NJ Senator Wants To Block Natural Gas Port Off Jersey’s Coast

Liberty Natural Gas (LNG) wants to build a port in the Atlantic Ocean just 24 miles off Long Branch and just 17 miles off Jones Beach on Long Island. LNG has applied for permission and is waiting for the decision to come from the U.S. Maritime Administration and the Coast Guard as well as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. A New Jersey lawmaker wants the answer to be “no.”

Today, New Jersey Sen. Jennifer Beck introduced a resolution calling on New York and New Jersey to reject the LNG’s proposed “Port Ambrose Project.”  One reason given is that the port would discharge 3.5 million gallons of chemically treated sea water and requires 20 miles of sea floor dredging to accommodate the pipeline. Two years ago, Christie rejected a similar plan.

“LNG is trying to get a second bite at the apple, but we have already said no once, and for good reason,” said Beck. “The environmental implications of this project are too great and the long term consequences are unforeseeable. As a representative of Long Branch and other shore towns I feel that the risk here is just not worth the reward.”

The Senator is concerned that the Port Ambrose Project could negatively tourism, fishing and boating which are among the shore’s most vital economic drivers.

“We are still recovering from the devastation of (Superstorm) Sandy,” explained Beck. “We should focus on rebuilding and not proposals that invite more problems.”