BANGOR – Calais LNG was the last of three companies to propose building a liquefied natural gas project in Washington County – but its directors intend for it to be the one that succeeds. “When you’re running last, you have to work a little harder… Read More
    BANGOR – A federal judge has dismissed a Maine Indian group’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Indian Affairs over the leasing of Passamaquoddy tribal land for a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal but harshly criticized the way the agency conducted the process. U.S. District Court… Read More
    Quoddy Bay LNG is formally requesting another extension from state regulators due to lingering uncertainty over details of the company’s plans for a liquefied natural gas facility in Perry. Last week, Quoddy Bay officials announced that they planned either to apply for an extension or… Read More
    WASHINGTON – The House on Wednesday approved extending federal “wild and scenic” environmental protection to the lower Taunton River in Massachusetts, dealing a blow to developers who want to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on an urbanized stretch of riverbank. The 242-175 vote, split… Read More
    BANGOR – A federal judge appeared Tuesday to be steering a federal lawsuit filed more than 21/2 years ago against the Bureau of Indian Affairs by Passamaquoddys who oppose construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land through its final stages toward a possible settlement. Read More
    BRISTOL, R.I. – A new plan to ship liquefied natural gas to southeastern New England is getting the same cool reception as the original. About 80 people attended a hearing Tuesday in Bristol on a proposal by Weaver’s Cove Energy to build a floating LNG… Read More
    HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Regulators have approved a permit for construction of a $700 million liquefied natural gas terminal in Goldboro, Nova Scotia. Maple LNG received its permit from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, moving the project another step forward. It has already… Read More
    One of the would-be developers of a liquefied natural gas facility in Washington County is asking state regulators to dismiss a competing proposal. Two companies – Downeast LNG and Quoddy Bay LNG – are seeking state and federal authorization to build large liquefied natural gas… Read More
    BOSTON – The U.S. Coast Guard has rejected the latest appeal by the company that wants to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River. The Coast Guard already rejected the plans by Weaver’s Cove Energy, saying the river approaching the project is unsafe… Read More
    Federal regulators have suspended the review of Quoddy Bay LNG’s application for a liquefied natural gas terminal in Pleasant Point because of insufficient information. A representative of Quoddy Bay said the suspension was anticipated and the company hopes to fulfill the information request shortly. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Defying President Bush’s threatened veto, the House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill making the Coast Guard enforce security zones around eight liquefied natural gas terminals and any arriving tankers – all potential terrorism targets. The White House has complained that the requirement… Read More
    NORTHPORT, N.Y. – Gov. David Paterson said Thursday that New York won’t approve plans for a $700 million liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound, a project supporters say would reduce utility bills but that critics say would be an environmental hazard and a possible terrorist target. Read More
    Several government agencies and Washington County residents have responded critically to Downeast LNG’s intended pipeline route to connect its proposed liquefied natural gas facility in Robbinston to an existing pipeline in Baileyville. Eight of the 10 letters of response posted on the Federal Energy Regulatory… Read More
    Federal regulators have issued a request for public comment on a new liquefied natural gas pipeline route submitted by Downeast LNG. The pipeline would connect the proposed Downeast LNG facility in Robbinston to an existing pipeline in Baileyville. The new pipeline route is the sixth… Read More
    BOSTON – The Coast Guard says a problem with the computers that control an LNG tanker’s boilers caused a loss of power that left the tanker adrift off Cape Cod. The Coast Guard said late Tuesday that some power has been restored to the 933-foot… Read More
    BOSTON – The Coast Guard is assisting a tanker that is carrying liquefied natural gas and is adrift about 35 miles off Cape Cod. Officials say the 933-foot Catalunya Spirit is in no immediate danger. It lost propulsion and became disabled about 3 a.m. while… Read More
    BOSTON – The Port of Boston exceeds federal standards to safeguard tankers carrying liquefied natural gas and crude oil, the port commander of the Coast Guard’s Boston office said Thursday after congressional auditors reported vulnerabilities at some U.S. ports. Capt. Gail Kulisch called a harborside… Read More
    AUGUSTA – A proposal for a liquefied natural gas facility in Robbinston is off the table again, but only temporarily, according to the developer. Officials with Downeast LNG got their wish Thursday when the Maine Board of Environmental Protection reversed course and agreed to allow… Read More
    BOSTON – The river that runs past a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River, Mass., isn’t safe for frequent traffic by massive LNG tankers, the Coast Guard ruled Wednesday in what could be a fatal blow to the controversial project. “It kills the… Read More
    State environmental regulators refused Thursday to allow the developer of a proposed liquefied natural gas facility in Robbinston to withdraw its application in order to submit additional information. Downeast LNG had sent a letter to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection last week stating that… Read More
    BOSTON – A federal appeals court Friday revived a lawsuit by members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe attempting to block a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal on the Pleasant Point reservation in eastern Maine. A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed… Read More
    In an effort to move its proposed liquefied natural gas facility forward, Quoddy Bay LNG submitted a filing Thursday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in response to a data request from FERC and the U.S. Coast Guard. Quoddy Bay is an Oklahoma-based developer planning… Read More
    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A plan to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River, Mass., suffered a setback Friday when environmental regulators rejected a proposal to dredge Mount Hope Bay. The decision by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management marks the second time… Read More
    As the weeklong series of hearings on a liquefied natural gas facility proposed in Washington County drew to a close, both proponents and opponents of the project said they were satisfied that their cases had been well-argued before state regulators. “We’re thrilled to death about… Read More
    CALAIS – Biologists expressed concern Wednesday about how massive tanker ships and a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal could affect lobster, endangered whales, Atlantic salmon and other wildlife in Passamaquoddy Bay. During more than nine hours of testimony to state regulators, several panels of researchers… Read More
    ROBBINSTON – Most of the people who spoke at a public hearing Tuesday night about a proposed local liquefied natural gas terminal voiced support for the project, but about a third of participants were vocal in their dissent. Approximately 150 people sat in the gymnasium… Read More
    CALAIS – At long last, the state Board of Environmental Protection appeared in Washington County Monday for the first in a series of weeklong public hearings on a controversial liquefied natural gas facility proposed in Robbinston. About 70 people sat in the muggy Calais High… Read More
    AUGUSTA – State environmental regulators are gearing up for a week of public meetings on the first of several controversial liquefied natural gas facilities proposed for Down East Maine. And if a meeting Thursday was any indication, the coming regulatory review will be a perplexing… Read More
    CALAIS – The Maine Board of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing to receive testimony on the applications of Downeast LNG Inc. and Downeast Pipeline LLC for permits to construct a liquefied natural gas terminal and import facility in Robbinston and a pipeline project in Robbinston, Calais,… Read More
    BOSTON – The federal maritime agency has ordered one quarter of crew members on liquefied natural gas tankers docking at two proposed offshore terminals in Massachusetts Bay to be American citizens, according to a report published Saturday. U.S. Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton said the… Read More
    BOSTON – A proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in southeastern Massachusetts hit another roadblock Monday when state environmental regulators halted their review of the plan. The state Department of Environmental Protection says it will stop its review of permit applications by Weaver’s Cove Energy and… Read More
    PERRY – A meeting to announce Quoddy Bay LNG’s plans to file its application with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection attracted a crowd that expressed strong opposition to the liquefied natural gas project and concerns about its impact on the environment, human safety and locally owned property. Read More
    EASTPORT – Washington County’s largest coastal city Tuesday told the governor it has serious concerns over safety and security risks surrounding a proposed LNG facility at Pleasant Point. The city has filed for intervenor status with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, notified the state it… Read More
    EASTPORT – The Eastport Port Authority in a letter to the governor Tuesday said Canada has a right to look out for its citizens when it comes to LNG ships in Passamaquoddy Bay. The announcement is a first for the port authority. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    PLEASANT POINT – A meeting to familiarize the public with a liquefied natural gas development project and its anticipated environmental effects has been scheduled for next week. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 23, at the Perry Elementary School. No similar… Read More
    HACKBERRY, La. – Just down the road from this isolated fishing hamlet in the bayou country of southwestern Louisiana, a massive complex is rising to handle the nation’s growing demand for natural gas. Cranes tower over arena-sized containers that stand 170 feet tall and 250… Read More
    ROBBINSTON – Bear Creek Investments Ltd. is requesting that a Robbinston LNG company’s application to build an LNG terminal and storage facility be denied. Bear Creek has owned land on Route 1 in Robbinston for the past couple of years. The company has at least… Read More
    BOSTON – A company that proposed building a liquefied natural gas terminal on a state-owned island in Boston Harbor is shelving the plan, according to a published report. Aaron Samson, managing director of energy company AES Corp. of Arlington, Va., told The Patriot Ledger of… Read More
    Representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will be in Washington County today to tour the sites of two proposed liquefied natural gas terminals in Perry and Robbinston. Staff from FERC’s Office of Energy Projects will conduct a site visit of the Downeast LNG import… Read More
    EASTPORT – Lobstermen who battle high winds, fog and unpredictable weather now fear they will have to face off against LNG supertankers that could be plowing through lobster beds and destroying gear. Members of the Cobscook Bay Fishermen’s Association met with officials from Oklahoma-based Quoddy… Read More
    Several groups of Washington County residents who oppose the liquefied natural gas terminals proposed in Passamaquoddy Bay banded together and filed a motion this week with the state Board of Environmental Protection, asking it to reject Downeast LNG’s application to construct a terminal in Robbinston. Read More
    PERRY – Questions raised about alleged “irregularities” in a recent town vote prompted an anti-LNG group to present a petition to the town clerk over the weekend, requesting they be allowed to inspect ballots that dealt with the referendum. The group, Perry Citizens for Responsible… Read More
    PERRY – If the vote to approve a $3.6 million deal in Perry demonstrated anything Monday night it’s how divided this town is. Voters Monday night approved a 25-year agreement with the Oklahoma-based Quoddy Bay LNG that would provide annual payments to the town along… Read More
    PERRY – Voters Monday at the opening of the annual town meeting narrowly approved a $3.6 million deal with an Oklahoma-based liquefied natural gas developer. The vote, which was conducted by secret ballot, was 229 to 211. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
    Developers from a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Washington County have asked the federal government to ban Canadian access to the U.S. natural gas market until the Canadian government allows LNG tankers through Head Harbour Passage. “This filing is an effort to ensure that… Read More
    PLEASANT POINT – Passamaquoddy tribal members gave an Oklahoma liquefied natural gas developer a leg up this week when they approved the sale of a 300-acre parcel of land to Quoddy Bay LNG for $1.5 million. The deal came to around $5,000 an acre. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    WASHINGTON – Fire from a terrorism attack against a tanker ship carrying liquefied natural gas could ignite so fiercely it would burn people one mile away, according to a congressional study. It examined terror risks on the nation’s waterways and concluded that further research is… Read More
    ST. STEPHEN, New Brunswick – Canada is resolute in its opposition to the transit of liquefied natural gas tankers through Head Harbor Passage on their way to terminals proposed for Maine and is prepared to use “all legal and diplomatic channels” to prevent it, a government spokesman said… Read More
    PERRY – Did Perry do a better job of crafting an LNG financial package for the town than Robbinston? Perry’s Bangor attorney says yes. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has responded amicably but firmly to the Canadian government’s stated opposition to and intent to take legal action against two proposed liquefied natural gas terminals in Washington County. In a letter to Michael Wilson, the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S.,… Read More
    INDIAN TOWNSHIP – The Passamaquoddy Joint Tribal Council on Monday approved a tax agreement between the tribe and an Oklahoma-based liquefied natural gas developer. The vote was 9-2 . The council’s approval came on the heels of a vote at Indian Township last week. There,… Read More
    The government of New Brunswick has submitted a motion to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting that the commission terminate its review of two liquefied natural gas terminals proposed on Passamaquoddy Bay in Washington County. “In the interest of administrative efficiency and preserving the… Read More
    INDIAN TOWNSHIP – Voters Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved a tax agreement between the Passamaquoddy Tribe and an Oklahoma-based liquefied natural gas developer. The 224-10 vote means that Quoddy Bay LNG now has the full backing of the Passamaquoddy from both tribal reservations to build an… Read More
    PERRY – A retired cardiologist filed a complaint in Washington County Superior Court on Monday asking a judge to rule that the selectmen violated the public’s right to know under the Freedom of Access Act in its negotiations with an Oklahoma-based LNG developer. Ron Rosenfeld… Read More
    FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – If liquefied natural gas terminals are approved on the Maine side of Passamaquoddy Bay, gunboats escorting huge LNG tankers through Canadian waters will disrupt fishing and tourism, said a New Brunswick politician. Opposition lawmaker Wayne Steeves said Friday the armed escorts… Read More
    FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – The governor of Maine and the premier of New Brunswick have agreed to disagree on the potentially explosive issue of allowing liquefied natural gas tankers to sail through Canadian waters to reach U.S. ports. The political standoff emerged as Maine Gov. Read More
    Quoddy Bay LNG developers joined Downeast LNG on Thursday in pledging to move forward with their plans to construct liquefied natural gas terminals on Passamaquoddy Bay. Their announcement comes one day after the Canadian government declared its opposition to the projects. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
    CALAIS – It appears internal problems caused a fledgling LNG company to fall apart, but no one has said what precipitated the breakup of Calais LNG. Rep. Ian Emery, R-Cutler, and former Passamaquoddy tribal state Rep. Fred Moore started BP Consulting two years ago, later… Read More
    PLEASANT POINT – The chief of the Passamaquoddy Indians on this reservation in Washington County says that an Oklahoma-based liquefied natural gas facility developer owes the tribe $500,000. Chief Rick Doyle wants Quoddy Bay LNG to pay up. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    PERRY – The town’s attorney Tuesday night outlined the details of an agreement officials have tentatively reached with an Oklahoma-based developer to build a $250 million liquefied natural gas tank farm in its backyard. About 50 of the town’s 800 residents attended the hastily called… Read More
    PERRY – An Oklahoma-based developer has agreed to pay this Washington County town $3.6 million annually for the next 25 years to site a liquefied natural gas tank farm near Halfmoon Cove. After months of negotiations, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen on Monday… Read More
    PERRY – The Maine Municipal Association said town officials “acted reasonably” when they decided to wait until the annual town meeting in March to ask voters if they want a committee to negotiate a financial package with an Oklahoma-based liquefied natural gas developer. But LNG… Read More
    PERRY – A group of residents dissatisfied with a recent vote by the selectmen is taking its case to the public. A special town meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Perry Elementary School. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    Indian Township tribal members soon will have their say over an LNG facility that developers hope to build at their sister reservation at Pleasant Point. Plans call for an Oklahoma developer to build a multimillion-dollar liquefied natural gas facility on Passamaquoddy tribal land at Pleasant… Read More
    AUGUSTA – Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection voted Thursday to assume jurisdiction over permit applications for the first of two liquefied natural gas facilities proposed for Passamaquoddy Bay. The BEP’s unanimous decision means the public will have greater opportunity to participate in the review of… Read More
    The two proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals near Passamaquoddy Bay are now both in the hands of federal regulators. Representatives from the company Downeast LNG said Friday that they filed their formal application and supporting documents to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in… Read More
    PLEASANT POINT – Has an Eastport couple tried to “hijack” the culture of the Passamaquoddy Tribe by being spokesmen on issues related to the tribe and LNG? Bob and Linda Godfrey say no. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
    BOSTON – Outgoing Gov. Mitt Romney on Tuesday approved plans to build two liquefied natural gas terminals off the coast of Gloucester, a move likely to reignite debate over public safety and their effect on fragile fishing grounds. The proposed Northeast Gateway and Neptune projects,… Read More
    MACHIAS – There were more questions than answers as a spokesman for a proposed liquefied natural gas facility at Pleasant Point met Wednesday with Washington County Commissioners. Among the questions: How do you get more than 1,600 people off an island if the only road… Read More
    FALL RIVER, Mass. – A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected an attempt by officials in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to block a proposed LNG terminal from being built in Fall River. Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly and Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch filed… Read More
    BANGOR – Government lawyers have filed a detailed list of documents requested under the federal Freedom of Information Act by opponents of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal on the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy reservation. The list in U.S. District Court details the reasons why some… Read More
    ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – Efforts by two American developers to build liquefied natural gas terminals Down East have been met with considerable resistance by Maine’s neighbors to the north in New Brunswick. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, a public forum will be held… Read More
    PLEASANT POINT – The Oklahoma developer who wants to build a $500 million liquefied natural gas facility on Passamaquoddy tribal land put forward a $200,000 “good faith” offer last week to the Tribal Council at the Pleasant Point reservation, the developer confirmed Tuesday. The offer,… Read More
    BOSTON – Two people were seen on surveillance tapes cutting through a fence and climbing to the top of the storage tank at a liquefied natural gas storage facility in Lynn last week, but there is no evidence the incident was terrorist-related, state officials said Tuesday. Read More
    CASTINE – Maine’s role in the international marketplace should include liquefied natural gas terminals, according to the chairman of the American Bureau of Shipping, which develops and verifies standards for vessels of all types, including LNG tankers. Maine lost a real opportunity when the proposed… Read More