On Earth Day, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced that as long as he is governor, he will not allow any liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities off the New Jersey coast. 

This is a huge victory for our oceans.  The governor of an adjacent coastal state has significant veto power over an LNG project, such as Atlantic Sea Island Group's (ASIG) proposal to build a 60-acre island 13.5 miles off the shore of Long Beach to import, store and regassify natural gas.  This project needs the approval of both the New York and New Jersey governors.

As co-chair of Legislator Dave Denenberg's Taskforce Against the LNG Island, I have been actively opposing ASIG'S proposal to build an LNG island.  The impact this LNG island would have on Long Island is devastating.  It would encompass 116 acres on the Cholera Bank, uniquely the only hard surface in this area.  Commercial and recreational fishermen claim that such drastic, invasive construction of an island will have a devastating effect on already waning fishing opportunities.

ASIG intends to lay 12.8 miles of pipeline below the ocean's floor from the terminal to meet an existing pipeline that extends from New Jersey to Long Beach. That existing pipeline is full to capacity.  Bringing in another pipeline to meet the existing one will not bring in more natural gas, but will displace domestic natural gas. 

We get 97 percent of our natural gas from North America – 86 percent from the United States.  New discoveries of natural gas all across North America have flooded the regional pipelines that supply the entire nation, making LNG imports obsolete.  We have enough natural gas for 100 years.

So, to put it simply, regarding a LNG facility – We don't need it!

If built, the island would become a depot for the importation, storage and regasification of LNG from countries, such as Russia and Iran – countries that use energy in power plays, putting our security at risk. 

Foreign tankers coming into our harbor filled with LNG is dangerous.   New York is already a terrorist target.  Why build a new target less than 14 miles off our shores and invite tankers from unfriendly nations to our ports?  Our tax dollars would be paying our Coast Guard to secure the region and patrol the security buffer zone surrounding the island. Boaters, divers and fisherman who have enjoyed these areas for generations would be prohibited from going anywhere near the  island.

Although natural gas is relatively clean, the process of liquefying gas requires cooling it to -260 degrees so that tankers can ship 600 times the amount than they could in gas form.  This process is reported as having a carbon footprint nearly equal to coal.  Then it is shipped to the island and regasified.  It is extremely prone to explosive ignition from otherwise innocuous sources such as cigarettes, boat engines, even cell phones.  An explosion that close to our shores would be catastrophic.   

There are so many reasons why I believe this island should not be built.  But I must address the one that touches me down to my very soul.  We will see it.  When I go to the beach and look out onto the horizon, my eyes will be drawn to it and it will hurt. It will be a reminder of our dependence on foreign energy and creating a dependence that we don't already have.

The oceans are our last open space.  I cannot think of another place on Long Island where I can look out and see the horizon as people have seen it for millions of years.  It is our duty to protect and preserve it for future generations.

I am not certain if Governor Christie's declaration puts the last nail in the coffin of this project.  ASIG is still moving forward.  I think it is very important that we keep our eyes and ears wide open until we are 100 percent positive that this is a dead issue.