In response to the article, “Eastport residents demand LNG specifics,” (BDN, Feb. 28).

Quoddy Bay, LLC came to Washington County to provide information about an important opportunity that will bring good paying jobs to the region, improve the area’s economy and decrease our reliance on dirty Middle East oil by allowing us to replace it with an environmentally conscious clean fuel.

We set up the public forums on liquefied natural gas in a “science fair” format to provide a comfortable, informal setting for those who wanted to learn more about the project. Company and tribal officials were available at each meeting to answer any and all questions, or if they couldn’t, to take people’s names and addresses to get back to them with answers at a later date. The forums were set up this way to prevent opponents of LNG, from dominating the meetings and interfering with members of the public who were there, not to make speeches or to grandstand, but who truly wanted to learn the facts.

The frustration of the opponents, as described by your reporter, had more to do with their inability to spark confrontation and dominate the sessions than get specific answers to their questions.

While many of those in the surrounding communities are unsure about the opportunity provided by an LNG facility due to lack of information, there is a small vocal minority that seeks to hinder these people as they attempt to seek the information they need to make informed decisions.

As the Bangor Daily News pointed out in an editorial in August 2004, it is difficult to have a serious conversation with those who adamantly oppose LNG.

Remember, we’re dealing with people who throw pies in the faces of state officials when they hear things about LNG they don’t like, and dump lobster shells on the lawn of the Blaine House. Our forums were designed to avoid those types of demonstrations and displays while allowing other members of the public to get all the information they need, free from intimidation.

After the information session in Eastport, many indicated to me that they were disappointed when adamant opponents who sought to control the exchange of information inhibited the scheduled LNG demonstration.

While we continually answered hundreds of questions throughout each information session, it was exactly this action, which only harms the exchange of information, that we were attempting to avoid by allowing many people to ask many questions to many individuals without fear or intimidation from others.

No one should have left the meetings with their questions unanswered, or without a pledge to get back to them when more information becomes available. We were open and we were available – and we still are.

Anyone who needs information on the LNG opportunity can go to our Web site, www.quoddylng.com, or call 347-6077.

Brian W. Smith is the project manager of Quoddy Bay, LLC, located

in Oklahoma City, Okla.