While You Were Gone: Broadwater Update

By Tiffany Razzano

In one of his first moves after stepping in to fill the shoes left empty by a disgraced Eliot Spitzer in April, Governor David Paterson kept a proposed $700 million floating oil barge from taking up residence in the Long Island Sound. Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell had already let the Broadwater Energy project know it wasn't welcome.

Paterson says he is concerned with preserving the Sound not only for its environmental benefits as a "valuable estuary," but as "an economic engine for the region." Broadwater, which would supply Connecticut and New York with liquefied natural gas, would endanger these qualities, he says. "Shame on us if we can't develop a responsible energy policy without sacrificing one of our greatest natural and economic resources."

While environmental groups and concerned citizens celebrated the governors' decision, Shell Oil and TransCanada Pipelines Ltd., the joint-owners of Broadwater, vowed they'd fight to keep their project afloat. Planning to appeal the governors' decision to the Commerce Department, on May 9 they requested a 30-day extension to appeal while they wait to receive case records from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which are necessary for filing their appeal.

On May 14, the New York State Energy Committee passed legislation, 16-1, giving the State control of Suffolk County's legal opposition to Broadwater, including taking over all costs associated with it.

Legislator Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon), chairman of the committee, says the county and the state need to be prepared to bring their case before the Commerce Department. "No one should believe that Broadwater backers are ready to tuck tail and leave town," he said. "This bill will make sure we are ready for future federal challenges."

Though the FERC approved the project in March, residents and officials from both New York and Connecticut have protested the project because of environmental, health and safety concerns. New York, Suffolk County and Connecticut are requesting the FERC reopen the Broadwater case, saying the commission acted illegally by approving the proposal prior to the states taking action.

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