I am a small business owner as well as a homeowner on Long Island. I am the owner of a minority owned woman business for over 40 years. I know the challenges that face business owners as well as homeowners. For too long opportunities to assist business owners and residents have passed us by because of misinformation and grandstanding by the decision makers. No matter what the cause, the result is the same, residents and business owners suffer.
The Port Ambrose Project is a logical solution to stop the suffering. Its an opportunity to lower cost and help homeowners and businesses. Increased supply of clean safe natural gas will bring down the high costs paid by utility companies during times of high demand, like we have seen the previous two winters.
This is right for homeowners! This is right for business owners! This is the right for Long Island! We need relief.
We pay outrageous prices for energy to heat our businesses and homes. For those critics who say there is not a need for the Port Ambrose project, probably do not live in the area, probably not even New York State.
National Grid prices are consistently increasing. When a solution is presented we need to support it instead of opposing a project based on misinformation and rhetoric.
This technology has been used before and more importantly, has worked and driven down natural gas prices in that region.
Listening to groups oppose projects with no scientific evidence, and do not offer any solutions, will hurt us as homeowner and business owners and New Yorkers.
Facts are important and we need to take a few minutes to research them. The Port Ambrose project has been reviewed by experts for years. The U.S. Maritime Administration and U.S. Coast Guard recently issued a 1,817 page Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that demonstrated the clear need and minimal environmental and safety impacts of the Port Ambrose natural gas supply project. The DEIS is the result of an in-depth, multi-year review of the project by six federal government agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.
Another important fact is that Port Ambrose will create jobs. At a time when our economy is stagnant, Port Ambrose will generate over 800 construction related jobs and stimulate our local economy. This translates into tax revenue for our state. How much longer can we increase fees on businesses and raise taxes on homeowners? We cannot withstand any more blows.
Many groups have spoken about clean energy, well here it is. With the recent banning of hydro fracking, we are running out of solutions. If we want clean energy, than we must become part of the solution.
Small businesses and homeowners can no longer afford the mistakes of those in power. Owners of small businesses take great risk in opening that business. We need to be rewarded for creating jobs and risking our homes, not penalized with increased cost whether it be fees or energy. We pick up the tab for many of the state’s mistakes. It’s time to pay us back.
—Noreen Carro
