Deadline to Oppose LNG Project Set

New Brunswick opponents of liquefied natural gas developments in Maine have given Prime Minister Stephen Harper a deadline to step in and stop the U.S. projects. Canada.com reported that John Craig, mayor of St. Andrews, N.B., said he's confident Harper will act to protect the pristine waters of Passamaquoddy Bay from environmental threats posed by proposed LNG terminals and tanker traffic. The town is giving Harper until April to clearly state whether tankers would be allowed to navigate Head Harbour Passage, an internal Canadian waterway, to deliver liquefied natural gas to terminals on the Maine coast. When that period expires - on April 7 - the town and opponents of the LNG proposals in New Brunswick and Maine will ratchet up pressure through letter-writing campaigns, news conferences and public meetings. Opponents of the proposed LNG terminals say Canada can stop ships from crossing into the bay through its sovereign waters at Head Harbour Passage. Proponents of the terminals say that Canada cannot block commercial ships because of the innocent passage provisions of international marine treaties. There are currently three LNG terminals proposed for the coast of Maine - one of which is only five kilometres from St. Andrews, a resort town that thrives on whale tours and summer excursions on the clear, cold waters of Passamaquoddy Bay. Head Harbour Passage is located near New Brunswick's Campobello Island and is surrounded by Canadian territory. (Source: Canada.com)