Rep. Markey Deplores FERC Approval of New Fall River LNG Facility

REP. MARKEY DEPLORES FERC APPROVAL OF NEW FALL RIVER LNG FACILITY
Rep. Markey, Lawmakers, Local Authorities Will Fight to Reverse LNG Siting Decision

Washington, D.C. - Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior Democratic Member of the
House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Homeland Security Committee, and author of the
1979 law regulating remote liquefied natural gas (LNG) siting, made the following statement in response
to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announcement that plans have been approved for
a new LNG terminal in Fall River, Mass.

"This week President Bush reminded us that we must not forget the memory of 9/11, but today his own
Federal Energy Regulatory Agency approved a new LNG facility, in Fall River -- ignoring the security
concerns cited by one of his closest security advisors. On September 11th, one of the very first things that
Bush's terrorism Czar, Richard Clarke, did after the planes hit the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon
was to contact the Coast Guard in Boston to tell them not to let any LNG tankers into the harbor. Richard
Clarke has since warned about the risks associated with siting an LNG facility at Fall River.

"We have learned that al Qaeda operatives infiltrated into the U.S. on liquefied natural gas tankers
docking in Everett, Massachusetts, yet a full appreciation of the risks of siting one of these facilities in an
urban area unfortunately has not yet reached most FERC Commissioners.

"In the event of a terrorist attack, it will be the local police, fire department and emergency medical
technicians that will be responding, not the FERC police, FERC fire department and the FERC first
responders," said Rep. Markey.

Local authorities have expressed security concerns about the siting of this new facility. Today, Mayor
Edward Lambert called the FERC vote "a bad decision."

Rep. Markey said, "Today's FERC announcement sends this message to local authorities, fire fighters and
police - we care more about the needs of the energy industry than about your community's security. The
people of Fall River have every right to feel aggrieved by a top-down, Washington-knows-best,
patronizing process that prevents meaningful participation by local officials and residents who must live
in the shadow of LNG tanks and tankers. It is folly to move the assessment of these risks from the place
affected to Washington DC. I intend to continue to work with Representatives Barney Frank, Jim
McGovern, and well as Mayor Lambert and Governor Romney, to do whatever I can to ensure that this
decision is reversed."

http://www.house.gov/markey/Issues/iss_LNG_pr050630.pdf