The public will have opportunities to comment on July 10 and 11 on a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) port that would be constructed in the waters off Long Island and the Jersey Shore.
The U. S. Maritime Administration has scheduled a public hearing on the application in New Jersey on Wednesday, July 10, at the N.J. Convention and Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison. An open house will take place between 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. followed by the hearing from 6 – 8 p.m.
The next day, Clean Ocean Action (COA) announced it will host a grassroots “citizens hearing” on Thursday, July 11, at the Sea Bright Municipal Beach on Ocean Avenue. “The Rally Against LNG” will take place from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and a hearing will follow 6-8 p.m.
In New York State, the Maritime Administration will hold a hearing on Tuesday, July 9, with an open house from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and the hearing portion from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Allegria Hotel, 80 West Broadway, Long Beach, N.Y.
According to COA, more than 130 environmental and public advocacy groups are asking the Maritime Administration to extend the July 23 public comment deadline on the application by Liberty Natural Gas (LNG) to construct the Port Ambrose deepwater natural gas port approximately 17 miles south of Jones Beach, N.Y., and 24 miles east of Long Branch. Large tankers would deliver natural gas to the port about 45 times a year, primarily in the winter and summer, and the gas would be pumped through 19 miles of sub-sea pipe to an existing mainline about 13 miles east of Sandy Hook.
In a June 14 notice to impacted parties, the Maritime Administration said New Jersey is within 15 nautical miles of the proposed site for Port Ambrose.
According to a press release from Clean Ocean Action, LNG has released 1,500 pages of a more than 4,000-page application.
Despite the length and technical complexity of the material, the public must read, analyze and comment on the application by July 23, COA states.
Gov. Chris Christie vetoed LNG’s previous proposal in 2011, citing unacceptable and substantial risks to the state’s residents, natural resources, economy and security.
LNG CEO Roger Whelan said recently the Port Ambrose facility would be located at a different proposed location and include a different design than the previous deepwater port license application.