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WASHINGTON - Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) expressed his disappointment with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's decision to issue a Certificate of Necessity today for a proposal to construct the Islander East natural gas pipeline across Long Island Sound, saying that the new pipeline could cause significant environmental damage.
"There are still too many unresolved questions about what this new pipeline will mean for the health of Long Island Sound and the health of Connecticut's economy," Lieberman said. "Legitimate concerns about this project have been raised by commercial fishermen, property owners and environmental advocates about this pipeline's impact on wetlands, nature preserves, and our sensitive fisheries. I am disappointed that FERC appears to have made this decision in a bubble, without fully considering the cumulative environmental impact of this project and all the pipeline and cable proposals for Long Island Sound that are pending before state and federal agencies."
The Islander East project would consist of a new natural gas transmission line from Branford, Connecticut to Long Island, which would supply natural gas to Long Island homes but bring minimal benefit to Connecticut residents. Last year Lieberman joined with Senator Chris Dodd and Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Chris Shays, and Rob Simmons in urging FERC Chairman Pat Wood to thoroughly analyze the environmental impact of the Islander East proposal before moving forward.
In June, Lieberman urged FERC to respect the state's approval of a one-year moratorium on construction of new power transmission cables under Long Island Sound. Though FERC, which has sole regulatory authority over natural gas pipelines, is not legally bound by the state moratorium, Lieberman encouraged FERC to respect the wishes of the people of Connecticut to halt any new energy transmission projects until the environmental impact on Long Island Sound is known.
Lieberman had also urged FERC to evaluate the cumulative environmental impact of all the pending Long Island Sound energy crossings before issuing any further ruling on any one of the proposals, arguing that such an approach would cause the least amount of adverse environmental impact.
Lieberman also expressed his hope today that the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers, which share authority over the project and have yet to issue their approval, would evaluate it in light of the other Sound crossing projects and Connecticut's one-year moratorium.
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