SENATOR KERRY ALONG WITH SENATOR KENNEDY AND CONGRESSMAN FRANK AND CONGRESSMAN MCGOVERN STRONGLY URGE FERC TO RECONSIDER FALL RIVER LNG DECISION

Below is the text of the letter Senator Kerry, Senator Kennedy, Congressman Frank, and Congressman McGovern sent to Chairman Wood of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the FERC to reconsider today’s Fall River LNG decision:

June 30, 2005

Pat Wood III, Chairman Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426

Dear Chairman Wood:

We are extremely disappointed with the FERC’s decision today to authorize Amerada Hess to build an LNG facility at Weaver’s Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. It is inconceivable that the FERC has approved a project that will be sited in a densely populated urban area, having approximately 1,200 homes within a half mile of the facility property lines. The project’s vulnerability to terrorist attack and the inestimable damage it would cause is a great concern of ours and of our many constituents living in close proximity to the proposed area. And, in fact, these are similar concerns raised by the one Commissioner that voted against authorizing the project in the 3-1 vote today.

A study conducted by the Department of Energy regarding the LNG facility in Everett states that an attack on an LNG tanker would cause “major injuries and significant damage to structures” a third of a mile away and has the potential to cause second-degree burns up to a mile away. This means that an attack on the planned Fall River facility would not only affect the previously mentioned 1,200 homes, but possibly a significantly higher number.

Aside from our disappointment with the FERC’s ruling, we believe this matter should be of the utmost importance to the Department of Homeland Security. For that reason, we requested that their representatives join us in a visit to Fall River to view the area. We believe if they had responded and accepted one of our numerous invitations, that they would have recognized the very real possibility of catastrophic damage and agreed that this project should not be approved. Unfortunately, our requests were ignored, leaving the Department of Homeland Security without the chance to offer their view on a matter that should be at the forefront of their agenda.

We cannot emphasize enough how concerned we are with the progress of this potentially disastrous project. We know that the misguided logic driving this is not what is in the best interest of the many Massachusetts residents. We, along with state and local lawmakers, have and will continue to oppose this flawed and hazardous project.

Sincerely,

EDWARD M. KENNEDY

JOHN F. KERRY

JAMES P. MCGOVERN

BARNEY FRANK

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