DeLauro Applauds Broadwater Decision by Commerce Department

New Haven, CT —Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. – 3) issued the following statement welcoming the decision by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to deny Broadwater Energy's appeal and uphold the New York Department of State's determination that the proposal to build a Liquefied Natural Gas facility in the Long Island Sound is inconsistent with New York's Coastal Zone Management Plan.

"The Long Island Sound and the communities of Connecticut and New York triumphed today. Commerce Secretary Locke's decision to reject Broadwater Energy's appeal is a recognition that we need to strike a balance between our energy interests and protecting the environment. I am thrilled with today's decision and its reflection of the deeply held views of the citizens of Connecticut and our connection to the Sound as a source of recreational and environmental enjoyment and economic opportunity.

"This decision also acknowledges the thorough review already undertaken by the New York Department of State, weighing the proposal against the New York Coastal Zone Management Plan. As the State's regulatory enforcement agency, the New York Department of State is best positioned to judge the environmental impact of this project. Their determination of the project's inconsistency with New York's CZMP is well reasoned and based on sound environmental considerations. While Connecticut has no formal role in the decision to put this facility in the Sound, New York's decision took into account the entire region and our common future.

"Long Island Sound is a powerful source of economic, recreational, and environmental opportunity for the 28 million people living within 50 miles of its shores, contributing more than $5 billion annually to our economy and Broadwater's proposal would have very significant repercussions. The construction and operation of this LNG terminal, whose ‘floating' platform would be the equivalent size of the QE II – over 1200 feet long and 200 feet wide and rising 80 feet above sea level – would have permanently scarred the sea-bottom and resulted in a multitude of adverse environmental impacts to the Sound's fragile ecosystem. The required security zones would have prohibited the public use of a significant portion of the Sound – violating the public trust and creating an industrial zone in the middle of the Sound. And of particular concern, was a report by the Government Accountability Office stating that the U.S. Coast Guard lacks the resources it needs to safely escort the tankers to the facility, and even to provide for the security of the facility itself.

"Further, the Broadwater proposal is counter to our efforts to move towards energy reform and end our dependence on foreign sources of energy. We import liquefied natural gas from such countries as Nigeria, Algeria and Trinidad. And while cleaner burning than oil, liquefied natural gas is still a fossil fuel.

"I commend Commerce Secretary Locke and the entire Commerce Department for the thoughtful and common-sense decision. We are all stewards of our natural resources and must work together to preserve and protect the beauty of the Long Island Sound for generations to come."