LNG meetings show issue divisive

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PERRY – The prospect of a large company building a liquefied natural gas facility Down East has split communities, families and friends.

That message was loud and clear as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staffers sought input on one of the three LNG facilities proposed for this area.

FERC held meetings Wednesday at Pleasant Point and in Perry on Thursday on a proposed $500 million liquefied natural gas facility at Split Rock on the Passamaquoddy Reservation.

Last year, the Passamaquoddy Tribe entered into an agreement with the Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LNG to build a terminal and tank system on the reservation.

Quoddy Bay plans to build an LNG import and marine terminal near Route 190 that will include a double staggered berth and a 1,500-foot-long pier that would serve about 90 LNG tankers a year. The developer plans to build three storage tanks in neighboring Perry.

Opponents of the project from Pleasant Point had FERC and U.S. Coast Guard officials writing furiously.

Tribal cultural teacher Gracie Davis, looking directly at federal officials, said that Split Rock was a sacred place and sang the “Humble” song for them, a song she often sings at the site. Soon she was joined by other Passamaquoddy women while Brian Smith, the project coordinator for Quoddy Bay, listened.

Tribal elder Mary Bassett raised the issue of “fear.” If approved, the site would be built near the reservation church, school and elderly housing site. “The impact has already happened: The elders are afraid,” she said.

Opponent Vera Francis wondered why a translator had not been provided since, for many, Passamaquoddy was the tribe’s first language. She said she wondered why the federal agency had not advertised the meeting in the reservation’s newsletter or on its access channel.

“Why is it that the largest Native American population in all of New England did not receive ample and reasonable notification of this proceeding this evening?” she asked.

Tribal member David Moses Bridges questioned LNG’s safety record. “Insurance records and industry sources show there were approximately 30 LNG tanker safety incidents, leaks, groundings or collisions through 2002,” he said. “I believe those figures. Based upon the proximity of this facility, the potential for harm exists.”

Advocates of the project maintained their position at the reservation meeting as well.

Tribal member Ed Bassett, who works in the tribe’s environmental office, said although his ancestors relied on the environment to survive, the tribe no longer could rely on hunting, fishing and trapping as a way of life.

He said LNG was critical to the economic health of the tribe. Bassett, who is related to Mary Bassett, told people on the reservation’s closed access television last month that the tribe was broke and nearly bankrupt.

“Tribal government relies upon a massive budget today, and we don’t tax our own people like a normal town so that we can generate revenue to run tribal government, to offer programs and services for the community. So we have to find another way.” If the federal government approves Quoddy Bay’s application, the tribe could earn upwards of $12 million a year.

Although Ed Bassett said he respected his opponents’ right to disagree, he has said opponents had declared a “holy war” against LNG similar to the “Islamic fundamentalist jihad.” “I don’t want to live in the shadows of those who preach fear, isolationism and extremism,” he said of the opponents.

Passamaquoddy tribal member Linda Lingley rejected the idea that Split Rock was a spiritual place. “It hasn’t been sacred for 36 years when I started partying down there,” she said.

Tribal Councilor Dale Mitchell said he has immersed himself in learning about LNG and said he found that many of the doomsday claims were unfounded and said that over time he has become comfortable with the idea.

Steve Crawford, a biologist who works for the tribe, said that in one square meter at Half Moon Cove where the developers hope to build an underwater pipeline, there were more than 450,000 species of a certain worm.

“Not found any other place in that quantity in probably the world,” he said. “Although we haven’t looked everywhere in the world.” He said he was not worried about LNG. “I am not really worried about the … 400,000 individuals per square meter as far as impact. There will be an impact – is it going to be in my mind catastrophic? No, I don’t think so. Is it going to be moderate? I don’t think so,” he said.

At the Perry meeting Thursday night, people also were divided. Perry voters will have to live with the three storage tanks in their backyard if the project is approved.

Newly elected Perry selectman David Turner talked about jobs and economic development for the area and the demise of a fishing industry. He was joined by others who rose to speak in favor of the project, including his wife, Dot Turner, who said she, too, supported the project.

She reminded people about what the economy of the area used to be like, including neighboring Eastport, where there was a movie house, clothing stores and several supermarket chain stores. She said at one time there were 110 businesses in the area, but not now.

But the majority of people who spoke said they were against the project.

Ron Rosenfeld of Perry questioned the FERC process. He said in December he had applied for documents submitted by Quoddy Bay to the federal government, but had not received them. He questioned how the process could work without an informed public. “This is not right,” he told the FERC staffers.

John Cook, also of Perry, said he had learned from FERC officials that the U.S. government did not have regulations in place to regulate who could ultimately own the Washington County facility. He said no one did a check to see if they had a criminal background or if they had links to terrorists.

Rhoda Dougherty of Perry, who said she owns a house on a small island near Head Harbour Passage, said although she respected the skills of the pilots who regularly moved ships into and out of the area, she said it was scary at times watching them maneuver around a hairpin turn near her property.

Walter Loring of Perry reminded FERC officials that there was seismic activity in Passamaquoddy Bay and that the area had several fault lines. He urged FERC officials to ensure that more study was done before an LNG terminal was built.

Perry Fire Chief Paula Frost talked about the concerns raised by her department. She said that the department was all-volunteer and never before had to deal with a project of this magnitude. She urged that a risk analysis be conducted by experts so her department could develop a response plan, and she asked that it be done before FERC issued a permit. She said that training and staffing were vital concerns and needed to be addressed before the project was approved.

The comment period deadline for the Quoddy Bay LNG project is April 28.