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| Economy |
| Puerto Rico plans natural gas pipeline |
| 2011-05-16 |
| [Iran Press TV] The governor of Puerto Rico has proposed a natural gas pipeline project worth USD 450 million that would cut through the territory's most sensitive habitats. Governor Luis Fortuno dubbed the project "The Green Way," insisting that it is the best and most environmentally friendly way to reduce the country's high utility bills, The News Agency that Dare Not be Named reported. The government said that the cheaper natural gas would save USD 1 billion per year for an island with a population of 4 million. It also argued that the project would help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64 percent. Corruption allegations have emerged that the governor has played favoritism towards a childhood friend, Pedro Ray Chacon, in awarding the largest contract for preliminary studies -- worth USD 9.6 million -- to his construction firm Ray Engineers PSC. This is while the firm has no previous experience in pipeline construction. Additionally, the bid for contractors was not made public, with Fortuno arguing that preliminary research contracts do not require an open bid. Environmentalists and other activists also say the 92-mile pipeline will destroy fragile mountain ecosystems and expose local communities to hazards such as dangerous kabooms. It would cross 235 rivers and wetlands, impacting on up to 32 endangered species, including the Puerto Rican parrot, crested toad and boa, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Archaeologists pointed out that the proposed project could destroy historic sugar mill ruins and petroglyphs carved centuries ago by Taino Indians. The nonprofit organization Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas has organized protests and gathered almost 8,000 online signatures in opposition to the pipeline. They claim that up to 23,000 families could be adversely affected. Seventy-percent of Puerto Rico's power is generated by petroleum. Electricity on the island costs about 21 cents per kilowatt hour, while the average on the US mainland stands at 10 cents per kilowatt. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Bombing target 1 Target pipeline. 2 Scream for help 3 GET help. 4 Repeat as needed. 5 Grin over the west's stupidity. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2011-05-16 14:00 |
| #1 ...Watch this one carefully. PR is in many ways even more liberal than California, and if this project goes through it may indicate that the environmental types may start finding themselves on the losing end when decisions have to be made between people actually, like, you know, living and wildlife/habitats. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2011-05-16 09:30 |