Selectmen Request FERC Dismiss Access Northeast Project (LNG)

Today, the Board of Selectmen requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) dismiss the application (pre-filing) of the Access Northeast Project due to lack of activity and remove the threat of expanding LNG storage in Acushnet.

Docket # PF16-1-000

In July 2015, the residents of the Town of Acushnet learned of a potentially major impact on our community from the proposed Access Northeast Project.  As originally envisioned, a large-scale storage facility of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) would be constructed and maintained in a residential Acushnet neighborhood to provide an “on-demand” natural gas supply for electricity generating facilities.  High-pressure gas lines would also be constructed in close proximity to homes to support the storage facility.

Nearly two years later, the residents of this community have been told by the proponents that this project is on indefinite hold for reasons that have not been clearly communicated to us.  We believe that the time has come for this project to be formally withdrawn from consideration by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Acushnet committed tremendous resources to examine this project in response to local concerns.  A five-member “Citizens Advisory Committee” was appointed in March 2016 by the Board of Selectmen.  That committee conducted informational sessions with fifteen Federal, state and local officials and subject matter experts. Their efforts resulted in a report to this Board on June 29, 2016, in which twenty-five recommendations were offered.  Several of these recommendations were implemented.  The balance awaits more definitive plans and specifics from the proponents.

Throughout the FERC process, we maintained an expectation of access to credible information and an opportunity to make our concerns, and those of our residents, known to FERC officials.  Public comment meetings and opportunities to submit written comments were made available.  The people of Acushnet expressed their serious concerns regarding the impacts of this proposed facility.

However, given the fact that no substantive information has been shared by the Access Northeast Project proponents and given the fact that nearly one year has passed since the expected release of the bulk of the project’s Resource Reports, we have an expectation that any new proposal, change or modification to an existing proposal must be subjected to the same diligent and methodic process of public scrutiny and review.  It is our contention that this community would be best served by terminating the current Access Northeast Project filing and starting anew if proponents decide to move forward.

Of particular note to this Board is a comment made by former FERC Chairman Norman Bay in a written response to an inquiry to Congressman William Keating.  The following was expressed, “The Commission’s decision will be based on a careful review of the consolidated record, including public comments, and will be rooted in the law, facts, and science.”  We believe that the consolidated record and public comments would need to be reinitiated and that the law, facts, and science probably look different today than they did two years ago.

For the reasons cited above we respectfully request that Docket # PF16-1-000 be closed with prejudice.

THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN

KEVIN A. GASPAR, SR.
MICHAEL A. CIOPER
ROGER A. CABRAL