summer, the other next year. Horsley is concerned Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who is said to be leaning toward supporting the proj ct, would make his determination before the additional GAO studies are complete. Spitzer's office has said he won't make a final determination until he carefully reviews a final federal environmental review due this summer. Hritcko said that although the company supports GAO's additional studies, "We don't think there's any need for holding up a decision [on state approval] because we have so many conservative assumptions built into our modeling."