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COUNTY ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK BROADWATER
COUNTY ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK BROADWATER
Charles Lane
(South Shore Press, 7/6/06)
Reaching into the history books, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy attempted last week to block Broadwater Energy from building a natural gas facility in the Long Island Sound by introducing legislation derived from an 1881 law giving localities authority over adjoining waterways.
The 1200 foot, $700 billion barge is designed to unload liquefied natural gas from tanker ships, store it, and then distribute it throughout the Northeast. The proposed facility, currently in the beginning stages of a lengthy federal review process, would be located nine miles off Long Island, northeast of Wading River.
“We’re confident we have jurisdiction over the Sound,” said Ed Dumas, spokesperson for the executive. Citing “substantial case law” Dumas said this issue would ultimately be decided in court where similar national debates have hinged on the wording of local laws.
Officials at Broadwater, however, see the county’s plan as unlikely because it is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission who decides such matters.
“You have to take it seriously but the courts have always ruled with the federal government,” said John Hritcko, Senior Vice President of Broadwater Energy, adding that with the cost of energy the county “should be participating in the review process rather than trying to stop it.”
The county scoffs at Broadwater’s interpretation that it is trying to save Suffolk residents money.
“There is no evidence that this facility will lead to more energy and lower costs for Suffolk Country residents,” said Dumas. “The majority of the gas would be shipped elsewhere with Suffolk County to carrying the burden while other communities are getting the benefits.”
Dumas says these burdens would be substantial and compares the Broadwater effort to the failed Shoram nuclear power plant.
“There are similar business and environmental parallels. This is an untested facility in the middle of a densely populated area. It’s in a body of water that generates $5.5 billion to our economy. Plus it could be a prime terrorist target.”
Hritcko sees Braodwater as different from the Shoram nuclear plant. “We’re handling it differently. We’re talking to stake holders and modifying our proposal per our discussions.”
Hritcko is also quick to add that even though it seems like all Long Islanders are against the idea, Broadwater has 37 letters of support from hospitals and schools. “If you talk to people paying the bills their saying ‘bring this facility in because it will lower the cost of energy.’”
Hritcko says the main consumers of their natural gas will be utilities like Keyspan and Connecticut Light and Power who will use it to generate cheaper electricity. Broadwater anticipates selling one billion cubic feet of natural gas a day generating a gross revenue of about $6 million each day.
According to records kept by the US Department of Energy, the six facilities on Long Island operated by Keyspan consumed 27 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2005. That represents less than 8% of the natural gas that Broadwater hopes to sell, meaning the other 92% would go to other utilities in the region.
Critics of Broadwater have come out in droves citing both environmental and economic concerns. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment calls the Long Island Sound an important and sensitive environment, “It’s like the stomach because we can’t survive without it.”
Geologically, the Long Island Sound is an estuary, a meeting place between fresh water and the ocean. “These are some of the most productive ecosystems on the globe. It’s a nursery for water fowl, lobster, and shell fish. It helps preserve the larger ecosystem.”
Esposito also points out the dangerous precedent this could set by opening public waters to foreign-owned Broadwater, a partnership between Dutch-owned Shell Oil Co. and TransCanada Pipeline Inc.
“This is the first time in our nation that a foreign corporation will take over our country’s waterway. Once we allow one project to go foreword it will allow more to come.”
Broadwater is currently undergoing a through review process by numerous federal agencies that weigh environmental and security risks. [Last month?] the US Coast Guard returned Broadwater’s proposal citing inaccurate data that did not account for local sea conditions. Broadwater has since modified the proposal and expects an answer from the Coast Guard next month. Further review from other agencies is still ongoing.
Posted by 1000monkeys on July 7, 2006 07:20 PM