News Release

2014 March 12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Robert Godfrey
Save Passamaquoddy Bay 3-nation alliance
(US, Passamaquoddy, and Canada)
PO Box 222
Eastport, ME 04631
(207)853-2922 (Old Sow Publishing)
info@SavePassamaquoddyBay.org

Save Passamaquoddy Bay Petitions FERC to Dismiss Downeast LNG

On Tuesday, Save Passamaquoddy Bay 3-Nation Alliance headquarters in Eastport filed a motion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to dismiss Downeast LNG from the permitting process. Downeast LNG is proposing a liquefied natural gas import terminal in Robbinston, Maine, in Passamaquoddy Bay.

Among the several reasons listed as justification for dismissing Downeast LNG's applications are:

1. Violating LNG industry best safe practices;
2. Canada's prohibition of non-innocent LNG ship transits into Passamaquoddy Bay;
3. Violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement treaty;
4. Violation of Native American rights;
5. Violating the National Environmental Policy Act;
6. Inability to obtain LNG;
7. Inability to serve its intended market;
8. Violation of equal treatment under the law.

Save Passamaquoddy Bay researcher Robert Godfrey said of the motion to FERC, "The Downeast LNG project was unneeded even when first introduced in 2005, and its prospects have gotten progressively worse. In 2007, after going completely through state of Maine permitting, the company recognized it would fail, and withdrew from state permitting. It has never re-entered. Of over 40 LNG import terminal projects in North America in 2005, this is the sole remaining land-based LNG import-only project left in all of North America. The rest of the industry has recognized the vast and growing abundance of domestic natural gas available in the US, including sitting virtually on New England's doorstep, and have deserted plans to import expensive and unneeded LNG. Pipeline projects are under development to deliver that abundance to places like New England and Maine."

"It is appalling that FERC has allowed this project to continue for so long, when they have known since 2006 that there is no possibility Downeast LNG could even obtain the very product it would need to operate. Plus, they would have no way to send natural gas to market when needed," Godfrey said. "It has been an enormous waste of taxpayers' money that needs to stop. Hopefully, our motion will result in FERC recognizing its responsibility to the public interest by dismissing this misguided and outdated Downeast LNG project from permitting," Godfrey concluded.

Save Passamaquoddy Bay's motion to FERC can be found at <http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?document_id=14193567>.

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Save Passamaquoddy Bay (SPB) is an alliance of citizens from the U.S., the Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Canada, who oppose siting LNG industrial facilities in Passamaquoddy Bay, and who advocate adherence to world-recognized LNG terminal siting best safe practices as published by the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO). SPB advocates creative-economy, tradition-based, and tourism-based economic development for the international Passamaquoddy Bay area.

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