To the editor:
The August issue of Working Waterfront contains a letter, “Thoughts on LNG,” from Jonesport resident Jerry Fernald. Mr. Fernald takes issue with St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Mayor John Craig regarding his opposition to the proposed LNG terminals on the Maine side of Passamaquoddy Bay. (Note: There is solid opposition among Canadians around Passamaquoddy Bay against the LNG projects in the Bay.) Fernald attempts to equate the Passamaquoddy Bay site with the under-construction Canaport LNG terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick; he implies hypocrisy for opposing one and not the other. He also implies, by saying the Saint John terminal is “on the other side of [Mayor Craig’s] fair city,” that both are just a stone’s throw away from St. Andrews.
Anyone referring to a map of western New Brunswick or a chart of the Western Bay of Fundy can easily see that the siting of each of these projects is significantly different, and that Saint John is over 40 miles, “as the crow flies,” from St. Andrews.
Furthermore, there are significant biological differences between these waters. The proposed LNG terminal in Robbinston would be a disamenity to downtown St. Andrews, in the beautiful, island-encircled, biologically rich lobster nursery of Passamaquoddy Bay, a popular tourist destination. The LNG terminal being built to the east of Saint John is in an industrial port area, adjacent to a petroleum terminal, and on the open Bay of Fundy.
St. Andrews is considered to be New Brunswick’s “Bar Harbor.” One wonders if the letter writer would have made his same argument if the terminal were being located just as near to downtown Bar Harbor, Maine.
Despite the fine capabilities of Maine’s teaching institutions, and the capabilities of their graduates, LNG project contractors hire trusted experts with whom they’ve previously worked. Maine doesn’t have any LNG construction companies, so contractors would bring the required technical experts from elsewhere. Also, LNG terminals are operated by seasoned technical personnel, not novices, negating the idea that recent graduates of Maine colleges would have much opportunity for employment at the proposed LNG facilities — they must first “pay their dues.”
Navigating LNG ships in what is known to be the most challenging passage between Canada and Puerto Rico, and the most hazardous passage in Canada, is certainly an issue. Equating Head Harbour Passage to the shipping route to Saint John demonstrates a lack of familiarity with these waters…
Even the Society of International Gas Terminal and Tanker Operators’ (SIGTTO, whose membership includes over 90 percent of the world’s LNG capacity) world-class LNG-industry standards provide multiple reasons and warnings against siting an LNG terminal under the conditions present in Passamaquoddy Bay. Many of those reasons are unrelated to navigating LNG vessels.
LNG may have its place in North America’s energy picture, but — no matter on what side of the border they’re located — terminals need to be well away from people, in compliance with SIGTTO LNG-industry standards, and away from areas critical to fisheries and recreation. LNG facilities in Passamaquoddy Bay would unavoidably violate those requirements, making Passamaquoddy Bay an entirely inappropriate location for LNG terminal siting.
Robert Godfrey
Eastport