The controversial Port Ambrose liquefied natural gas import terminal, targeted for a spot in the New York Bight between New Jersey and New York, is stopped in its tracks by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Sandy Hook Bay/photo by Dianne DeOliveira, TSM News
Sandy Hook Bay/photo by Dianne DeOliveira, TSM News
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The Governor's veto essentially stops the Liberty Natural Gas application from proceeding. His action followed several days of heated public comment in both states.

It was the company's second application for the project, which would have been 24 miles off the Long Branch coast and a 19 miles from Jones Beach in New York.

The original application, which would have situated the terminal closer to New Jersey and off the Asbury Park coast, was vetoed by Governor Chris Christie in 2011.

More than a half-dozen New Jersey environmental groups led by Clean Ocean Action opposed the project, along with shore Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6) and state Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11).

Both applications entailed situating a staging center that would connect via buried conduits to land-based pipelines for distribution to New York and New Jersey. The company predicted consumer savings and quick, efficient and environmentally-sound distribution methods.

Among Cuomo's reasonings in his decision, according to Newsday, include concerns over terrorism and environmental vulnerabilities.

Rep. Pallone, in a prepared statement, sees an opportunity to encourage renewable energy over ocean industrialization. "Such a forward-looking energy policy will protect our oceans and coasts, create renewable energy jobs here at home, and move us away from importing polluting fossil fuels from other countries," Pallone said.

Senator Beck, in a statement released after the veto, said she "couldn't be happier that it will not move forward." She repeated her assessment that the project held "no new jobs, no new energy sources and zero economic benefits" for New Jersey, in addition to the perceived environmental risks.

In a prepared response, Roger Whelan, Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Natural Gas, said:

"We are disappointed and very surprised with Governor Cuomo's decision today to not allow a cleaner, more affordable energy supply to reach New York consumers. We had hoped that the safety and environmental concerns raised by the Governor this afternoon had been thoroughly addressed and dismissed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)."

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