Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Right of Free Passage http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6749&Itemid=46
The Canadian government’s assertion that it will refuse to permit liquefied natural gas tankers to pass through Head Harbor Passage has implications that go far beyond whether any of three proposed LNG import facilities in Washington County will ever become reality. Earlier this month, Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that his government would use domestic legal means to prevent such passage from occurring.
State Senator Kevin L. Raye (R-Washington County) says the move by Canada is an “unwarranted intrusion” into the Washington County LNG debate and “a serious challenge to U.S. sovereignty.” Regardless of one’s views on the merits of the LNG projects, said Raye, “every American should be concerned about the dangerous precedent it would establish for a foreign county to control access to our ports.”
Raye believes Canada acted in response to pressure from political leaders and corporate interests, including the powerful Irving group of companies in New Brunswick. “An examination of Canada’s position is revealing,” he said. “While Canada purports to have concerns about the environmental and safety aspects of LNG on our side of the border, this claim rings hollow given that they have no similar qualms about aggressively pursuing development of LNG import facilities on their side of the border.” Raye said the Canadian government gave its blessing to a Canaport LNG facility in St. John, N.B., and the Bear Head LNG facility in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.
The Maine senator observed that the Irving group owns every English-language daily newspaper in New Brunswick and wields enormous influence in shaping public opinion in the province. It’s hardly coincidental that Irving is building its own Canaport LNG terminal in St. John. Raye also observed when Stephen Harper was elected as Canada’s prime minister, the Irving-owned Telegraph Journal in St. John called on him to assert Canada’s “sovereignty” over access to Passamaquoddy Bay.
Raye also noted that, when the shoe was on the other foot, Canada showed “utter disregard” for the concerns of U.S. border communities over the nearby Point Lepreau nuclear power plant and a controversial quarry and crushed stone operation at Bayside on the Canadian side of Passamaquoddy Bay.
As for the safety concerns raised by Canada, said Raye, “the Canadian government has no objection to ships carrying dangerous cargoes such as ammonium nitrate and dynamite routinely entering the bay and sailing past Maine and New Brunswick communities en route to Bayside.”
He also noted that vessels almost as long as, and with greater draft than, LNG tankers have entered Head Harbor passage en route to Eastport more than 150 times. And the Canadian government does not even require a pilot — let alone a licensed pilot — to accompany ships through Head Harbor, added Raye. “Surely if Canada believed this to be a hazardous route to navigate, they would have imposed this basic requirement long ago,” he said.
Dean Girdis, president of Downeast LNG, whose project is now under review by FERC, said the company has no intention to modify or withdraw its permit applications. “This issue is not about LNG anymore,” said Girdis. “It is about the right of innocent passage and freedom of navigation.”
The permitting process may disclose good reasons to modify or deny the Washington County LNG proposals. It is entirely appropriate to ensure that any such project complies with all U.S. safety, environmental and other standards.
But we agree with Raye when he declares that “each of the Washington County LNG proposals should rise or fall on its own merits, not on the unwarranted intrusion of Canada’s government and corporate power brokers.”
Maine Governor John Baldacci and New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham “agreed to disagree” over the LNG controversy when they met together last week. FERC will have the final say in the matter, they indicated.
But we hope, as does Raye, that if Canada persists in its efforts to deny Head Harbor passage, the U.S. State Department will respond with “immediate and commensurate consequences.” Canada simply cannot be allowed to block access to U.S. ports.
3 comments:
A lot of good points that many canadians have also made. I suspect Harper is trying to show he's tough but knows they haven't got a legal leg to stand on.
Any way to get Maine papers to expand into New Brunswick? The Maine Senator forgot to mention that Irving has a lot of clout in Maine as well.
To use an article about a state Senator in Maine that in fact is promoting two LNG terminals as some kind of anti-Irving LNG argument is absurd. Are you so blinded by your Irving hating rhetoric that you actually think the operators of the two proposed terminals in Maine are any different?
1. Unlike Saint John, Head Harbour Passage is the center of the most productive marine area on our east coast. It fosters an eco-economy that approaches a billion dollars annually. The economic tradeoff just isn't there.
2. We, the thousands of Quoddy residents (Canadian, American, and
Passamaquoddy), started the defense of Quoddy because we know what it is worth. All of the politicians of all stripes and all levels bought in at the beginning to OUR stand. It had nothing to do with Irving in Saint John, Sable gas, or LNG in
Nova Scotia and Quebec. Quoddy is important economically, environmentally, and socially and it is clearly the wrong place for heavy industry. (Imagine the outcry if this was Bar Harbour or Kennebunkport!)
3. We have lived with an unsettled border here since 1776. During the
War of 1812, three British warships swept into Eastport and occupied
it for 3 years. We have controlled Head Harbour Passage since that
time. In fact Fundy Traffic at Saint John determines what ships can enter the Bay of Fundy. It has always been at our discretion. Guess we've been too friendly.
4. The proponents stay "on message" about the "rights of innocent
passage". A little research shows that this is a non-starter. Check
out the short essay (at www.bayoffundy.ca/LNG) on this by Cliff Goudey of MIT. "A lie oft repeated may well become the truth."
Finally, try some learning. Check out the slide show and some other facts at www.bayoffundy.ca/LNG.
As for Ranting Senator Raye, he is a half brother to LNG advocate David Turner and ship pilot Morrison, a big financial winner if LNG comes to Quoddy.
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