ENVIRONMENT

Our environmental philosophy is to operate "beyond compliance" in seeking to meet internationally accepted best practices in environmental management and performance. Our business approach seeks to minimize climate change, support reduced biodiversity impact during energy extraction, and improve local air and water quality.

Environmental impacts

No chemicals or other pollutants will be discharged into the St. Croix River or Passamaquoddy Bay. The plant will be quiet, with lighting kept to a minimum.

LNG terminals have very low environmental emissions. There are very limited air emissions and only rainwater is drained from the site. There are almost no chemicals used in the process.

Will Downeast LNG's operations harm whales or endangered species?

No impact is expected on right whales during transit of the ships serving Downeast LNG. We will, however, study this issue more thoroughly during our Environmental Impact Statement process and in consultation with environmental agencies and conservation groups.

Research to date does not indicate the presence of endangered species or habitat on the Mill Cove site. Field investigations to verify this research have been commissioned.

What about wetlands?

There are no critical habitats or conservation areas near the project site or transit routes. No wetlands of significance have been identified on the proposed project land.

How will air and water quality be affected?

It is not possible to build a structure on the land or water without some impact to air and water. The key to ensuring an absolute minimum impact is to establish an environmental management system that anticipates potential impacts and establishes, before impact realization, the best management and procedural controls to mitigate or eliminate such impacts. The Downeast LNG team is very proud of its success in controlling environmental impacts during previous projects.

Do LNG and natural gas contribute to global warming?

Use of natural gas for power generation is more efficient than other fossil fuels, and leads to far lower carbon emissions.

More info on Downeast LNG's environmental commitment:

Corporate Responsibility Statement (PDF, 31K)
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (PDF, 12.8 K)