A proposal to moor a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal in the middle of Long Island Sound has people talking, and rightly so. Coming as it does on the heels of the recent Cross Sound electric cable crossing controversy, the proposal touches a few nerves already rubbed raw. Rather than tell you the project is wrong or right for the region, I want to explore some of the issues involved and explain the role of the Long Island Sound Study partnership.
According to the US Department of Energy, domestic consumption of natural gas is increasing at a faster rate than production. Making up the difference means importing more natural gas, either through gas pipelines from continental sources or in ships carrying LNG from far-away sources. Another option is cutting consumption through conservation or alternative sources of energy. Broadwater, a joint venture of TransCanada and Shell, proposes to make up some of the difference by importing LNG to feed the high-demand area of New York and Connecticut.
To view the full Spring 2005 newsletter, download the pdf document