Blumenthal
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Broadwater Energy is asking the U.S. Department of Commerce to allow it to construct a liquefied natural gas facility in Long Island Sound.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, a longtime critic of the project's, said Friday that U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez should not intervene, as it is not a national issue.
The State of New York, through Gov. David Paterson, rejected Broadwater's plan earlier this year. The State filed a brief with the Commerce Department Friday.
"New York's rejection of Broadwater -- in the ecologically sensitive and economically vital Long Island Sound -- is clearly justified," Blumenthal said.
"The adverse environmental consequences of this ill-conceived, poorly sited and inadequately studied project to a very precious resource, the Long Island Sound, are obvious and severe."
The floating facility would be the first of its kind, but has met resistance from environmentalists. Broadwater is a joint venture of Shell Oil and TransCanada Corp.
The Riverhead, N.Y.-based company says the natural gas pipeline is the "best way to deliver a new supply of clean, affordable and reliable natural gas to the region without the onshore and near-shore environmental and safety impacts associated with other alternatives," said Broadwater senior vice president John Hritcko.
Blumenthal maintains that the proposal "does not offer any unique opportunity to improve the overall scheme of natural gas delivery to this region."
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.