ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – Federal politicians say Canada is considering regulations to ban liquefied natural gas supertankers from a sensitive waterway in the Bay of Fundy east of Maine, risking renewed territorial tensions with the United States.

Maxime Bernier, Canada’s new minister of foreign affairs, assured a citizens’ group on Sunday that Canada is strongly opposed to the prospect of LNG supertankers navigating the treacherous waters that lead into Passamaquoddy Bay between Maine and New Brunswick.

Although Bernier would not take questions from reporters and did not tour the disputed waters by boat, he told the Save Passamaquoddy Bay citizens’ group what they wanted to hear – Ottawa will consider regulations banning supertanker traffic in the area.

“This passage is internal waters and it’s very important for us,” Bernier said in a brief statement. “We want to protect our people and the environment. … The prime minister has been very clear on this.”

Passamaquoddy Bay lies between Maine and New Brunswick and any supertanker traffic would have to cross through Head Harbor Passage, a narrow waterway that Canada considers internal waters.

The U.S. State Department considers the passage a territorial sea in which commercial ships enjoy the right of innocent passage under international law.

Currently, two U.S. proposals for LNG terminals on the Maine side of the bay are making their way through the U.S. regulatory process.

Although Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently told President Bush that Canada will not permit tankers through Head Harbor Passage, the Maine LNG proposals are continuing to be reviewed.

“It’s surreal,” said Janice Harvey, a Canadian spokeswoman for the Save Passamaquoddy Bay organization, whose members are from the U.S., Canada and the Passamaquoddy tribe. “The U.S. has been aware of Canada’s strongly held position since Feb. 14 … yet the process on the U.S. side continues as if Canada has said nothing.”

Last February, Michael Wilson, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, informed U.S. officials of Canada’s position on LNG tanker traffic in the bay, but it has not derailed the plans of the LNG developers.

“Our position is still the same as before … that the United States has a right to use that passage. It’s not a privilege, it’s a right,” said Brian Smith, project manager for Quoddy Bay LNG, which has chosen a site in Perry, near Eastport and across from Deer Island, New Brunswick, and near the Old Sow – one of the world’s largest ocean whirlpools.

Smith pointed out that the Canadian government still has not released the study it commissioned to review the navigational safety, environmental and other impacts the LNG projects could have on Canada. Canadian officials have backed their position by citing the study, and said they would submit it to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Committee in April.

Downeast LNG, the second developer, is seeking approval for a site near Robbinston, Maine, directly across from the seaside resort town of St. Andrews, N.B.

Canada has warned Washington that it will use “all legal and diplomatic means” to prevent the tankers from entering Head Harbor Passage en route to the terminals.

Veteran’s Affairs Minister Greg Thompson, who represents the area, repeated that warning on Sunday.

“Whatever it takes,” Thompson said, adding that several government departments are looking at regulations to ban LNG tankers from Head Harbor Passage.

Harvey said the concerned citizens pressed Bernier during their private meeting to expedite the necessary regulations.

“If regulatory permits are granted to the LNG developers, we want the Canadian government to be ready at that point to step forward with regulations,” she said. “He assured us he would look into this quickly and that he would urge his staff to make sure we were ready when the time comes.”

Thompson said the federal departments of Fisheries, Foreign Affairs and Transport are all examining possible shipping regulations outlawing tanker traffic in the area.

Harvey reminded Canadian officials that the Canada Shipping Act bestows broad powers on the transport minister to bring in regulations to protect the public and environment from risks posed by shipping.

She said the minister has the power to prohibit specific routes or cargo, as well as the size of vessels.

People opposing the LNG terminals say the potential tanker traffic poses a serious environmental threat to the pristine waters of Passamaquoddy Bay, a popular tourist destination for both Canadians and Americans.

BDN writer Anne Ravana contributed to this report.