DeLauro Urges Commerce Department to Deny Broadwater Energy Appeal

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DeLauro Urges Commerce Department to Deny Broadwater Energy Appeal

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez pressing for the agency to deny Broadwater Energy's appeal to overturn 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. In announcing the rejection of the project proposal, the New York Department of State laid out six specific policies of the Long Island Sound Program, with which Broadwater conflicted.

" The New York Coastal Zone Management Plan was designed to balance national energy interests with the protection of the environment - particularly that of Long Island Sound. The Broadwater proposal simply does not meet the basic standards which have been set to facilitate this balance," DeLauro writes in the letter. "I respectfully urge you to uphold New York 's decision and to deny Broadwater Energy's appeal to overturn the Department of State's determination of inconsistency with New York 's Coastal Zone Management Plan."

Below is the text of the letter.

June 9, 2008

The Honorable Carlos Gutierrez
Secretary
United States Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington , D.C. 20230

Dear Mr. Secretary,

I am writing in reference to the recent appeal filed by Broadwater Energy, LLC to overturn the April 10, 2008 coastal zone consistency denial issued by the New York Department of State with regard to the proposed construction of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) in the Long Island Sound.

While Connecticut was not granted regulatory review of this proposal, any project that would impact the Sound in as extreme a manner as Broadwater will have significant impacts for our State as well. As I am sure you will here from my colleagues on both sides of the Sound, there have been strong objections to this project for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the detrimental impacts this would have on the Sound's fragile ecosystem. The Long Island Sound and estuaries like it are at the very heart of our regions' heritage. Congress designated the Long Island Sound as 1 of 28 Estuaries of National Significance for a reason - - because it is one of the most unique, environmentally-sensitive habitats on the planet.

The environmental impact of the Broadwater proposal cannot be fully determined because the facility will be the first of its kind in this country. In recent years we have witnessed the devastating impacts even the slightest of ecological changes can have on the lobster and shellfish industries. Throughout the public hearing process, numerous scientists and experts - - those who have been working in and with the Sound for decades - - testified that the placement of this facility in the waters of Long Island Sound would threaten the ecosystem and the natural habitats for fish, shellfish, and other living things in the water. Yet their expertise was ignored by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission during their review and approval process.

The New York Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) was designed to balance national energy interests with the protection of the environment - - particularly that of Long Island Sound. The Broadwater proposal simply does not meet the basic standards which have been set to facilitate this balance. 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. I expect that you and your staff will fully review this matter and give careful consideration to the merits of New York 's assesment. I respectfully urge you to uphold New York 's decision and to deny Broadwater Energy's appeal to overturn the Department of State's determination of inconsistency with New York 's CZMP.

I appreciate your time and consideration of my comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

ROSA L. DeLAURO
Member of Congress

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