Residents around Passamaquoddy Bay have been wrangling over liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects for five years, while some 50 miles away a new LNG terminal in Saint John was expected to receive its first shipment this week from the 932-foot Bilbao Knutsen. The terminal is the first of its kind to be built on the east coast of North America in 30 years and the first ever to be built in Canada.

An amendment to a $150 million bond package, which sought to unravel the vote of the Maine Legislature's Appropriations Committee to include $5.75 million in bond funding for the ports of Eastport and Searsport, started a battle on the floor of the Senate during final moments of the legislative session early Saturday morning, June 13. Senator Peter Mills of Skowhegan had introduced the amendment, which was defeated, leaving the Port of Eastport eligible for $4.5 million to use for the acquisition of an automated conveyor system that could build the port's customer base through the import and export of bulk cargo.

Strong support for the proposed Downeast LNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Robbinston was in evidence at a public meeting held June 16 at the Robbinston Grade School. The purpose of the meeting was for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to gather public comments on a draft environmental impact statement (EIS). Shannon Crosley of FERC chaired the meeting, Alan Moore represented the U.S. Coast Guard New England District and Jay Clements represented the Army Corps of Engineers. Other state and federal agencies will be involved in the permitting process. Many members of the public who spoke stressed the need for employment in the area and the continued loss of young people from the area because of lack of employment opportunities.

Acadian Seaplants Ltd. has begun commercially harvesting rockweed in Cobscook Bay for this season, following the Maine Department of Marine Resources' approval of its harvest plan on June 17. As of June 24, the Nova Scotia-based company was the only company approved for harvesting in the bay, although a harvest plan has been filed by Butch Harris of Eastport, in conjunction with Robert Morse of North American Kelp in Waldoboro.

The MLA representing Deer Island in the New Brunswick legislative assembly is confident that a planned reduction in ferry service to the island to only one vessel for a four and one-half month period each year will not occur. "I feel very confident the reduction in service won't occur," says Rick Doucet, MLA for Charlotte-The Isles. "We can find efficiencies in the system that will have little or no impact on the schedule. There are other opportunities to save money."