Washington , D.C. – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) issued the following comment about Broadwater Energy’s announcement that they will appeal to the U.S. Department of Commerce the State of New York ’s rejection of their proposal to build a Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal in the Long Island Sound. At the start of April, elected officials for the State of New York determined that the facility does not meet with their coastal zone management consistency plan and water quality certification.

“That Broadwater Energy would appeal their case to an industry-friendly Bush administration is not a surprise. But the facts remain on our side. Even if the Commerce Department were to overturn the ruling, it will have the same results as the Islander East decision, which has been mired in legal battles for the past half-decade."

“They would also need to ignore the facts of the situation. The LNG facility – the equivalent size of the QE II, over 1200 feet long and 200 feet wide and rising 80 feet above sea level – would mar this national environmental treasure and cause irreparable harm to this fragile ecosystem. Additionally are the very real security concerns. The Government Accountability Office recently issued a report stating that the U.S. Coast Guard lacks the resources it needs to safely escort the tankers to the facility, and even to provide for the security of the facility itself.”

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