Deer Island residents want
to be on the map when it comes to charts showing a proposed
liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to be located at Split
Rock, Pleasant Point. A site inspection held by Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) representative Robert
Kopka on July 13 attracted more than 100 Quoddy Bay residents
from both sides of the border. Canadians believe the charts
used at a meeting, held prior to the site inspection, are
deceptive because they do not show Deer Island in relation
to Eastport. It was suggested that a model of the proposed
terminal structure should also be available.
Tempers flared as area residents
questioned Quoddy Bay LNG Project Manager Brian Smith about
the proposed site. The proposed pier at Split Rock would
extend 1,300 feet from the shore in a Y-shaped fashion,
with one arm being located in Eastport waters and the other
in Pleasant Point waters. Eastport City Councillor Kathryn
Lewis was concerned about what measures were planned for
an evacuation of Eastport in the event of an emergency associated
with the terminal operation. Smith said an earlier proposal
for a temporary, floating bridge to provide an escape route
from the island in the event of an accident at Split Rock
drew very little interest from Eastport residents, and the
bridge idea was discarded.
The pier, which could handle two ships at a time, would
be a mile and a half from Deer Island. A 500-yard exclusion
zone would be in place as an LNG ship passes a given spot.
According to Smith, a maximum of 180 ships a year, or about
a ship every other day, would use the terminal. Questions
were raised concerning who would pay for the necessary security
requirements for areas around the terminal and the storage
tanks to be located in Perry. "I am telling you we
will pay for security," commented Smith. "All
costs will be basically funded by my father, Don Smith."
This statement was questioned by several people. Brian Smith
said his father had bought out most of the original partners
in Quoddy Bay LNG. Questioned about where Quoddy Bay LNG
would be obtaining natural gas, Smith said there is no dedicated
source at this time.
At times during the question
period Smith expressed the feeling that he was not being
treated in a civil manner. The Oklahoma-based company, now
mostly owned by his father, was established, Smith said,
in response to a request from members of the Passamaquoddy
Tribe to determine the feasibility of developing an LNG
facility at Pleasant Point.
Smith described the two LNG pipes that would be placed under
Route 190 to transport liquefied gas to the three storage
tanks to be located on the "Old Eastport Road"
in Perry and a third pipe to carry off vapor from the process.
The 37% nickel pipes would not expand and would be placed
in a trench. The Perry facility would be used to back up
the supply of gas from the import terminal.
While there were tense moments
as opponents hammered at statements made by Smith, there
were also humorous moments, such as Smith's statement, "We
will be a major source of nitrous oxide," also known
as laughing gas. The facility would have emissions of nitrogen
oxides (NOx).
While people discussed the
project at the proposed terminal site, about 50 feet away
a group of Passamaquoddy tribal members gathered at the
actual Split Rock, considered a sacred area by some tribal
members, and sang ceremonial songs.
FERC will return
Many of the questions directed
at Kopka concerned engineering matters, which Kopka said
he was not able to address. The audience expressed disappointment
that FERC sent only one representative to the site inspection.
Kopka assured the group, "We will have our engineers
here in the future."
Kopka noted that FERC is still
in the process of gathering environmental information from
Quoddy Bay and will be gathering its own data for an environmental
impact statement. The site inspection was an opportunity
for the public to view the proposed sites first hand, Kopka
stated.
Kopka was asked if three or
four LNG projects in this area could be approved. "It
is possible there could be three in the bay area if all
three are approved," commented Kopka. He noted that
many projects that are approved do not proceed beyond that
stage because of economic factors. |