News
Fair Haven Joins Municipalities Opposed To LNG
By Ryan Fennell
FAIR HAVEN - The Borough of Fair Haven joined over 76 organizations, municipalities, and businesses opposed to the authorization and creation of three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities off the coast of New Jersey and New York.
Municipalities that have adopted resolutions opposing the proposed projects include Middletown Township, Red Bank, Sea Bright, Long Branch, Keyport, Keansburg, Hazlet, and several others as well as the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
LNG is natural gas that is cooled to -260 degrees Fahrenheit enabling large quantities to be transported globally. When LNG tankers reach their destination the LNG is then reheated to its gaseous state and distributed through gas pipelines.
Cindy Zipf, executive director of the environmental coalition Clean Ocean Action (COA), was in attendance at Fair Haven's Borough Council meeting to deliver a presentation on the effects these proposed facilities would have on the environment.
"What's important here is that we don't need this foreign energy source," Zipf said.
According to Zipf, over the last year 99 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States originated in North America and 88 percent was produced in this country.
"Not only do we not need it and it threatens our energy independence, but it pollutes more," Zipf added.
According to COA importing LNG is 40 percent more polluting than domestic natural gas due to the necessity of super-cooling the gas to a liquid form, transporting it across oceans, and the reheating of the liquid into its gaseous state.
Zipf said that equally important is the effects these facilities could have on the ocean habitats.
"The reasons we're very concerned about this is because each project is harmful to the ocean. All of the facilities are being targeted in very important fishing habitats," said Zipf.
Two of the proposed facilities would be constructed in an area known to fisherman as the "Mudhole" while the third is proposed for the Cholera Bank, another important site for fishermen.
The tankers that transport LNG, when measured from end to end, are as tall as the Empire State Building Zipf said.
"The tankers, once they empty out the LNG, they need to refill for ballast. They fill up with natural sea water which contains all the fish eggs and larvae we're talking about in the fishing habitats," Zipf said. "It would be a huge impact on already stressed fisheries."
"They would also be susceptible to navigational hazards," Zipf added. "We're talking about huge obstacle courses in the way of our commerce coming into New York and New Jersey. In short, LNG takes us in the wrong direction."
Michael Golub a partner with Fromkin Energy LLC, a domestic natural gas producer, testified to the abundance of currently untapped domestic natural gas on behalf of COA.
"We would spend more money trying to avoid gas than hitting gas," Golub said of the state of the industry. "The gas is there."
Golub warned of the potential for foreign companies and foreign countries seeking and being granted permits for in pockets of Western Pennsylvania, which Golub referred to as the present day "Promised Land" for domestic natural gas supplies. Golub argued that allowing these entities into the market by allowing for the construction of LNG facilities would be detrimental to energy independence.
At the conclusion of the presentation Mayor Michael Halfacre addressed the council concerning apprehensions about adopting a resolution opposing the facilities without hearing from the LNG companies beforehand.
"Because I sit on the Two River Council of Mayors I have heard the presentations of two of these three entities. Personally, I don't need to hear anymore. I would urge the adoption of the resolution."
"The question for us is really the impact on the environment," Council President Jonathan Peters said. "The ocean is an important part of our culture and we want to protect that. I don't think the Borough of Fair Haven should be protecting domestic producers of energy from foreign competition. Protecting our beaches is really our concern."
Halfacre disagreed slightly with Peters.
"I think protecting and giving opportunities to domestic sources is important in the long term for energy independence."
After a brief discussion Councilman Jerome Koch motioned to adopt the resolution and received a second from Peters. The council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution.
Councilman Robert Marchese was a proponent for having the three companies address the council but deferred to Halfacre's representation of the presentations he was privy to on the Two River Council of Mayors.
