Special to the PRESS
Dear Editor,
Last Friday night we surprised our Mom, Frances Etheridge with a party for her upcoming 80th birthday. As we sneaked around giving out invitations we begged people not to spoil her surprise. Many times we were told it couldn’t be done, that such a secret could not be kept in Port Isabel, and that someone would let the cat out of the bag, and tell her before the big day. We were anxious as we waited her arrival at the event center but we needn’t have been. Her shock and awe caused us further anxiety when we thought she was going to have a heart-attack and collapse at the surprise. Happily she rallied round, and submitted to the loving kindness of her family, friends, church, and neighbors. The outpouring of love was truly beautiful to witness. As Our Lady Star of the Sea Spanish Choir led with the song, Las Mananitas, and everyone joined in, tears fell. It was a beautiful experience. I can’t thank everyone enough for keeping the secret and the abundance of love poured out on our mom, along with the cards, and all the precious gifts you blessed her with. (She was like a kid at Christmas). Thank you, thank you, thank you! You all made her an amazing birthday! And it’s been well and truly proven, the wonderful people of Port Isabel can keep a secret!
YEAH!! THE FIND FRANCES POSTER raised $100.00 for the Port Isabel school Library.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Etheridge
Port Isabel
Dear Editor
Proposed LNG sites violate Guidelines
In 1997, the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) published Site Selection and Design for LNG Ports and Jetties. The document listed clear guidelines:
- LNG ports must be located where LNG vapors from a spill or release cannot affect civilians.
- LNG ship berths must be far from the ship transit fairway to prevent collision, and since all other vessels must be considered an ignition source.
- LNG ports must be located where they do not conflict with other waterway uses now and into the future.
- Long, narrow inland waterways are to be avoided, due to greater navigation risk.
- Waterways containing navigation hazards are to be avoided as LNG ports.With the possibility of three LNG vessels a day entering and three a day exiting the Brownsville ship channel, what would be the effect on commercial fishing (especially shrimpers), ecotourism and public fishing operators, birding sites, and recreational boating and fishing, and wildlife ecotourism.We must put a stop to these flagrant violations and keep these LNGs from destroying our home and healthy ecosystems here in the Laguna Madre.
- Although the public raised the issue during FERC comments, why weren’t restrictions to marine traffic spelled out in the various project descriptions? Was it because the LNG industry expected a backlash over public safety and the inconvenience? If disaster were to occur, what recourse would the public have? Each LNG vessel is typically its own limited liability corporation (LLC); its owners being beyond the reach of law should a catastrophe occur.
- Anyone familiar with the marine approach to the Brownsville ship channel will be aware that to propose marine transport of LNG from terminals selected by the three current LNG proposals violates all of the SIGTTO standards cited above.
-Rick Teter, Laguna Vista
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