Thursday, 4:30 PM
A second LNG port approved
By Beth Daley, Globe Staff
The US Maritime Administration approved a liquefied natural gas port 13 miles southeast of Gloucester today, the second offshore LNG port to be approved in the last two weeks to help feed New England’s growing energy demand.
Northeast Gateway, proposed by Texas-based Excelerate Energy, will dock tankers virtually around the clock at underwater buoys to turn supercooled liquid back into a gas and pump it through a series of pipes to New England homes and businesses. The company expects to be operational by the end of the year.
The Northeast Gateway project approval was expected: The last major hurdle was overcome in late December when former Governor Mitt Romney agreed that it and a second project nearby, called Neptune, could be built.
While fishermen don’t like the proposed ports, because they are excluded from prime fishing grounds, and others are worried about potential harm to federally endangered whales, the projects have largely been seen as the lesser of two evils. By agreeing to offshore plants, politicians and residents hope they can prevent terminals from being built near people who would be in danger if there were a terrorist attack or catastrophic accident.
The extensive review by the federal government "show that Northeast Gateway is a safe, effective and low-impact way to meet the clean energy needs of New England," said Excelerate Energy Vice President Rob Bryngelson.
