Firms asked to support LNG deal Calais area Chamber seeks facility backing

CALAIS – Wanted!

Business owners who support liquefied natural gas in their backyard.

St. Croix Valley Chamber of Commerce notified its members by e-mail Wednesday that Downeast LNG planned to contact businesses to seek their support for an LNG facility.

And it doesn’t appear the letters of support necessarily need favor Downeast LNG or its rival, Quoddy Bay LNG. Businesses will be asked for “general” support for an LNG facility, the e-mail said.

The Washington D.C.-based Downeast LNG hopes to build a multimillion-dollar facility in Robbinston, just south of Calais. The Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LNG wants to build an even larger facility at Pleasant Point near Eastport with tank farms in neighboring Perry.

Both projects are going through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission process.

In her e-mail, Linda J. Corey, executive director of the Chamber, said the Robbinston developer would like letters of support. Those not into writing letters have an alternative.

“If there are individuals who wish to express their support, there is a petition you can sign,” she wrote. The letters and petitions will be forwarded to FERC and elected officials.

Downeast LNG spokesman Rob Wyatt said Thursday that his company is a member of the Chamber and was seeking general support for an LNG facility to be built in Washington County. Although the law does not require letters of support, Wyatt said, they were advantageous in demonstrating to federal and state agencies that the project was favorably received. “Government agencies and political bodies like to know who supports a project and so when you are going through a project like this you always reach out and if [people] support it, we’d appreciate [their] expression,” he said.

Wyatt said his company planned to send similar requests to other Chambers in the county. The Downeast spokesman said his firm already has received some letters. “FERC and all agencies like to see what kind of support we do have, because they certainly hear from the opponents,” he said.

And the project does have its critics. A group called Save Passamaquoddy Bay has been vocal in its opposition to the project saying it will have a negative impact on the ecological and economic future of Passamaquoddy Bay and Washington County. Provincial officials in New Brunswick and the Canadian government also have expressed concerns.

Quoddy Bay LNG project manager Brian Smith was traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment.