Arthur A. MacKay on LNG
Arthur A. MacKay
5474 Rte 127
Bocabec, NB
Canada
E5B 3J4
Kimberly D. Bose,Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First St.,NE
Room1A
Washington, DC 20426
9/04/2009
Re: Downeast LNG – Docket CP07-52
Dear Ms. Bose:
Those of us who live on the Canadian side of Passamaquoddy Bay have, for some time now, been expressing our concerns about the establishment of LNG terminals at sites proposed for Passamaquoddy Bay on the Maine side and the proposed passage of LNG tankers, as well as attending tug boats and security vessels, through Head Harbour Passage.
I continue to be saddened that our American friends remain unaware that we are protecting a particularly unique ecosystem that fuels a local “eco-economy” that draws its revenues and employment from a truly irreplaceable environment. Well over a half billion dollars in annual revenues are created here each year through tourism, aquaculture, fisheries, marine education, marine research and other resource-based industries. Thousands of jobs depend on these resources.
Senator Susan Collins' recent attempts at intervention (see her recent statement at:
http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm? FuseAction=PressRoom.WeeklyColumn&ContentRecord_id=85706b45-802a-23ad-4751- d99090ccf090&Region_id=&Issue_id=&CFID=15640595&CFTOKEN=54558949 clearly show the widely held belief in US government circles, that our stance against LNG has a political motivation or that we are acting on behalf of Irving Oil, or we are against development, or we are against LNG.
None of this is true. It is really all about us ... the ordinary, everyday citizens of Charlotte County and our very well established and working “eco-economy”. These are the folks who will suffer if LNG and associated businesses turn this special place into an industrial port.
When the very first LNG proposal hit the streets, the citizens of Charlotte County, NB engaged our politicians on all levels, to protect our vital natural assets and, in particular, to protect Head Harbour Passage which is the centre of the unique and productive ecosystem “engine” that powers the Bay of Fundy and northern Gulf of Maine. It is all about this special place; not Irving Oil, not sovereign
manoeuvring, and not political tradeoffs. This place is special. This place is economically valuable. If in the near future we do not protect these ecosystem gifts then we do so at our own peril. Simply put, Quoddy is the wrong place for LNG or the development of heavy industry.
I set up a blog a year ago in an attempt to inform the world about just how special the Quoddy Region is and the vital role Head Harbour Passage plays in this and how vital it is to many endangered and important marine species including finback whales, minke whales, harbour porpoise, humpback whales, north Atlantic right whales, as well as marine birds, fish, and invertebrates of all kinds. Over
3,000 different species have been recorded here so far, many of which support our resource-based industries. Well ilovequoddyWILD.blogspot.com has become “wildly popular” to say the least and residents have been sending their sightings day after day for the last year.
And this summer Quoddy is at its best. The usual resident finback whales, minke whales, harbour porpoise, eagles, ospreys, falcons, tuna and more have been entertaining visitors and residents alike. But this all changed last week when humpback whales, north Atlantic right whales, Mola mola, basking
sharks, schools of gigantic bluefin tuna and more moved into the area to feed on the abundant copepods, krill, and forage species. Head Harbour Passage and vicinity is literally “plugged solid” with life.
I am submitting this internet link, in the hopes that you and your staff will be able to get a true feeling for the importance of Head Harbour Passage. Please, I urge you to visit and study this site and to continue to monitor it. I will be attempting to collate the data this fall, but, in the meantime, I can assure
you that you will learn a great deal about why this place is so special. The contributions from Quoddy citizens show their love for this place and how vital and important the Quoddy region truly is.
Clearly, LNG does not belong in this particular location.
The link to the blog is:
http://ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com
The entire link for Head Harbour Passage is:
http://ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com/search/label/Head%20Harbour%20Passage
Respectfully submitted
Arthur A. MacKay, B.Sc
Attachment: PDF of Head Harbour Passage section at Ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com
5474 Rte 127
Bocabec, NB
Canada
E5B 3J4
Kimberly D. Bose,Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First St.,NE
Room1A
Washington, DC 20426
9/04/2009
Re: Downeast LNG – Docket CP07-52
Dear Ms. Bose:
Those of us who live on the Canadian side of Passamaquoddy Bay have, for some time now, been expressing our concerns about the establishment of LNG terminals at sites proposed for Passamaquoddy Bay on the Maine side and the proposed passage of LNG tankers, as well as attending tug boats and security vessels, through Head Harbour Passage.
I continue to be saddened that our American friends remain unaware that we are protecting a particularly unique ecosystem that fuels a local “eco-economy” that draws its revenues and employment from a truly irreplaceable environment. Well over a half billion dollars in annual revenues are created here each year through tourism, aquaculture, fisheries, marine education, marine research and other resource-based industries. Thousands of jobs depend on these resources.
Senator Susan Collins' recent attempts at intervention (see her recent statement at:
http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm? FuseAction=PressRoom.WeeklyColumn&ContentRecord_id=85706b45-802a-23ad-4751- d99090ccf090&Region_id=&Issue_id=&CFID=15640595&CFTOKEN=54558949 clearly show the widely held belief in US government circles, that our stance against LNG has a political motivation or that we are acting on behalf of Irving Oil, or we are against development, or we are against LNG.
None of this is true. It is really all about us ... the ordinary, everyday citizens of Charlotte County and our very well established and working “eco-economy”. These are the folks who will suffer if LNG and associated businesses turn this special place into an industrial port.
When the very first LNG proposal hit the streets, the citizens of Charlotte County, NB engaged our politicians on all levels, to protect our vital natural assets and, in particular, to protect Head Harbour Passage which is the centre of the unique and productive ecosystem “engine” that powers the Bay of Fundy and northern Gulf of Maine. It is all about this special place; not Irving Oil, not sovereign
manoeuvring, and not political tradeoffs. This place is special. This place is economically valuable. If in the near future we do not protect these ecosystem gifts then we do so at our own peril. Simply put, Quoddy is the wrong place for LNG or the development of heavy industry.
I set up a blog a year ago in an attempt to inform the world about just how special the Quoddy Region is and the vital role Head Harbour Passage plays in this and how vital it is to many endangered and important marine species including finback whales, minke whales, harbour porpoise, humpback whales, north Atlantic right whales, as well as marine birds, fish, and invertebrates of all kinds. Over
3,000 different species have been recorded here so far, many of which support our resource-based industries. Well ilovequoddyWILD.blogspot.com has become “wildly popular” to say the least and residents have been sending their sightings day after day for the last year.
And this summer Quoddy is at its best. The usual resident finback whales, minke whales, harbour porpoise, eagles, ospreys, falcons, tuna and more have been entertaining visitors and residents alike. But this all changed last week when humpback whales, north Atlantic right whales, Mola mola, basking
sharks, schools of gigantic bluefin tuna and more moved into the area to feed on the abundant copepods, krill, and forage species. Head Harbour Passage and vicinity is literally “plugged solid” with life.
I am submitting this internet link, in the hopes that you and your staff will be able to get a true feeling for the importance of Head Harbour Passage. Please, I urge you to visit and study this site and to continue to monitor it. I will be attempting to collate the data this fall, but, in the meantime, I can assure
you that you will learn a great deal about why this place is so special. The contributions from Quoddy citizens show their love for this place and how vital and important the Quoddy region truly is.
Clearly, LNG does not belong in this particular location.
The link to the blog is:
http://ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com
The entire link for Head Harbour Passage is:
http://ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com/search/label/Head%20Harbour%20Passage
Respectfully submitted
Arthur A. MacKay, B.Sc
Attachment: PDF of Head Harbour Passage section at Ilovequoddywild.blogspot.com
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