GREENFIELD, Mass. – A Masschusetts-based biodiesel company announced plans Wednesday that could make the alternative fuel more available and cost-efficient across the Northeast. Northeast Biodiesel president Lawrence Union said 75 percent of the biodiesel his company plans to start making will be sold to Biofuel… Read More
BAILEYVILLE – Local liquefied natural gas developers met with town officials to talk about their company’s plans to site a facility near Calais. BP Consulting LLC founders state tribal Rep. Fred Moore Jr., and state Rep. Ian Emery, R-Cutler, unveiled their plan at the Town… Read More
HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. – The high cost of heating fuel has turned many people to wood pellets, prompting “staggering demand” among pellet makers and brisk business for dealers. Panic, now that home heating oil prices have spiked, has sent the pellet stove market into overdrive,… Read More
The soaring cost of gasoline and heating oil is steering Maine people back to the basics of personal energy management. Keeping pace with the march of petroleum prices is renewed interest in alternative fuels – wood, coal, propane and natural gas. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Answers provided by Dick Hill, a retired emeritus professor of engineering at the University of Maine Jessica Gosselin, Hersey asks: What are the available options for a LARGE wood furnace-stove with Btus ranging anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Fuel costs are soaring and unlikely to tank anytime soon, so the best way to cut your expense is to modify your driving habits and maintain your vehicle in peak condition. According to Paul Lauria, President of Mercury Associates, Inc., a Maryland consulting firm specializing… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Developers of the proposed Quoddy Bay LLC liquefied natural gas facility on Passamaquoddy tribal land have released a 54-page study that covers safety, security and navigational issues and, according to its promoters, concludes that “no major issues, obstacles or concerns” should keep the project from… Read More
ST. STEPHEN, New Brunswick – People gathered around maps and pictures Wednesday, and area residents could trace the path of a proposed $30 million Canadian underground pipeline extension stretching from New Brunswick to Maine. Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline held an open house to preview its… Read More
ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – The executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada spoke to a receptive audience Tuesday night as she offered tips on how to keep three proposed liquefied natural gas terminals from being built in Passamaquoddy Bay. Elizabeth May offered observations… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LLC said Tuesday it has applied to the state for a submerged-lands lease in connection with its plans for a liquefied natural gas import facility at Split Rock. Earlier this year, the company signed a land lease agreement with… Read More
The soaring cost of gasoline and heating oil is steering Maine people back to the basics of personal energy management. Keeping pace with the march of petroleum prices is renewed interest in alternative fuels – wood, coal, propane and natural gas. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Answers provided by Dick Hill, a retired emeritus professor of engineering at the University of Maine. From George Shaler, Portland: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i… Read More
BOSTON – A Virginia energy company on Friday proposed building a liquefied natural gas terminal on an uninhabited island in Boston Harbor, pitching it as an alternative to bringing tankers near the city or a proposed facility in Fall River that’s met heavy public opposition. Read More
Bangor Fire Inspector John Mickel offers the following safety tips for homeowners using wood heat: ? Make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
AUBURN – Richard F. Smith tried to prepare for high heating oil prices: He applied for home-heating assistance, he’s ready to seal off three unused rooms, and he has insulated his cellar and electrical outlets. Despite all that, Smith, 75, expects to dip into his… Read More
With home-heating fuel prices at an all-time high, the people at Bangor’s City Hall are fielding a growing number of inquiries about wood stoves as a way to stay warm this winter for less money. The nationwide spike in fuel prices sparked queries in July,… Read More
Editor’s note The soaring cost of gasoline and heating oil is steering Maine people back to the basics of personal energy management. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0;… Read More
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The company that plans to build a liquefied natural gas facility in Fall River, Mass., said two recent studies predicting the project would cause major traffic backups and hurt Rhode Island’s marine economy were flawed. Ted Gehrig, president of Weaver’s Cove Energy,… Read More
ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LLC has people in this seaside community scratching their heads now that company officials have said they would not appear before the public later this month because of “security concerns.” Two liquefied natural gas developers – Quoddy… Read More
CALAIS – While Robbinston’s residents may agree with the politics and economics of natural gas as a fuel for the country’s future, they took on a more immediate question on Thursday evening, one far more local: Is liquified natural gas the right thing for Washington County, right now?… Read More
PERRY – Now that an Oklahoma developer of liquefied natural gas facilities has told residents of a second Washington County town that $1 million per year could be theirs if they allow the developer to build there, residents of the first town to get the offer are wondering… Read More
CALAIS – For the past 24 hours Down East, it has been LNG, LNG and more LNG. Even the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, got an earful during a visit Friday about plans to build two liquefied natural gas terminals in eastern Washington County. Read More
ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – American liquefied natural gas developers may need to spend more time courting their Canadian neighbors if they hope to site LNG terminals in Washington County. Some Canadians are adamantly opposed to having LNG supertankers sailing through their waters. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
MACHIAS – A presentation by two representatives of Save Passamaquoddy Bay at a special meeting of the board of directors of the Sunrise County Economic Council evolved into a spirited dialogue Tuesday about what’s possible for Washington County in terms of economic development. Nancy Asante… Read More
ROBBINSTON – There may be two liquefied natural gas developers hoping to build terminals Down East, but their approach to a citizens advisory panel is as different as their projects. The move to include an advisory group came after Quoddy Bay and the Passamaquoddy Tribe… Read More
ROBBINSTON – The town’s five-man planning board listened to the newest liquefied natural gas proposal for an hour Thursday, then agreed the matter should go before selectmen and residents before the panel considers it any further. “This is all new to everybody,” Dan Merryfield, chairman… Read More
ROBBINSTON – Already proposed as a site for a liquefied natural gas import facility, this bay-side Washington County town was identified Monday as the proposed site for an entirely different LNG structure, a three-tank storage facility built by a rival developer. Quoddy Bay LLC is… Read More
ROBBINSTON – Six months ago, this community was unaware it was on liquefied natural gas’s radar screen. Today, Robbinston is abuzz with talk about all the attention it has received from two separate developers. One is the Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LLC, which hopes to build… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Developers want to ship liquefied natural gas to needy customers in southern Maine and New England. Opponents want to block those shipments – and they may have found a barricade: an appeal process through the Interior Board of Indian Appeals and, if not there, the… Read More
ROBBINSTON – A plan to build a $400 million liquefied natural gas facility on the south side of Mill Cove near U.S. Route 1 was unveiled Monday by developers not connected with the Oklahoma group that hopes to build a similar facility at Pleasant Point. Read More
Opponents of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal on Passamaquoddy tribal land in Washington County have asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to look into the lease agreement between the tribe and a private company. A Bar Harbor-based lawyer representing several LNG opponents told the… Read More
U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Monday announced the introduction of legislation that would require states and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to share jurisdiction over the siting of onshore liquefied natural gas facilities. Locally, residents are interested in the Snowe-Feinstein bill… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – The Passamaquoddy leadership Thursday night accepted a deal to build a multimillion-dollar liquefied natural gas facility on tribal land in eastern Washington County. The council voted 4-3 to locate an LNG terminal at Split Rock, which is known for the Polar Dips… Read More
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC, which ships natural gas from Canada through Maine and on to Massachusetts, confirmed Tuesday that it wants to triple the capacity of its 850-mile pipe system. The project would include construction of five compressor stations and some “looping,” or installation… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – After a marathon meeting that lasted late into the evening, the Passamaquoddy tribal council voted Thursday to continue to discuss with developers a plan to build a $400 million liquefied natural gas facility on tribal land in coastal Washington County. Neither the… Read More
FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – Opponents of a tax break promised to the powerful Irving interests by the city of Saint John presented a petition to the New Brunswick Legislature on Thursday that calls for the deal to be revoked. Irving Oil and its partner, Madrid-based… Read More
SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick – Amid a larger-than-usual police presence, protesters gathered in Saint John on Thursday to register their disapproval of a tax deal given for a liquefied natural gas plant. About 125 people chanted “fair taxation” outside the offices of Enterprise Saint John,… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Nearly a year after the Passamaquoddy Tribe agreed to partner with a development company in the hope of building a $400 million liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land, details of the agreement were made available by tribal officials for the first time to all… Read More
SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick – New Brunswick lobster fishermen said they were disappointed after a meeting with federal officials to discuss compensation for fishing grounds that would be lost if a liquefied natural gas terminal is built. The fishermen from Mispec, New Brunswick, argue that… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – The issue of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and a developer wanting to locate a liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land on the Washington County coast isn’t dead yet. An exclusivity agreement between the tribe and Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LLC to build a… Read More
Communities along the Maine coast have rejected proposals to build liquefied natural gas facilities in their midst. Such sentiments may not matter if the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has its way. The commission is pressing Congress to give it more authority to decide where LNG terminals should go. Read More
CAMPOBELLO ISLAND, New Brunswick – Officials at this island’s international park said Thursday they do not want an LNG facility in their back yard. Their pronouncement comes in the wake of a vote in Perry last month where residents expressed a like feeling. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
WASHINGTON – Regulators would get clearer authority to override state and local opposition in approving import terminals for liquefied natural gas under new energy legislation drafted by House Republicans. The bill, which lawmakers are to begin considering in detail today, mirrors a broad energy package… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Four days after Perry residents rejected the liquefied natural gas facility proposed for Passamaquoddy tribal land at the Pleasant Point reservation, tribal leaders and the project developer are taking “a deep breath” as they reassess the situation. That’s according to Fred Moore,… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – The Oklahoma developer of the liquefied natural gas facility proposed for Passamaquoddy tribal land at Pleasant Point said his group is reassessing its options after Monday’s rejection of the project by voters in Perry. “We will review our options and make a… Read More
Salvation or Destruction? Safety, security of LNG tankers and terminals a looming question Down East
The Second of a Two-Part Report Missing from the liquefied natural gas tankers that pass through Boston are big red bull’s-eyes painted on their sides. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var… Read More
EVERETT, Mass. – Liquefied natural gas may be a multimillion-dollar player in this urban community, but not everyone loves their backyard neighbor. Tractebel LNG North America, Distrigas of Massachusetts, has been in this industrial city for more than 30 years – since 1971. Tractebel’s headquarters… Read More
If voters Monday approve construction of a $400 million liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land at Gleason Cove near the eastern Washington County town of Perry, area residents soon could see huge tankers sailing past their door. The Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Oklahoma City-based… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – They are members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. They are environmentalists. They care deeply about their land and the ocean. And they both are in favor of the LNG facility. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
PLEASANT POINT – Pro-LNG people see Don Smith, 60, as a saint, his mission to create jobs Down East. Anti-LNG people see him as a serpent inviting them to take a bite of the fruit from the forbidden money tree. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
The Oklahoma man trying to bring a $400 million liquefied natural gas facility to Pleasant Point appears to be an energy tycoon on his Web site. Yet Donald Smith, owner of Smith Cogeneration in Oklahoma City, is the first to say that many of the… Read More
PERRY – It’s a Trojan horse, not a gift horse, say opponents of a proposed $400 million liquefied natural gas terminal on Indian land. And they don’t want an LNG facility in their back yard. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
Dear Jim: I thought about installing warm floor electric heating for some chilly rooms. It sounds really comfortable to have warm feet on a cold morning. What options do I have and will they cut my utility bills? – Alan C. Dear Alan: Getting out… Read More
Dear Jim: The afternoon sun gets intense and there is no room for shade trees. I thought about building a trellis for climbing vines for shade to lower my air-conditioning costs. It this a worthwhile project? — Taylor G. Dear Taylor: Placing a trellis near… Read More
Dear Jim: I live in a fairly new house that needs some landscaping. I think the proper placement of trees could shade the house and lower my air-conditioning bills. How do I go about selecting and placing the trees? – Al R. Dear Al: Proper… Read More
Despite all of the uncertainties within electric deregulation, the Senate chair of the state Legislature’s Utilities and Energy Committee believes the best way to proceed with an open market is to be careful and cautious while trying to avoid making any large changes in the current rules. Read More
Lower electricity costs are not solely the product of affordable fossil fuel supplies and ample power generation. For power to be affordable, electricity has to be able to freely flow from where it is created to where it is needed. The New England region is… Read More
The promise of deregulation is one of an open market designed to bring about competition among electricity suppliers. That competition, in theory, is supposed to result in savings for Maine residents. But one year after the deregulation promise was made in this state, many Mainers… Read More
While many electricity suppliers say they cannot compete with Maine’s standard offer rates, one company that recently secured the contract for standard offer service in northern Maine believes competition will take hold in Maine. Ed Howard, a power marketer with WPS Energy Services, said recently… Read More
The key to a successful competitive electricity market, lawmakers and utility executives say, is the fair and honest pricing of power on the wholesale market. But as the price of electricity has spiked higher and higher over the past year, frustrated consumers and electricity experts… Read More
The Wattsons are worried. So are the Smiths, Whites and many other Maine families. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) {… Read More
Despite California’s problems, a handful of states have emerged from the national deregulation effort as models for other states to follow. Some of these states, such as Pennsylvania, already have begun the deregulation of their markets. Other states have yet to deregulate but are viewed… Read More