More than 350 residents and lawmakers, including Gov. Robert Ehrlich, crowded into an Edgemere fire hall Monday night to oppose the liquefied natural gas plant proposed for the nearby Sparrows Point shipyard.
It was their first opportunity to address the federal agency that will ultimately approve or deny the plant.
The Federal Energy Regulation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard convened the joint meeting, the most recent in an extensive comment period for residents near the plant and along an 87-mile gas line that could wind through Harford County and into Pennsylvania.
“This is the most potentially disastrous project that we?ve ever encountered,” said state Sen. Norman Stone, D-6th District.
Ehrlich told the commission: “You?ve heard the science; you?ve heard the facts. You?ve heard the potential environmental hazards and you?ve heard the inappropriate venue. I think the facts stand for themselves.”
Ehrlich visited the LNG Opposition Team headquarters in Dundalk last Thursday and expressed his opposition to the project.
The proposal ? the brainchild of energy firm AES Corp. ? calls for massive tankers to bring the liquid gas on shore, where it would be vaporized and sent to Pennsylvania. Opponents said they fear the plant would attract terrorists, deflate property values and could explode. The environmental impacts of the required dredging to accommodate the tankers would be catastrophic, they said.
The nearest home is about 1.2 miles from the proposed site. The country has five LNG plants, including one in Calvert County. Most recently, FERC approved a Massachusetts terminal within 1 mile of 9,000 residents.
AES Project Manager Kent Morton told the crowd his company hopes to addressresidents? concerns. The company distributed a list of 10 project benefits, including local tax dollars, reduced dependency on foreign oil and 50 permanent jobs.
“Do not ask for disapproval before all the studies are complete, the real facts are on the table, and the entire project can be evaluated in a fair and objective manner,” he said.
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith and seven county department heads were among at least 50 residents who testified against the proposal. Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Kendl Philbrick said his department will play a major permitting role.
“I can assure you there will be a very rigorous and vigorous public process associated with this project,” Philbrick said.
The Coast Guard will help review the environmental impacts and will eventually issue a recommendation, said Lt. Cmdr. Laura Weems.
