Government officials on Wednesday sought to correct what they termed misinformation being promoted in a national anti-liquefied natural gas campaign aimed at stopping proposed LNG facilities in The Bahamas.
Officials of The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) Commission have determined that even in the worst-case scenario, a liquefied natural plant would have “no catastrophic effect” on Ocean Cay, one of the key sites for such a proposal.
Dr. Donald Cooper, undersecretary in the Ministry of Health and Environment and BEST Commission Manager, gave that assessment to reporters on Wednesday as part of the government’s latest push at informing Bahamians on what it says are the “real facts” about liquefied natural gas.
“The impact to the environment, the health and safety matters for a site in Ocean Cay are really near zero-Because of the isolated nature of Ocean Cay, the worst-case scenario – as determined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in their most recent study, released this past January – has an impact zone of roughly 1-3/4 miles, which is basically the size of Ocean Cay itself,” Dr. Cooper explained.
“This means that any incident that happens is contained on Ocean Cay.”
But Dr Cooper added that the 1-3/4 mile radius does not mean that this area would be impacted by an incident, but rather that there is the potential for a pocket of gas not to burn and drift.
“Within the 1-3/4 mile area, it dilutes so that it can no longer burn-So in terms of impact to the environment natural gas, by definition, is natural. It is there anyway. It does not poison the fish or damage the reef or do anything to any of the marine life.”
According to Dr. Cooper, dredging for the LNG pipeline would have minimal impact on the environment considering that Ocean Cay has already been extensively dredged as an aragonite mining area.
He pointed out that of the pipeline’s 40 miles, only 2-1/2 miles is actually buried, with the remaining portion anchored on the ocean floor.
Virginia-based AES Corporation is hoping to construct an LNG pipeline between Ocean Cay, off Bimini and Dania Beach, Florida.
Cat Cay’s nearest point to Ocean Cay is an estimated 7.9 miles.
Touting the economic benefits of approving such a plan, Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller, has revealed that AES’ licensed fee alone is $9 million.
The Minister added that during the first year of operation, the government would collect in excess of $10 million. In the fourth year, he said that figure would jump to $15 million and $25 million in year eight.
According to Mr. Miller, this figure would increase even further to $53 million per annum after the 12th year.
The Minister added that the government will make a decision “very soon” on whether it will approve an LNG proposal.
AES is the only LNG contender that has received high marks from the BEST Commission.
BEST has said that “with the correct site, the LNG industry – terminal wise – is a viable industry for the country.”
Tractebel energy corporation, now SUEZ Energy Resources, had proposed constructing a LNG plant in the Freeport Harbour.
The company, which has teamed up with El Paso and Florida Power and Light, is now seeking another site for the project.
Dr. Cooper said on Tuesday, “We feel that the only viable site in The Bahamas is in the South Riding Point Holdings area in the eastern end of Grand Bahama. This area has the potential to be developed as a site.”
Environmentalists have long been concerned about how the underwater pipelines needed to transport the LNG would impact marine life.
Over the past several weeks, their campaign has built steam with ads entitled “Say No to LNG’ appearing in newspapers, airing on radios and an online petition that invites other Bahamians to support their plight.
But both Minister Miller and Prime Minister Perry Christie have stressed that the government will not approve any project that would adversely impact Bahamians or the environment. It was a sentiment the Minister reiterated on Wednesday.
Minister Miller announced that a final town meeting on the issue will be held Tuesday, May 3 at the British Colonial Hilton from 8pm to 10:45pm.
“In my view, a decision made by the Government of The Bahamas should be made in an objective, forthright fashion void of any political overtures and anyone making accusations that they cannot back scientifically,” the Minister said.
“The emotions must go out of the window.”
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
