Frary calls for oil refinery at Loring

By Josh Salm  
Staff Writer
    Professor John Frary (R-Farmington), a United States Congressional candidate in Maine’s 2nd District, called for the construction of an oil refinery plant on the grounds of the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone,  approximately 20 miles northeast of Presque Isle, according to a press release on Aug. 7.
    “I’ve talked to a number of influential area leaders who are all very interested in the very real economic development potential to northern Maine from a project like this,” said Frary in the release. “It’s time. There hasn’t been a new refinery built in the U.S. in 30 years, so why not Maine, and why not now?
    “The pipeline from Searsport to Loring (is) already in place, the Loring facility is ripe for more development, and there is no reason for us to sit around twiddling our thumbs while Irving builds two refineries just over the border in Canada.”
    The Loring facility would produce 200,000 barrels per day, according to his plan. Crude oil would be unloaded in Searsport, sent to Loring through an existing pipeline that was once used as a jet fuel line and then shipped back out once refined through numerous means — trucking, rail and pipeline.
    “The ExxonMobil (pipe)line crosses the Searsport-Loring Pipeline in Hampden,” Frary told Jessica Alaimo of PolitickerMe.com. “It has rights to install additional pipelines in its corridor. There are extensive rail links to Canada and New England.”
    Frary intends to get local and state leaders together for a meeting in the next two weeks in Aroostook County and in Bangor to discuss the issue.