HomeAwardsGoodbye and good riddance

Goodbye and good riddance

Call it a win for the environment. Or maybe just market forces playing out, with capitalism being the final arbiter of a deeply flawed plan.

Either way, the residents of Anna Maria Island and surrounding communities are better off today following the cancellation of a project to build a submersible port 28 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, where tankers would have converted liquid natural gas into gas and off-loaded it into an underwater pipeline leading to Port Manatee.

Ironically named Port Dolphin, the proposed liquid natural gas facility was abandoned by the parent company, Norway-based Höegh LNG, after years of battling local governments and environmental groups during the lengthy permitting process. Florida Press Association logo

Citing “catastrophic changes” in the natural gas market, Port Dolphin lawyers filed a motion to vacate the federal certificate giving them authority to proceed with the onshore portion of the project.

“Since the inception of Port Dolphin’s plan for the Deepwater Port, the natural gas industry has substantially changed,” the motion reads. “These changes resulted in the United States becoming an exporter rather than an importer of natural gas. As a result of these changes, Port Dolphin has been unsuccessful in its efforts to negotiate commercial contracts for the proposed Deepwater Port.”

That decision by Höegh LNG brings to a close a risky, high-stakes plan that posed a serious ecological threat to this part of the state. Dangers to local marine life, such as sea turtles, migratory birds and marine mammals – dolphins included – were profound, prompting opposition to the project from all three Anna Maria Island cities, plus Manatee County, Sarasota, Longboat Key and the environmental watchdog group ManaSota-88. Also among the reasons for the criticism was the potential devastation that a spill or other disaster would pose to local fisheries and to the billion-dollar tourism industry.

In the end, though, it simply was market forces that spelled the end for this wacky plan. No profit, no project.

Christmas has come early this year for AMI.

Most Popular

More from Author

Trail of Treats

The Trail of Treats drew dinosaurs, ballerinas, monsters and pirates for...

I am the media

The news media “is the enemy of the American people.” President Donald...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...