LNG meeting: 'smacks of federal conspiracy'

Interesting article in the Daily Astorian about recent meetings between FERC and Northern Star that were off-limits to other concerned parties.

A meeting between Bradwood Landing representatives and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff was apparently closed to some intervenors while others were invited to attend.

Astoria resident Peter Huhtala, one of 10 intervenors involved in a dispute over the meeting, said FERC unfairly excluded legitimate parties from the talk and "it smacks of federal conspiracy."

Huhtala joined with Columbia Riverkeeper and other groups in filing a complaint against FERC staff and Bradwood Landing developer Northern Star Natural Gas Co. Their complaint is the Dec. 14 meeting violates FERC rules on "ex parte" or exclusive communications with project applicants.

FERC is the federal agency that will ultimately approve or deny the Bradwood Landing application to build an LNG facility 20 miles east of Astoria on the Columbia River. Intervenors are parties that have a voice in the approval process.

FERC spokeswoman Tamara Young-Allen said her agency takes "ex parte" rules "very seriously" and the Commission could decide to reassign the Bradwood Landing case to different

FERC staff as a result of the complaint. FERC has specific rules on agency meetings with project applicants. In many cases, intervenors are required to be invited, and public notice must be given even if the meeting isn't public.

According to the complaint document, no public notice was given for the meeting and some intervenors were refused by FERC staff when they tried to attend.

By CASSANDRA PROFITA The Daily Astorian

Complete article: LNG meeting: 'smacks of federal conspiracy'.