A proposed natural gas terminal in Long Beach Harbor is in jeopardy as officials in that city express growing doubts about safety and other issues surrounding the $700-million project.

The facility, one of several liquefied natural gas processing plants proposed for the West Coast, would be built in the harbor — the only such project to be situated so close to a major urban center.

The location so complicates an ongoing review that harbor officials suggest halting the environmental impact report before it is complete, effectively putting an end to the proposal.

Harbor Commission President James C. Hankla, in a Dec. 4 letter to the Long Beach mayor and City Council, questioned whether city officials still want the gas terminal. He said his staff has been working to move the project forward while the city has failed to negotiate a deal with the energy company for lower-cost natural gas for Long Beach residents.