In Calvert County, warring voices are vying to be heard in a debate over the costs and benefits of exporting liquefied natural gas from Cove Point. Each side is represented by a diverse group, but the distance between the yays and the nays is significant. From disputes of facts to differences of opinion, the players and spectators in this battle are fundamentally at odds.
Quotes on the left (or on top in mobile view) express opinions supporting the LNG export, and quotes on the right (or below in mobile view) express opinions against.
Capital News Service graphic by Justine McDaniel, Amirah Al Idrus and Hyon-Young Kim.
“Three thousand construction jobs estimated over the three year period, actually in excess of $40 million in additional property taxes… (and) we’re expecting 75 additional (employees),”
- Mike Frederick, Dominion vice president of LNG operations
jobs
“The jobs are good. I just wish the jobs weren’t related to building a bomb in our backyard.”
- Dale Allison, resident
“I don’t see where it would make a difference whether that facility is an import facility or an export facility. I mean, it’s been there, it’s operating, and I don’t really see how that would affect property values.”
- Lillie Mattingly, Calvert Commercial Real Estate
housing
“If we experience the same effects that have been seen in other states, we’ll see a tougher environment to sell some properties that have been impacted by gas development.”
- Paul Durham, Heritage Resources LLC
"We know that traffic is a concern of local residents. We plan to do that between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. ...so we’re doing that off-peak."
- Mike Frederick, Dominion
construction
"We wouldn’t be happy with them moving things at night. Especially if it’s going to be loud, especially with [our] two-year-old. He doesn’t sleep well as it is."
- Rachel Malone, resident
“A lot of the way of life in Calvert County has been built off the facilities such as Dominion Cove Point and the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. On one hand, I understand their concerns and their need to answer their questions. On the other side, this is the way Calvert County developed since back in the early 70s.”
- Gerald Clark, Calvert County commissioner
county life
“I love it around here…. It’s very quiet, everyone’s very friendly, very helpful. It’s a very nice place to live. I’d hate to see something happen.”
- Mary Ward, resident
“[T]his project is not a proxy for hydraulic fracturing… Without Cove Point, the only question is where the natural gas would go instead… [S]topping Cove Point will not stop fracking.”
- Pamela Faggart, Dominion chief environmental officer & vice president of corporate compliance
fracking
"Incentivizing an industry that is currently under a moratorium doesn't make sense... If Maryland isn't sure that natural gas can be hydrofracked safely, why would we set up a giant export terminal to export that... gas? That is not politically or morally consistent."
- Josh Tulkin, chapter director, Maryland Sierra Club
“I definitely support it. I know they’re going towards a big review with the… federal government and if it wasn’t safe, if it didn’t meet all of their requirements, then they wouldn’t approve it.”
- Zane Rettstatt, resident
FERC
“FERC is the real problem here… FERC is the reason that the people of Maryland are not fully informed about the dangers of Cove Point. FERC has not been clear and transparent in explaining (things) to the people of Maryland.”
- Mike Tidwell, director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network