Home > Sierra Club Rejects Liquefied Natural Gas Export Terminal in Cove Point

Sierra Club Rejects Liquefied Natural Gas Export Terminal in Cove Point

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Contact: Jason Pitt, 202.675.6272

Sierra Club Rejects Liquefied Natural Gas Export Terminal In Cove Point

Cove Point, MD —Today the Sierra Club announced that they will reject
a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Cove Point,
MD.  In a unique plot twist, a prior legal settlement entered in the
1970s and later revised gives the Sierra Club the ability to reject
any significant changes to the purpose or footprint of the existing
Cove Point LNG import facility.

Converting the facility to accommodate LNG exports would result in
major damage to the Chesapeake Bay, coastal forests, and the local
economy and tourism.

“As a regular visitor to the Bay and parks like Calvert Cliffs State
Park, just north of Cove Point, I see first-hand how expanding this
facility will tear into our protected forest land and destroy precious
coastline,” said Dave O’Leary, Sierra Club’s Maryland Chapter Chair.
“Sierra Club’s Maryland Chapter is proud to be the first of Sierra
Club’s chapters to reject dirty LNG exports, and we will support other
chapters in their efforts to stop these dangerous projects.”

“The damage that this project would bring to the Maryland coast as
well as the disastrous effects of the fracking boom on communities in
states like Pennsylvania make it clear that exporting liquefied
natural gas is bad news for Americans’ air, water and health,” said
Sierra Club Executive Director, Michael Brune. “The Sierra Club cannot
and will not support LNG exports from Cove Point, and we will reject
Dominion’s proposal.”

The export of LNG will result in increased, dangerous fracking in the
Marcellus Shale.  No federal agency has ever fully analyzed or
disclosed these dangers to the public interest.  Sierra Club’s letter
makes clear that this failure of transparency is a key reason to
oppose the project.

The Sierra Club sent a letter to Dominion, today laying out the
details of their rejection of the Cove Point LNG export facility.
Read it here:
http://content.sierraclub.org/sites/default/files/documents/4_26_12_DCP_Cease_and_Desist_Letter.pdf

In the News:

AP: Sierra Club challenges Md. natural gas terminal

Reuters: Sierra Club to fight Dominion hub using 1972 deal

FOX Business: Sierra Club Threatens To Derail Dominion's NatGas Export Project

Bloomberg: Sierra Vows to Block Dominion’s LNG Exports From Cove Point