Pallone Urges Coast Guard, Maritime Administration to Deny Exxon Mobile's Expected Application for LNG Terminal
Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today sent the following letter to Admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, and Sean Connaughton, U.S. Maritime Administrator, regarding a proposal by Exxon Mobil to place a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal approximately 20 miles off the coast of New Jersey. Pallone is strongly opposed to the proposed LNG terminal.
December 12, 2007
Admiral Thad W. Allen
Commandant (CG-3P)
U.S. Coast Guard
2100 Second St. SW
Washington, DC 20593
Sean T. Connaughton
U.S. Maritime Administrator
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE (MAR-530)
Second Floor, West Wing
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Admiral Allen and Administrator Connaughton:
On December 11, 2007, the Exxon Mobile Corporation announced that it will begin the process of seeking regulatory approval for BlueOcean Energy, a proposed floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal approximately 20 miles off the coast of New Jersey. I urge the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration to deny the Exxon Mobile's application using their authority under the Deepwater Port Act.
I have long opposed the building of LNG facilities off the Jersey coast. We should not be using our pristine coastal resources as industrial facilities. The building, staging and maintenance of an off-shore LNG terminal would be a tremendous environmental burden and an accident waiting to happen.
As you know, LNG terminals can be very dangerous. According to a 2004 study by Sandia National Laboratories, a terrorist attack on a liquefied natural gas tanker would cause "major injuries and significant damage to structures" a third of a mile away and could cause second-degree burns on people more than a mile away[1].
It is true that natural gas power plants emit less carbon dioxide as coal plants, but the natural gas combustion required to produce and transport LNG to energy facilities adds to its carbon footprint. This process includes extracting the gas from the earth, processing the gas to meet U.S. standards, transporting it through pipelines (some of which leak), cooling it, shipping it overseas, and then converting it back to natural gas. Therefore, LNG is a major source of greenhouse gasses, and investing in LNG will increase our dependence on foreign fossil fuels and not move us on a path to energy independence.
I encourage the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Maritime Administration to deny any proposals to build dangerous LNG facilities off the coast of New Jersey. I welcome the opportunity to speak with you about this further.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to continuing to work together.
Sincerely,
_____________________
FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress