MARAD PUTS ITS THUMB ON THE SCALES

There is little indication that the Maritime Administration intends to be even-handed in its treatment of the Port Ambrose license application. Consider these facts:

·      MarAd published the Notice of Application for the project on a Friday, the classic “news dump” day when releases are guaranteed to receive minimal attention from the press and the public. Only two public hearings were announced, the minimum allowed by law, and both were scheduled shortly after the Fourth of July weekend, a prime vacation time when many people would unable to attend; MarAd said the public comment period would close on July 13th—long before most people would even be aware of the project proposal. (In response to a letter from more than 130 environmental organizations, MarAd eventually agreed to extend the public comment period until August 22, but refused to schedule more public hearings.)

·      Even more disturbing is MarAd’s refusal to consider what would happen if Port Ambrose should be used to export LNG. Sean Dixon, Coastal Policy Attorney for Clean Ocean Action,acknowledges that the current license application is for imports only, but adds “What no one in government is saying is that the minute the import license is issued, the owners of the port can turn around and petition the government to amend the license and rescind any restrictions placed on it --and that won’t trigger any public review.” Noting the United States is rapidly becoming a net natural gas exporter, Dixon terms the use of Port Ambrose as an export facility “reasonably foreseeable” and says the environmental impacts associated with exports “must be discussed” before any license is granted.

·      MarAd’s bias was clearly evident at the public hearing held in Edison New Jersey on July 10. Although paid flacks for the project sponsor were allowed to distribute printed material and work the room, MarAd officials told representatives of the coalition opposed to Port Ambrose that they could not hold a press conference or hand out their materials. Mr. Dixon and others complained that this attempt to suppress free speech was flatly illegal, and MarAd eventually backed down.

Learn more about the proposed LNG port off Long Beach atCatskill Citizens for Safe Energy and Clean Ocean Action.