09-R065
2009 -- H 5533
Enacted 02/24/09
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
OPPOSING
WEAVER'S COVE ENERGY LLC'S PROPOSED OFFSHORE BERTH PROJECT
ALONG WITH THE
LNG FACILITY AT WEAVER'S COVE, FALL RIVER,
AND MT. HOPE BAY
Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Ruggiero, Martin, Gablinske, and Loughlin
Date Introduced: February 24, 2009
WHEREAS, Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) is a highly volatile and combustible liquid
form of natural gas; and
WHEREAS, A proposal to
store LNG in large quantities at a facility at Weaver’s Cove,
WHEREAS, The location of this facility is in a densely populated area
of the community
of
WHEREAS, The proponent of the Weaver’s Cove facility has described a
fire at the
proposed facility as being likened to a “giant Roman candle”;
and
WHEREAS, A fire at this
facility would result in immense destruction and devastation to
an area of up to three miles away from the facility; and
WHEREAS, LNG stored at
this facility would be transported by supertankers 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
WHEREAS, These tankers would make trips into and on Narragansett Bay
and
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
WHEREAS, The possibility of the use of a “boat bomb” such as was used
against the
USS Cole in 2000 and the oil tanker
States harbor has been publicly discussed in
tankers land cargoes in
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 tankers’ 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 could spread on the sea towards the nearby
shoreline and
its thermal radiation could set fire to wooden structures
on shore within forty seconds; and
WHEREAS, The federally required “safety zone” around an LNG
supertanker would be
up two miles ahead of the supertanker, one mile
astern, and 1,000 yards on either side; 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
a negative impact upon
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; and
WHEREAS, To accommodate the LNG supertankers, a portion of
have to be dredged, resulting in a compromising of the
fragile ecosystem of
WHEREAS, Weaver’s Cove
Energy LLC is now proposing to offload LNG on an
offshore berthing platform to be located in
WHEREAS, This offshore berthing platform will pose a safety hazard to
the
communities located around
WHEREAS, This proposed offshore berthing platform will pose an
environmental risk to
the ecosystem of
foreign ports bringing with them microorganisms not
indigenous to
WHEREAS, A one mile safety and security zone will have to be
maintained for twenty-
four hours while the LNG supertanker is offloaded; and
WHEREAS, Commercial and
recreational boating will be prohibited from entering the
safety and security zone, resulting in a major disruption
for use of
business people; and
WHEREAS, Located in
intrusion into this habitat is a violation of the United States
Marine Mammal Protection Act; and
WHEREAS, Below Mt. Hope
Bay lies an earthquake fault, and seismic activity has
already occurred; and
WHEREAS, The regional requirements for natural gas are being met by
the LNG
offloading facility located in the waters off the cost of
be it
RESOLVED,
That this House of Representatives of the State of
Providence Plantations
expresses its utmost opposition to the ill-conceived and unnecessary
proposals to construct an LNG storage facility in
construction of an LNG offshore berthing platform in
of LNG in and on the waters of the State of
Hope Bay; 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 Energy Regulatory Commission,
the Congressional delegations of the State of
and the Governors of the States of
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LC01977
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