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Sears Island LNG Blog

December 14, 2003 The 500 million cubic foot question: Maine DOT cannot legally allow any development of Sears Island until the conditions of the federal consent decree MDOT signed with Sierra CLub and Conservation Law Foundation have been met:

(1) restoring the forested wetlands MDOT's hirelings destroyed illegally on the island, (2) Mitigation projects enhancing salmon habitat on the Ducktrap River salmon habitat. and another mitigation project near Bath.

The word is out: the Sears Island wetland restorations have failed. This according to a University of Maine scientist Daniel Vasconcelos, who published results of his study.
From his report..AMPHIBIAN USE OF A CREATED WETLAND COMPLEX IN MAINE - "We monitored three created vernal pools (designated VP1, VP2, and VP3) on Sears Island, Searsport, Maine, from 1999-2002, to determine if they function as habitat for vernal pool-dependent wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum).

"The pools were constructed in 1998 to mitigate for the illegal clearing and filling in 1984 of a forested wetland that previously existed at the same site...."These findings suggest that this mitigation project is only partially successful, and that significant changes to the hydrology of [wetland sites] VP1 and VP2 are necessary to consider them quality vernal pool habitat. The data also suggest that large areas of upland habitat are vital to vernal pool-breeding amphibians, and such areas should be incorporated into mitigation plans."

December 14 2003. 100's of fishermen in Casco Bay are rallying in oppo to a similar, though even worse, LNG port, plant & pipeline proposal proposed for an old navy site in Harpswell at the top oif Casco Bay, with a lobster-migration-blocking pipeline bisecting Casco Bay. See: Click Here for their website

Dec 14, 2003 LNG Gas attack on the Bahamas, too. A Floridian writes in response to an alert we sent out on the LNG plans for Maine. She reveals that the two LNG plants here are part of a bigger push by that industry, aided by the Bushites, writing:
"The LNG plant proposed in your area is one of several the energy industry is currently proposing. Three are proposed from the Bahamas to South Florida and probably several more of which we are unaware. See www.stopthepipeline.com for information about El Paso Seafarer, one of the three proposed pipelines and its proposed LNG facility on Grand Bahama Island."

She goes on to say:
" Unfortunately, LNG plants and pipelines are infrastructure for what the energy industry really wants: deregulation of electric utilities. If that has already happened in your state, you're in real trouble if the plant gets built. With LNG facilities and pipelines in place the energy industry will be able to provide gas to the thousands of merchant power plants they'd like to build. "If the gloves are off in your fight over the LNG plant, you need to target the Bush administration and its 'energy industry cronies'. If there is enough furor, and your group can become vocal enough to frighten the local and state Republican power structure, you might have a chance. With Bush out of the White House the energy industry will have lost their best shot at their goal."

Sears Island, originally Wassumkeag "Island of the shinging sands" to the native americans faces yet another industrial venture promoted by the state of Maine, as John Baldacci joins the long line of Maine governors whose dreams of developing the woods, beaches and eelgrass meadows of Wassaumkeag Island have (so far) foundered on the natural beauty and ecological importance of that oft-renamed (Wassumkeag, Brigadiers Island, Sears Island) island splitting Searsport Harbor from its northern Neighbor Stockton Harbor, at the top of Maine's biggest bay....

FEDS: Huh? " We opnly know what we read in the papers." That's the word from the federal conservationand environmental agencies Jay Clement, the US Army Corps of Engineers guy, and the National Marine Fisheries Folks

According to Jay Clement
"I also only know what the news reports say. We have not been >approached by anyone yet on either the Harpswell or the Sears Island >proposal. They may or may not need a CWA permit, it depends on whether they >will have to place temporary or permanent fill in waterways or wetlands. It >is certainly possible that they can develop the island's uplands without >filling wetlands. Equally possible is building a terminal pier without >filling. I expect that at a minimum however, they will need a Rivers & >Harbors Act permit for any work in navigable waters (pier, mooring dolphins, >etc.). If you have any other questions, please call or email. >

* Will breaching the causeway revive Stockton Harbor's clams? Click Here

* Sears Island port Plan rejected! Spring 1996. Click Here