Environmentalists Denounce Proposed Geoengineering Project in Gulf of Maine
Public comment period is open for the re-proposal of an unpopular project that endangers communities and ecosystems in the NortheastWASHINGTON – Friends of the Earth US and the Hands Off Mother Earth (HOME) Alliance publicly oppose the proposed LOC-NESS experiment, which has re-submitted a permit request to dump sodium hydroxide into the Gulf of Maine, northeast of Cape Cod.
The project proposal was originally submitted in 2024 and is intended to test a new form of geoengineering called “ocean alkalinity enhancement” that comes with potentially catastrophic risks to the ocean environment and marine life. The project proponents delayed the project until 2025 following public backlash from environmental groups and local fishermen and lobstermen, as well as warnings from the National Marine Fisheries Service that LOC-NESS could endanger fish populations in the area.
The researchers have now resubmitted the proposal, with changes that pose an even greater risk for local communities and the broader environment. In the original proposal, researchers planned to dump 6,600 gallons of sodium hydroxide off the coast of Cape Cod to assess whether the project was safe, before dumping another 66,000 gallons. In this revised proposal, researchers plan to skip the initial testing stage and safety check entirely and dump 16,500 gallons into the Gulf of Maine.
Sodium hydroxide is a dangerous, caustic chemical that causes chemical burns on contact with skin. Also known as lye, it’s an ingredient used in drain cleaners. This substance would be dumped into waters frequented by at least eight endangered species, including North Atlantic Right Whales and Leatherback Turtles.
“Elevated pH levels caused by sodium hydroxide can severely impact the hatching and development of eggs of endangered species like Atlantic Sturgeon and Atlantic Salmon in this region, reducing hatching success and creating developmental abnormalities” said Eesha Rangani, Marine Working Group Coordinator at the HOME Alliance. “These disruptions pose significant risks to their already vulnerable populations.”
“It looks like the researchers behind this project went back to the drawing board and somehow returned with an even more dangerous idea,” said Benjamin Day, senior campaigner for Friends of the Earth’s Climate and Energy Justice team, “We should not be dumping dangerous chemicals into thriving marine ecosystems. Climate change is already threatening New England fisheries, and the last thing we need is additional threats from geoengineering. The public and the EPA must oppose this new, more threatening version of the LOC-NESS experiment.”
The public comment period for the project is open until February 14th and concerned citizens are encouraged to submit their comments to the EPA promptly.
COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: Erika Seiber, [email protected]