Suffolk County Legislative Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) today expressed his anger and frustration today in response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) decision to approve anchoring of the controversial Broadwater Energy gas barge in the Long Island Sound. Since authoring legislation that made Suffolk County the first governmental body to oppose the LNG barge in 2005, Cooper has been a leading figure in the fight to block Broadwater.

"I am deeply disappointed that FERC, which is funded with taxpayer dollars, instead chose to ally itself with the Big Energy conglomerates on this action," said Cooper. "The feds promised this decision would not be made without first getting feedback from the millions of citizens who would have to live up close and personal with the Broadwater barge. But now it seems as if all the hearings and comment periods on Broadwater were nothing more than window dressing on a backroom deal that was decided by lobbyists in Washington from the very beginning."

Cooper tempered his remarks because FERC had "telegraphed" their likely approval for the project in their earlier report that prejudiciously opined that the floating gas terminal would have little impact on the 800,000-acre estuary. One of the largest natural estuaries in the Continental United States, the sheltered tidal waters of the Long Island Sound are a "United Nations of biodiversity" that numerous varieties of mammals, birds, fish, shellfish, marine organisms and plants all call home.

Cooper also remained optimistic because, despite the federal fiat to license Shell and TransCanada's operation of the moored monolith, the New York State Department of State can still block the project by refusing to issue an operating permit. And while former Governor Spitzer had set an April 12th deadline for the State's final decision, newly sworn in Governor David Patterson said last week that he might seek a postponement for further study. To that end, Cooper has sent a letter to Patterson commending him for his judicious decision to postpone state action and urging him to direct his State Department to deny application of the permit.

"In courtroom circles, they say it's a good thing for the defense when the jury asks for more time to deliberate," Cooper said. "I hope that Governor Paterson will use this extra period to decide to defend the millions of people who intimately relate living on the Long Island Sound to being integral to their quality of life."