HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline)-Broadwater Energy's announcement this week it would appeal to the U.S. commerce secretary to build the world's first floating liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound drew a stinging rebuke from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

The Democratic attorney general said if Broadwater LNG, which is a consortium of Shell Oil and TransCanada Pipelines Ltd., pushes to place the mammoth natural gas terminal 11 miles from the Connecticut coastline, it is in for a fight.

"Broadwater is about to embark on a long, costly and doomed legal battle against a coalition of determined states. Connecticut and New York have joined forces in a dogged, resolute fight to kill this threatened assault on Long Island Sound," Blumenthal said in a statement this week.

Broadwater stands by its $900 million project, which has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The Riverhead, N.Y.-based company says the natural gas pipeline is the "best way to deliver a new supply of clean, affordable and reliable natural gas to the region without the onshore and near-shore environmental and safety impacts associated with other alternatives," said Broadwater senior vice president John Hritcko.

He said Long Island, New York City and Connecticut gas markets are at the end of very long gas pipelines and as a result, region pays high prices for natural gas relative to other parts of the nation.

"The Broadwater project brings significant new gas supply into the region, and will serve to moderate regional gas prices," Hritcko said.

Still, Blumenthal said rather than waste its time and money, Broadwater Energy ought to "surrender now" since other "safer and saner natural gas supply alternatives have already been proposed."

From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.