THOUGHTS ABOUT LNG **********************

No environmental impact studies!
No community impact studies!
No economic certainties!

SO..... QUESTIONS INCLUDE:

• What guarantees of health or safety are in place?
• How would LNG tankers endanger marine life?
• What about losses in the fishing industry?
• Would there be any compensations made and how much?
• What impact on transportation in the Bay?
• What would this do to recreational boating?
• What would this do to tourism in general?
• What security measures would be in place and how stringent would they be?
• How would such measures impact daily life?
• What ecological damages would there be?
• What recourse would citizens have for damages?
• How would this impact property values?
• What would be the economic advantages local citizens?
• Would liquid gas be available for the benefit of the Casco Bay area?
• How large is the thermal radiation zone?
• How far away must one be to insure that they would not be injured or killed by a fire or explosion at an LNG facility or tanker?
• What does FERC say about the Thermal Radiation Zone?
• If a puncture in a tank or tanker, how far and fast could gas travel?
  
  
  
  

CONCERNS INCLUDE:

• In a world where terrorism is the daily fare of news reports, citizens would live in constant fear of attack on such volatile cargo.
• Evacuation of islands is next to impossible within the timeframe of any explosion. The loss of life would be horrific.
• Passage in Casco Bay would be risky due to frequent arrivals of LNG tankers that would force all traffic to a complete standstill. For some craft this is difficult -- if not impossible.
• Transportion to and from the Islands could be affected, causing delays for commuters, school children, people trying to get to appointments and even for those on the rescue.
• Fog and storms could pose a problem and Coast Guard rescues might be difficult.
• We would forfeit the beauty that is Casco Bay, no being able to see the night skies which would be obscured by the bright illuminations of the tankers and their retinue.
• Docked tankers would be excessively noisy -- more so than even the existing fuel vessels.
• Ecological effects on fish and lobsters would be severe.
• Ecological on nesting birds would be incalculable.
• While the companies promise some tax relief (debatable), the actual value of the land and properties would diminish making real estate revenues plummet.
• Income from the tourist industry which has considerably benefited the area would, most likely, wane in the light of security fears and the visual despoiling of the Bay. Visiting cruise ships would veer away, thus removing an income sucessfully revived in the area.
• Income for lobstermen and fishing industry would decrease as a result of lost gear and time.
• This past January an explosion and fire at an Algerian LNG facility leveled hundreds of acres while killing 27 and injuring 74. This plant had been renovated by to the latest standards by Halliburton in1999.