In 1973 the NH seacoast was threatened by a proposal to build the largest oil refinery in the country on the shores of Great Bay, offload the crude on the Isles of Shoals and pipe it under Rye. This book is the first to be published on the topic, 42 years after the event, and while it reviews the whole battle, the focus is on Rye’s crucial role in defeating the project by stopping the Shoals oil terminal.
If this proposal had been successful it would have transformed the seacoast into an industrial zone, something akin to northern NJ. Â The story, richly illustrated and documented by the Rye author, is a strong parable for today with continuing struggles against brute force technology and over industrialization of the seacoast. Â The book is for distribution in area libraries and for sale ($16) at The Hungry Horse, Rye General Store, Seacoast Science Center and the Rye Town Museum as well at Portsmouth and other regional bookstores.
Portsmouth Herald press release in July
