Potential threat to diving area of Deer Island

I just want to alert you to a threat that looms to the diving around Deer Island, New Brunswick. The Passamaquoddy tribe has entered in to an agreement to potentially build a liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in Gleason Cove on the Pleasent Point Reservation (US) just across from Deer Island.

The LNG is first of all potentially hazardous. See this report for details:

http://www.quoddyloop.com/savepassamaquoddybay/documents/safety_reports/fay_pleasant_point.pdf

Secondly even if an accident never occurs the proposed shipping of the LNG would be disruptive. When tankers arrive there is an exclusion zone of a mile around them. Their route would take them through the Head Harbour Passage and around Deer Island Point. Other boats would not be allowed to operate while the tanker is coming through and divers could not be in the water either.

Many of you know that Head Harbour Passage is also an area with many marine mammals, whales, porpoises and seals for the most part. Large tankers would be a hazard to them.

If you can find the time please write or contact any local or federal officials you can to try and stop this facility from being located in such a pristine and beautiful area.

DSDO

Alan

The best time to dive Deer island Point is low slack. This would also be the time chosen by the LNG tankers to head through the area to and from the proposed terminal. Divers would likely not be allowed in the water during the passing of an LNG tanker due to the one mile exclusion zone.

DSDO

Alan

Seems like divers need to petition the LNG corporation.