| Developer #1: | Quoddy Bay LLC |
| Developer #2: | Downeast LNG |
| Developer #3: | Calais LNG Project Company LLC |
| Developer #4: | Same as Developer #1 |
The (relatively speaking) Good LNG Developer Excelerate Energy
Also see our Resources & Links page.
With the people involved in these projects, and the manner in which events have been occurring, it is within the realm of possibility that there may be only one actual developer.
2008 Oct 17 — FERC dismissed Quoddy Bay LNG from the permitting process for failing for one year to answer FERC's technical questions.
2009 Jun 9 — Pleasant Point Tribal Government ended its relationship with QBLNG after QBLNG’s Ground Lease of Split Rock expired.
| Aliases | FERC Docket Numbers | Home Address | Partners | Public Relations | Attorneys | Documents |
Aliases:
- Quoddy Bay LLC
Quoddy Bay LNG- Quoddy Bay LNG, LLC
- Quoddy Bay Pipeline, LLC
- Quoddy Bay Capacity
- Lobster Crate Building, LLC
- Owns: former Lobster Crate restaurant building, property on Carlow Island in Eastport
FERC Docket Numbers — Quoddy Bay LNG
- Quoddy Bay LNG — Prefiling (This process has been completed):
Quoddy Bay LNG — Formal Filing (for proposed terminal and pipeline):
- PF06-11
>> PERMITTING DISMISSED BY FERC 2008 OCT 17 <<
- CP07-38
- CP07-35
- CP07-36
- CP07-37
- >> The first LNG terminal application ever to be dismissed by FERC <<
Home Address
Quoddy Bay LNG, LLC
4900 Richmond Square Drive, Suite 104
Oklahoma City OK 73118
(As of 2008 Aug 6, per a letter of notice to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection & as of 2008 Aug 19 per letter of notice to FERC.)
Quoddy Bay, L.L.C.†*
320 South Boston
Suite 400
Tulsa, OK 74103* As of 2005 Nov 15 as on file with the Maine Dept. of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions
† It appears that Quoddy Bay LLC may have changed its name to Quoddy Bay LNG, but that is unclear as of this writing. (2006 Sep 21)
Partners in Quoddy Bay LLC (at some point, if not current)
- Donald Mitchell Smith, President (as of 2005 Sep 27; also, CEO of Smith Cogeneration Management, Inc. Smith Cogeneration Management currently manages the Quoddy LNG development.)
- Brian Smith, Project Manager (son of Donald M. Smith)
- Hubert E. Bereman, Vice President
- William Stewart Price, former President (wife is related to Gov. John Baldacci)
- James Mitchell, former public relations for the project (second cousin to Gov. John Baldacci)
- William Prichard
Project Partner with Quoddy Bay LLC: Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation
- Melvin Francis, Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Tribal Governor (now deceased)
- Craig Francis formerly, as of 2005 December the Passamaquoddy Tribal attorney (married to Emily Francis of Savvy Inc., the Public Relations firm formerly, as of 2005 December promoting Quoddy Bay LLC's project)
- Robert Williams, of Boston, consulting attorney to the Passamaquoddy Tribe (uncle to Emily Francis of Savvy, Inc.; it's unknown as of 2005 December if he is still representing the tribe)
- James Mitchell (second cousin to Gov. John Baldacci) originally was providing public relations for the project; however, he eventually demurred, since after almost a year of representing Quoddy Bay LLC he said there was a conflict of interest since he also represents the Maritimes & Northeast natural gas pipeline.
- Sutherland & Weston, Bangor, ME (As of 2005 Dec 13)
- Carey Weston
- Savvy, Inc., Portland, ME (As of 2005 December 13, may no longer be representing Quoddy Bay LLC)
- Dennis Bailey (of the "Casino NO" campaign against the tribe)
- Emily Francis (wife of Tribal Attorney Craig Francis who left the position as tribal attorney in 2005 December)
- William Alexander and Associates Ltd., Saint John, NB
- Peter Nelson
| FERC Docket Numbers | Partners | Environmental Contamination | Public Relations | Attorneys | Documents |
FERC Docket Numbers — Downeast LNG
- Downeast LNG — Prefiling (This process has been completed):
- PF06-13
- Downeast LNG — Formal Filing (for proposed terminal and pipeline):
- CP07-52
- CP07-53
- CP07-54
- CP07-55
Partners in Downeast LNG
Dean Girdis Robert Wyatt
Environmental Contamination
Downeast LNG developer Dean Girdis likes to tell the public about his service in the Peace Corps; however, his Peace Corps experience apparently didn't instill in Girdis a proper regard for the environment and for indigenous peoples.
For the same reasons given in the environmental contamination information about Cianbro and Developer #3, Downeast LNG's project would contaminate marine species, and thereby contaminate the Passamaquoddy people who eat those species. Constructing docking facilities anywhere in the area would stir up arsenic, dioxin, and other hazardous contaminants that are currently safely contained a few inches below the surface of the marine bottom.
Public Relations for Downeast LNG
- Pierce Atwood Consulting, Portland, ME
- Edward "Ted" S. O'Meara, Jr.
Documents Related to Project
A non-comprehensive, flawed propaganda tool paid for by Downeast LNG:
Economic and Fiscal Impacts of a Proposed LNG Facility in Robbinston, Maine (in PDF format)
[Alternate download source (in PDF format) from SPB's website]
| FERC Docket Numbers | CLNG's Claims vs LNG Industry Reality | Aliases | Partners | Defunct Partners | Environmental Contamination | Attorneys |
http://www.calaislng.com/ [2008 Jun 23 Now available without a userid and password.]
FERC Docket Numbers — Calais LNG
- Calais LNG — Prefiling:
Calais LNG — Formal Filing (for proposed terminal and pipeline):
- PF08-24
- CP10-31 — Calais Pipeline Company, LLC
- CP10-32 — Calais LNG Project Company LLC
Calais LNG's Claims vs LNG Industry Reality a comparison of spin vs fact.
Aliases
Numerous business names have been announced to the media by developer #3. They've apparently settled on permanent names.
BP Consulting LLCSt. Croix ConsultingSt. Croix DevelopmentCalais LNGNortheast EnergyCalais Maine LNG Import Terminal- North East Energy Development LLC the partnership name between Emery and Gelber (2008 Jan).
Calais LNG- Calais LNG Project Co. LLC the LNG company name (2008 Jan).
Partners in Calais LNG Project Co. and/or North East Energy Development LLC
Ian Emery (Maine State Representative and member of the Governor's Economic Task Force for Washington County)
Conflict of Interest
Ian Emery was a member of the state legislature and a member of the Governor's Economic Task Force for Washington County, while also proposing the Calais LNG project. During that period, he held a conflict-of-interest position by representing his own business interests while simultaneously supposedly representing the public on the same issues.
Emery did not run for re-election in 2008.
Arthur W. Gelber, Gelber & Associates of Houston, Texas; development manager of Calais Maine LNG Import Terminal
Carl Myers, retired Pennsylvania gas utility vice president of UGI Corporation / UGI Energy Services, and general manager of UGI's division, Gasmark®.
James Lewis, vice president of ICG Consulting, formerly of Project Technical Liaison Associates, Inc. (PTLA), of Texas.Lack of Veracity & Conflict of Interest
PTL Associates was acquired by ICF International, and Lewis is mentioned on the ICF website as a vice president. According to ICF, in August of 2007, Lewis was appointed to the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee by US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. The website also indicates that the committee is sponsored by the US Coast Guard.
So, a US Dept. of Homeland Security-appointed committee member, James Lewis, according to his statements and LNG parlor tricks for Quoddy Bay LNG in Perry and Pleasant Point in February 2005, believes that a catasrophic LNG spill on water can't harm people, assets, or the environment.
James Lewis's
Brazen lack of veracity; and Ownership in an improperly sited LNG terminal proposal (as indicated by SIGTTO best practices for LNG terminal siting),…made his participation in the Chemical Transportation Advisory Committee entirely inappropriate.
Partners in Calais LNG (now defunct)
Ian Emery (Maine State Representative and member of the Governor's Economic Task Force for Washington County)
Fred Moore, Jr. (then-Tribal Representative to the Maine Legislature and member of the Governor's Economic Task Force for Washington County) Moore left Calais LNG, and became re-involved with Quoddy Bay LNG; then, became Passamaquoddy Tribal Government's liason to Quoddy Bay LNG.
- Cianbro, of Pittsfield, Maine, had apparently agreed to construct the LNG terminal, perhaps in partnership with Calais LNG. Cianbro is no longer a partner with defunct Calais LNG.
Partners in Environmental Contamination
Ironically and like Downeast LNG : Developer #2 Cianbro paints itself as being environmentally sensitive and a friend of the Passamaquoddy tribe, and yet just like Downeast LNG the location being proposed for the LNG terminal would stir up environmental hazards that would contaminate fish eaten by Passamaquoddy tribal members, as well as the general public.
A 2001 study conducted by the Environmental Department of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point & Cobscook Bay Resource Center established a baseline of contaminants in marine species in Passmaquoddy Bay that are eaten by Passamaquoddy tribal members. The Passamaquoddy Tribe is concerned that tribal members' health suffers from ingesting dioxin, heavy metals, and other contaminants previously deposited in the St. Croix River and Passamaquoddy Bay by the Baileyville papermill, and are found in those marine species. The toxic deposits are below the bottom surface, but construction in the waterway would release them, and would further contaminate marine species and anyone who eats those species. Lobsters and scallops are among the species that would suffer contamination.
Attorneys representing Calais LNG Project Co.
- Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios
Offices in Portland, Maine; Augusta, Maine; New Hampshire; and Massachusetts.
Attorney Anthony "Tony" Buxton, lobbyist for Calais LNG; and attorney for so-called "Maine Jobs First," and "Industrial Energy Consumer Group."
- Buxton's Maine Legislature lobbying activity:
- 124th Legislature (2009-2010)
- Lobbying Associate for Calais LNG Project Company, LLC
- LD 1201 (HP 826) — "An Act Regarding Energy Independence" (Dead)
- 123rd Legislature (2007-2008)
- 122nd Legislature (2005-2006)
- 121st Legislature (2003-2004)
- 120th Legislature (2002-2002)
- Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Offices in Washington, DC; New York; Texas; Connecticut; Dubai; Kazakhstan; and London
In 2007, it became known that Bear Creek Investments had purchased (or optioned to purchase) land abutting the Developer #2 project (Downeast LNG) in Robbinston. This purchase appears to be an attempt to stop the Downeast LNG project from compliance with FERC Thermal Exclusion Zone compliance for LNG terminals.
Quoddy Bay LLC has been lurking in the North Lubec area under an assumed name "Bear Creek Investments," through the person Hubert E. Bereman, Vice President for Development Engineering at Smith Cogeneration International Inc. That's one of Donald M. Smith's companies. [Source: Bangor Daily News, "Lubec LNG queries lead back to Okla. developer," 2005 Oct 22.]
NOTE: Offshore siting may still present significant negative environmental and economic impacts, especially to the fishing industry.
The First Offshore LNG Terminal In Operation Since March 2005
Excelerate Energy built the first offshore LNG terminal, Gulf Gateway Energy Bridge, 115 miles offshore from Louisiana, and has been operating the terminal since 2005 March 17.
The terminal endured Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, suffering only minor cosmetic damage to the metering platform. The LNG vessel EBRV Excellence was attached to the buoy and delivered natural gas throughout Hurricane Katrina.
Massachusetts Northeast Gateway Offshore Terminal Began Operation in 2008
TopExcelerate's Northeast Gateway project 13 miles from the Massachusetts shore near Gloucester is a deepwater port (270 290 feet deep) with two subsea mooring buoys, and connected to the Algonquin subsea hubline. This terminal is now in operation.
Excelerate's projects use LNG vessels that far offshore regasify the LNG onboard, and send out natural gas into the hubline.
Offshore siting provides maximum safety to the public, and reduces shore-based terrorism risk.
This source of natural gas supply in addition to the current and forthcoming larger supplies from Canada (Canaport in Saint John, NB, nearing completion as of 2008 December, is expected to receive its first cargo near the beginning of 2009; Deep Panuke natural gas mine off Nova Scotia, with Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline expansion permitting now underway as of 2008 December), along with the Suez's Neptune LNG facility, also offshore from Gloucester, Massachusetts, to be in operation near the end of 2009 negates the need for even one LNG terminal in Passamaquoddy Bay.
Three Additional Offshore Projects Under Development
Excelerate is also in the process of developing offshore deepwater LNG terminals off the coast of northern California ("Pacific Gateway") and off the coast of Florida ("Southeast Gateway"), as well as transshipment (at-sea ship-to-ship transfer) of LNG, reducing the need for additional regasification-capable LNG tankers.