Lloyds List: Save the Sound worried about 'USS Cole-type incident' at site: “The website also declares its opposition to Broadwater in terms of the 'non-US' LNG supplies that would come in via ships, and declares that 'reliance on foreign energy sources is not a better idea than developing a regional comprehensive energy plan'.: Thursday Dec 08, 2005

YOU can talk to them and they will listen, but opponents of the Broadwater Project have made it clear that they will not go away.

Adrian Little, representing Save the Sound, outlined several reasons why his group is at odds with the Shell-TransCanada brainchild.

Rather than view these comments in isolation, several attendees at the Connecticut Maritime Association's luncheon saw them as an illustration of a nationwide groundswell of opposition that seems to follow any LNG project.

Mr Little's most substantive argument concerned a ' USS Cole-type incident' that could occur at or around the Broadwater FSRU.

No one, not even ardent advocates of Broadwater and the viability of LNG shipping, denied the validity of these concerns in the post-2001 world, albeit voices were heard to the effect that exploding a loaded gasoline tanker a species that currently infests New York waterways could be an equally likely tragedy.

The financial cost of enforcing a security zone around the floating unit and around the ships that come in and out of Long Island Sound were two other arguments presented by Save the Sound that elicited no direct rebuttals.

However, the rest of Mr Little's presentation presented ample scope for pyrotechnics and entertainment.

Getting into his self-ordained role of 'pleasure boater representative' with gusto, Mr Little wanted to know why Broadwater was intent on ignoring concerns that the FSRU 'in the middle of the run line' would impede racing sailors sailing. 'But there is a multitude of other concerns,' Mr Little declares. 'Three or four LNG ships a week, and 32 hours per ship involving safety zones around them, will significantly eat into the time available for unencumbered boating.'

A sarcastic voice from the floor advised Mr Little and his sailing buddies to 'simply navigate around' these perceived demons. Similar scepticism was evident on the claim that the FSRU in the middle of the sound would be an eyesore.

'Viewed from nine miles away on a clear day it is hardly visible, and is blocked by the tip of your thumbnail if you hold it up against your line of vision,' Broadwater Energy's Froydis Cameron said. 'Besides, it is designed to look like a ship. Ships are nothing new in New York the city with an amazing maritime heritage. LNG ships coming into the sound would simply join the countless others already plying the trades.'

An element of the absurd crept in when people claiming to represent Connecticut wanted to know 'what's in it for their state', seeing as 75% of the Broadwater gas was earmarked for New York.

Ms Cameron had an answer. Delivering more Broadwater gas to New York means that much more is left in the pipeline that first passes through Connecticut for local use, she said.

Beyond the fun and games, however, Save the Sound is involved in a committed and serious struggle. The website raises concerns over trenching damage caused by the 25 mile pipeline connecting the FSRU with the Iroquois pipeline, a charge Broadwater officials are prepared to deny.

Broadwater also has an explanation as to why an offshore site was selected in the first place. Not only are no suitable onshore sites available in the crowded area, but an offshore location also provides an 'additional safety buffer', the project claims.

Save the Sound is not prepared to accept the argument. 'Unanswered questions include the impact on fisheries caused by the taking on and releasing of ballast water by Broadwater and its ships as well as unknown impacts to shipping caused by new, increased barge traffic to the facility,' the website declares.

'There are also no answers to the question of how this massive industrial development would impact Long Island Sound as an industrial citing (sic) location. A 100 ft high, 1,200 ft long lighted industrial facility in the middle of Long Island Sound is also bound to have a negative impact on the Sound's serene evening vistas.'

The website also declares its opposition to Broadwater in terms of the 'non-US' LNG supplies that would come in via ships, and declares that 'reliance on foreign energy sources is not a better idea than developing a regional comprehensive energy plan'.

Save the Sound has not outlined in depth what such a plan might, or ought to, look like. 

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