05-R
113
2005 -- H 6227
Enacted 03/15/05
H O U S E R E
S O L U T I O N
OPPOSING THE EXPANSION OF THE
KEYSPAN CORPORATION LNG FACILITY AND
SIGHTING OF AN LNG FACILITY AT
WEAVER'S COVE, FALL RIVER,
MASSACHUSETTS AND
TRANSPORTATION OF LNG IN AND AROUND
NARRAGANSETT BAY AND MT. HOPE
BAY
Introduced By:
Representatives Gallison, Almeida, Amaral, Long, and Moura
Date
Introduced: March 15, 2005
WHEREAS,
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a highly volatile and combustible liquid
form of natural gas; and
WHEREAS,
Proposals to store LNG in large quantities at an expanded Keyspan
Corporation facility in
Providence, and new facility at Weaver's Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts
are pending before the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission; and
WHEREAS,
The location of these facilities are in densely populated areas of the
communities of Providence and
Fall River; and
WHEREAS,
In addition to homes and businesses located within close proximities of
these proposed facilities are
schools, hospitals and Rhode Island's premiere trauma center; and
WHEREAS,
The proponent of the Weaver's Cove facility has described a fire at one of
these proposed facilities as
being likened to a "giant Roman candle"; and
WHEREAS,
A fire at one of these facilities would result in immense destruction and
devastation to an area of up to
three miles from the facility; and
WHEREAS,
LNG stored at these facilities would be transported by tankers up to 1,000
feet long, 150 feet wide and
130 feet high carrying 38 million gallons of LNG into and on
Narragansett Bay and Mt. Hope
Bay; and
WHEREAS,
These tankers would make trips into and on Narragansett Bay and Mt. Hope
Bay every 5 days; and
WHEREAS,
The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard has stated that his
agency cannot guarantee the
safety and security of harbors from a terrorist on a suicide mission;
and
WHEREAS,
The events of September 11, 2001 have raised concerns about the potential
for terrorist attacks on the
energy infrastructure of the United States; and
WHEREAS,
The possibility of the use of a "boat bomb" such as was used against
the
USS Cole in 2000 and the oil
tanker Limburg in 2002 to attack a liquid fuel tanker in a United
States Harbor has been publicly
discussed in Massachusetts where Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
tankers land cargoes in Boston
Harbor; and
WHEREAS,
The consequences of such an incident could be severe and present a
potential problem of great
magnitude for public safety officials; and
WHEREAS,
The safety concerns for the public safety stem from the effects of the
burning of an LNG tanker's
combustible liquid cargo; and
WHEREAS,
The ensuing fire can spread on the sea surface toward nearby shorelines,
and its thermal radiation could
produce second and third degree burns within thirteen seconds to
exposed individuals on shore;
and
WHEREAS,
The ensuing fire can spread on the sea toward the nearby shoreline, and its
thermal radiation could set
fire to wooden structures on shore within forty seconds; and
WHEREAS,
The proposed "safety zone" around an LNG supertanker would be up to
three miles; and
WHEREAS,
All commercial and recreational boaters would be cleared out of the safety
zone while an LNG supertanker
is proceeding to its destination; and
WHEREAS,
The bridges along the route of an LNG supertanker would be closed
resulting in great disruption
and inconvenience to motorists; and
WHEREAS,
LNG supertankers entering Rhode Island waters every five days would have
a negative impact upon Rhode
Island's tourism economy, fishing and marine industries as well as
posing tremendous threats to
the health, safety and welfare of the citizens living, working and
recreating along the route of
an LNG supertanker; and
WHEREAS,
Communities along the route of an LNG supertanker will be required to
bear the cost and burden for
providing police and fire personnel without compensation; now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations hereby
expresses our utmost opposition to the ill-conceived and
unnecessary proposals to
expand the Keyspan Corporation facility in Providence and Weaver's
Cove facility in Fall River,
Massachusetts along with the proposals to navigate giant LNG
supertankers up Narragansett
Bay and Mt. Hope Bay about once a week; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies
of this resolution to the Federal Emergency Regulatory
Commission, the Congressional
delegations of the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and
the Governors of the states of
Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
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LC02820
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