Letter to the Editor: We're Standing United Against LNG

To the Editor,

On Wednesday morning, I was privileged to attend the initial Congress of Councils meeting organized by the Jamestown Town Council and their LNG Threat Committee.  For those who, like me are opposed to the Hess proposal, this was an excellent opportunity to talk with other Council members both from Rhode Island and Massachusetts about how best to marshal our resources to stop this assault on the bay.

With representation from every City and Town on the Bay and from other communities who understand the adverse affect the Hess proposal would have on our economy, environment and quality of life, the Congress was an amazing display of unanimity of purpose – to stop the Hess proposal. The Congress attendees were united in their view that the Hess Corporation's proposal to dredge 70 acres and build a one acre industrial plant in Mt. Hope Bay, install a 4.2 mile underwater LNG pipeline of unproven technology, and move 1000' LNG ships up and down the bay 140 or more times a year, is a terrible idea.

The speakers chosen by the Congress organizers did a superb job of helping us to understand the very complex project review and approval process and especially where we could be most effective in making our views known, and what we need to do collectively to stop the Hess proposal.

I would like to publically thank the Jamestown Council, their LNG Threat Committee, Newport County Chamber of Commerce and The Newport & Bristol County Convention & Visitors Bureau for sponsoring the Congress; Save the Bay and the RI and Massachusetts Attorney General's offices, and especially the City of Fall River for their relentless efforts to stop the Hess LNG proposal.   

I look forward to the next convening of the Congress of Councils to further coordinate our opposition to the Hess LNG proposal.   We will continue to stand united to protect our economic future and quality of life for our residents for generations to come.

Ed Silveira

Middletown Town Councilor