Protesters rallied against a proposed natural gas plant off Long Island's South Shore Monday.
As News 12 has reported, Port Ambrose, the proposed deepwater port, would be built about 19 miles off the coast of Long Beach. It would be used to import liquefied natural gas, or LNG, onto Long Island.
Protesters who rallied on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan today say they are concerned the LNG terminal will be hazardous, causing pollution and explosions. They are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to veto it. Instead, some are hoping wind farms could replace the proposed plant.
The company behind the proposal, Liberty Natural Gas, says its project is safe and necessary. In a statement, the CEO told News 12, "When pipeline constraints and competition for fuel produces higher prices during extreme winter weather, it is New York's diverse energy portfolio that allows power producers to meet demand using a combination of power sources."
Liberty Natural Gas says the plan would bring over 800 jobs to the area, and would drop energy bills in downstate New York by about $325 million each year.
Still, the Long Beach City Council is against it, and has a petition with over 700 signatures opposing the gas terminal.