From the Craig/Haddaway campaign:
Harford County Executive and Maryland Governor Candidate David Craig called on incumbent Governor Martin O’Malley to push the Obama Administration to complete a final regulatory review to enable a facility in southern Maryland to export liquefied natural gas. The issue takes on greater urgency as the Ukraine and several European countries seek long-term solutions to reduce dependence on Russian energy exports.
“Now is not the time for dithering and red tape,” said Craig. “Maryland is on the verge of being only the second state in the country to export liquefied natural gas and our proximity to the Marcellus Shale, and the Atlantic Ocean and existing infrastructure gives us a competitive advantage that nobody else has. Maryland can attract thousands of energy sector jobs and help assert U.S. influence in the crisis in the Ukraine. But we must act now.”
Ambassadors to the U.S. from Hungary, Poland and the Czech and Slovak republics wrote House Speaker John Boehner last week that U.S. “natural gas would be much welcome in Central and Eastern Europe, and Congressional action to expedite [liquefied natural gas] exports to America’s allies would come at a critically important time for the region.”
The U.S. Department of Energy has approved just six export licenses for LNG projects, including Cove Point, since 2011. Dominion Resources-owned Cove Point, in Lusby, MD, is one of about 20 U.S. projects that want to export LNG. Of those, only one, in Louisiana, has full federal permitting.
Delays in Maryland are coming on multiple fronts. Political support among the O’Malley-Brown Administration is non-existent. Gubernatorial candidate and legislator Heather Mizeur is leading the charge in outright opposition to the project, while Lt. Gov. and front-runner candidate Anthony Brown promotes “environmental justice,” a left-wing social movement that attempts to stifle energy exploration wherever politically-favored constituencies may object The other democratic gubernatorial candidate, the current Attorney General, is opposed to timely approval of the project. Apart from general statements about the importance of developing jobs and traditional forms of energy, GOP primary candidates for Governor have heretofore not yet articulated positions on the issue.
Meanwhile, environmental groups are lobbying in force against the Cove Point project, including one which is also involved in fighting the Keystone – XL pipeline in the Midwest.
Absent political leadership, it is federal regulators that have direct control over what happens next. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is deciding whether to require an exhaustive Environmental Impact Statement which could derail or delay the project for years.
“Instead of picking winners and losers and subsidizing the most expensive options such as wind energy, we should be taking advantage of our existing resources and diversifying in a way that is meaningful to our economy and to job creation,” said Del. Jeannie Haddaway, who is running for Lt. Governor on the ticket with Craig. “The choice is clear, the opportunity is now.”
There are pockets of political support among key members of the state legislature and Maryland’s lone GOP Congressman.
Rep. Andy Harris a long-time natural gas “fracking” proponent, said as the energy boom took hold of neighboring states in recent years,”we could be a part of the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom sweeping across many of our neighboring states.”
Craig will elaborate further on the Cove Point permitting issue and other important energy concerns, including state efforts to indefinitely delay natural gas extraction through fracking at a Baltimore Sun Newsmaker forum this evening at 7 P.M.
“We need to fight for this just as aggressively as our opponents are fighting against it,” said Craig. “Now is the time to unite around the issues of jobs, energy independence and restoring the positive influence of America in world affairs.”
If that southern MD port doesn’t work didn’t you just buy us access to a waterway right there in HdG? Hey we could hook up that frack line right there in your home town filthy Craig! Hey that could work!
The water isn’t deep enough for LNG tankers to dock in havre de grace. You really don’t have a clue what you are talking about do you. You must be so full of hate and that is so sad.
Look it’s my dagger stalker.
Seriously money tree you need help. I beg you to go immediately to your nearest mental health facility. The hate and rage in you life is effecting you in harmful ways. If not the hospital, perhaps you should seek out a local church, they may be of assistance to you.
I shall pray for you.
So you follow me around Mr. Snarky and want me to seek help? Maybe you could pitch a tent this spring at Craig’s new exclusive waterfront park. Heard the view is great there if you can get past that chemical smell.
I follow you around? Sweet heart your memory is being clouded by your hate and rage. Seek help.
I nearly never respond to you you’re so utterly ridiculous. How many times have you suggested I need to wash the floors or stay in the kitchen. You do for whatever sick reason search out my posts and respond with something snarky and insulting. Is stalking women something you enjoy?
Hey dummy here you are responding to my comments with your hate and rage, you can’t even remember your actions from a few days ago. Who is stalking whom? Now go cook dinner.
http://www.daggerpress.com/2014/03/05/community-input-meeting-march-10-for-proposed-42-townhouse-development-in-rock-spring/#comments
You actually should be called far worse than dirtbag. What sane person trashes thier neighbors over development concerns.
Is dinner done?
Craig is laughable at best. I guess this is hos way of trying to become relevant but he is way out of his league.
On the fracking and export issue, I think we need more information before we go head first into such an endeavor. Craig is blowing a lot of smoke…maybe its gas…natural perhaps. Regardless, time and thoughtfulness on all angles of the issue are in order.
This is a time for politicians to stop sitting on their hands and be decisive.
Europe currently imports 78% of natural gas from Russia. The Russian provider Gazprom are planning to increase this to a little over 90% by the year 2020. (173 billion cubic meters)
Politically and economically, this is a disaster about to happen if the USA does not make immediate and bold plans to export LNG.
Politically, Russia will hold the whip over most of Europe, and we are currently seeing this with Germany’s reluctance to act decisively over the Ukraine conflict. Gazprom’s shipments to Europe have been disrupted twice since 2006 when disputes between Russian and Ukraine led it to cut sales to the neighboring country.
Economically, this will enrich Russia and Impoverish the USA. Besides their exports to Europe, Russia also supplies Asia with 34 billion cubic meters. Without gold, without oil exports, the USA needs to have another commodity to keep the dollar as a viable currency. The decline in the dollar value worldwide is accelerating, and the government need to act NOW to reverse this process, or face the prospect of rampant inflation.
If the petro-dollar becomes extinct, and there is a very real possibility of this happening if immediate and decisive action is not taken, the US will find themselves as impoverished as India.