Posted 2010 Jul 29

SPB/Canada Public Meeting

The Future of LNG in the Bay

Enlarge the poster

Thursday, August 19
7:00 PM AT / 6:00 PM ET
W.C. O'Neill Arena
24 Reed Street
St. Andrews, NB

Posted 2010 Jul 30

Welcome & Thank
The Vermont Law School Clinic
CHAMPIONS!

Celebrate the victory against
the US Department of Interior,
the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
and Quoddy Bay LNG

Saturday, July 31
around 7:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM AT
Split Rock
Sipayik
(Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation)
Route-190

Posted 2010 Jul 21

CLNG loses Goldman Sachs backing

On July 21, Calais LNG's lawfirm submitted a letter to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) indicating that GS Power Holdings (a division of Goldman Sachs) is selling its interest in Calais LNG, and will no longer be backing the project.

For that reason, Calais LNG requests postponing a BEP "Conference of Council" meeting that was to occur this Friday in Hampden for all parties to discuss Calais LNG's postponement of their BEP permit hearings that were to have occurred all this week (July 19–23).

This calls into question Calais LNG's credibility regarding why they postponed the BEP hearings that were to take place the week of July 19–23.

It further calls into question Calais LNG principal Arthur Gelber's prefiled testimony to the BEP that Calais LNG was well financed, due to backing by Goldman Sachs wholly-owned subsidiary GS Power Holdings LLC.

Posted 2010 Jul 14
Link to Legal Notie added 2010 Jul 16

BEP grants CLNG hearing
postponement request

Today — months after Calais LNG applied for permits, months after Calais LNG claimed its state applications were ready, months after Calais LNG requested and received expedited review by the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) , after all the parties obtained over 100 witnesses and submitted testimony, and after all arrangements were made for the week-long hearing in Calais (including transportation, lodging, and meals for the Board, witnesses, intervenors, and lawyers); and then after Calais LNG decided it was not really ready after all, and requested a hearing postponement — the BEP granted Calais LNG's request for a hearing postponement.

Posted 2010 Jul 13

CLNG requests postponement
of BEP permitting hearing

Calais LNG today sent a request to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection asking for a postponement of the state permitting hearing scheduled for July 19–24. They have request postponing the hearing until after 2010 September 1.

Posted 2010 Jul 6

Downeast LNG is now
>>> 1 YEAR LATE <<<
in answering FERC's questions

FERC's technical questions arising from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) required an answer by 2009 July 6. That information is required in order for FERC to issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

When Quoddy Bay LNG failed to answer FERC's questions for almost one year, FERC dismissed them from the permitting process, requiring them to reapply as an entirely new project if they desired a permit.

How much longer will FERC tolerate Downeast LNG's even-greater deadline abuse?

Posted 2010 Jul 2

Canada prohibits LNG transits
elsewhere in Passamaquoddy Bay

Calais LNG has been attempting to gain support from Maine fishermen by foisting the projects' ill effects onto New Brunswick fishermen and boaters. Calais LNG has promised the local Maine fishermen that the LNG ships would transit on the Canadian side of the border through Western Passage, the open part of Passamaquoddy Bay, and the St. Croix River, in order to avoid disturbing Maine fishing and to avoid damaging Maine fishing gear. Instead, Calais LNG would disturb Canadian fishing and boating, and damage Canadian fishing gear.

In a June 29 letter, Canada has formally notified the Maine Department of Environmental Protection that, in order to protect the fishery, the environment, and the public, LNG transits are prohibited in those internal Canadian waters. If transits were to occur, they would have to occur in US waters.

Posted 2010 Jun 30

FERC's

redesigned website

sweeps LNG

under the rug

LNG's status (as with its need)
has been significantly reduced

FERC has removed LNG as a separate Industry cagtegory. LNG is now found only within the Natural Gas category.

Finding LNG information now requires first going to the Natural Gas Industry page or, click the "NATURAL GAS" banner below the "ELECTRIC" and "HYDROPOWER" banners near the top-right of the page.

Once on the Natural Gas page…

Search the page for LNG. Alternatively, click the Industry Activities link in the left-hand navigation panel. Either one will take you to the now-diminished LNG page.

Go directly to the FERC LNG page.

Posted 2010 Jun 6

Downeast LNG is now
11 months late answering FERC

Answers were due on 2009 July 6

Downeast LNG has failed to provide answers to FERC's questions arising from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Quoddy Bay LNG was ejected from the federal permitting process after failing to answer FERC's questions for 12 months.

Downeast LNG may be about out of time.

— As of 2010 May 6 —

Downeast LNG is
10 months late answering FERC

Posted 2010 Apr 28

Nulankeyutomonen Nkihtakomikumon
wins victory in LNG dispute
against BIA over Quoddy Bay LNG

Nulankeyutomonen Nkihtahkomikumon (We Take Care of Our Land) has prevailed in their lawsuit against the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

The BIA has thrown out the lease between Tribal Government and Quoddy Bay LNG.

Tribal Government had already dissolved the lease agreement due to Quoddy Bay LNG's lack of lease payments and desertion of the project; however, the courts required the BIA to resolve the matter, since the BIA had illegally approved the lease.

Posted 2010 Apr 19

Calais LNG financial partner
Goldman Sachs accused of fraud

The money behind Calais LNG's permitting has an ugly past, and that past is finally catching up with them.

Posted 2010 Apr 8

Downeast LNG is now over
9 months late answering FERC

Downeast LNG has failed to provide answers to FERC's questions arising from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Downeast LNG is already over ¾ of the way down the same road that resulted in Quoddy Bay LNG being ejected from the federal permitting process.

Answers were due on 2009 July 6.

How much longer will FERC tolerate this abuse?

Posted 2010 Apr 5

Downeast LNG
office is for sale

We do not know the significance of the appearance of a for sale sign at the Downeast LNG office in Robbinston; but, it does not project an "everything is all right" image for the company that is now 9 months late in answering FERC technical questions that were due on 2009 July 6.

Posted 2010 Apr 3

Failed Quoddy Bay LNG's
signs have been removed

Failed Quoddy Bay LNG's signs along Maine Route 190 and on the office building have finally been removed. Activity at the building hints at a locally-owned business setting up shop.

Posted 2010 Apr 1
Updated 2010 Apr 2

Maine BEP intervenors file
re Calais LNG

April 1st was the deadline for interested parties to apply as intervenors in the State of Maine Board of Environmental Protection permitting process for the Calais LNG applications.

The following filings are known, so far, either as intervenors or as government agencies in the Calais LNG state permitting process:

• Save Passamaquoddy Bay-US
• Nulankeyutomonen Nkihtahkomikumon
• Conservation Law Foundation
• Roosevelt Campobello International Park
• US National Park Service
• Maine Sierra Club

Posted 2010 Mar 19
Updated 2010 Mar 20

Calais LNG, lawfirm, politicians
humiliated by BEP decision

AUGUSTA, March 18 — The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) hearing in Augusta determined if the BEP would assume jurisdiction over Calais LNG state permitting. Calais LNG partner Ian Emery, Preti Flaherty attorney David Van Slyke, Maine state Senator Kevin Raye, Maine state Representative David Burns, the Calais City Manager, and a representative from the Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council argued in an attempt to dissuade the BEP from taking jurisdiction.

Calais LNG proponents' assertions:

• Passamaquoddy Bay is an insignificant state resource;
• LNG in Passamaquoddy Bay is not of statewide interest;
• New Brunswick, Canada, should not be allowed to have an LNG terminal while Maine has none;
• The BEP would simply stall the permitting process; and
• Jobs and taxes are the only issue.

The BEP voted unanimously to take jurisdiction

Posted 2010 Feb 26

Purpose & need statement
demonstrates
Calais LNG is surplus

Purpose and Need statement from Calais LNG's Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA) Application, Attachment 1:

“…New England relies on long-distance pipelines to supply approximately 80 percent of its total natural gas needs”

Approximate natural gas output being fed into the New England natural gas market from existing and under-construction LNG import facilities:

• Canaport LNG, Saint John, NB — 20%
• Distrigas LNG, Everett, MA — 20%
• Northeast Gateway, Gloucester, MA — 20%
• Neptune LNG, Gloucester, MA — 20%

Approximate total output = 80 percent of New England's natural gas requirement.

Existing LNG import infrastructure plus long-distance pipelines equal 160% of New England's natural gas requirement.

Calais LNG is moot.

Posted 2010 Feb 24

North America has
400 years' worth of natural gas

Downeast LNG and Calais LNG are needless, ill-timed, ill-sited projects

Boone Pickens cites a JP Morgan report indicating four centuries' worth of natural gas at today's consumption rate.

Posted 2010 Feb 6

Imported Natural Gas Price
at Calais, ME
Cheaper Than LNG at Everett, MA

Contract	Port of Entry
	Calais, ME	Everett, MA
Long-Term	$2.54	$3.13–$3.88
Short-Term	$2.26–$3.11	$5.06 (Landed Price)

Canadian natural gas via the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline is cheaper than imported LNG.

Note: Data is prior to opening of Canaport LNG.

Posted 2010 Jan 21
Updated 2010 Jan 25

Quoddy Bay LNG
is being sued by
TRC Environmental Corporation

— For —

• breach of contract (non-payment of over $1.2 million + interest);
• fraud, a wrong, or dishonest or unjust act.

This is the second lawsuit we are aware of by a supplier against Quoddy Bay LNG. The other suit was filed by Massachusetts company Coler & Colantonio Inc. in Maine's Washington County Superior Court for nonpayment of amount due for services rendered.

Posted 2010 Jan 4

Final Environmental Impact Statement still delayed

Downeast LNG still has not
fully complied with FERC's last
information request

Downeast LNG has delayed the FERC process by 6 months beyond FERC's July 6 Deadline — even though DeLNG objected to Save Passamaquoddy Bay's request for an extended public comment period.

DeLNG has taken 3 months longer
than SPB's requested comment deadline extension.