Clatsop County Commissioners VOTE "YES".

12/14/2007 11:46:00 AM

County embraces LNG Patrick, Roberts raise red flags, but gas terminal gets green light By CASSANDRA PROFITA The Daily Astorian The Clatsop County Commission voted 4-1 Thursday, with Commissioner Sam Patrick opposed, to approve the land-use application for the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas project. The decision rejected staff arguments that the project is too large and too disruptive to the environment and dashed the hopes of liquefied natural gas opponents, many of whom are organizing to challenge the ruling in court. "We are convinced that this decision is incorrect, that no rational agency could believe that this project is safe or beneficial for our community," said Astoria resident Laurie Caplan, a member of the opponent group Rivervision. The board's approval is tentative, pending a final vote next month, and it includes many conditions the company will be held to if and when construction begins on the proposed $600 million LNG terminal and pipeline 20 miles east of Astoria. One of the board's conditions limits the development to two - not three - 17-story LNG storage tanks at the terminal site. Board splits on key issues Before the final vote, Patrick urged commissioners to slow down and wait for Bradwood's cost-sharing agreement to be completed. Emergency service personnel are still in negotiations with NorthernStar over who will pay for the extra resources needed to respond to an emergency at the Bradwood terminal. "Until that's done, I'm not voting yes," Patrick said. He also said the board should take the time to revise the county's comprehensive plan to clarify the vague language on "small- to medium- sized developments" that has complicated the Bradwood land-use decision. Earlier in the meeting, the board voted 3-2, with Patrick and Commissioner Patricia Roberts dissenting, to confirm the size of the Bradwood project as "small to medium," in keeping with local land-use laws for the Bradwood area. The board had another choice that Patrick and Roberts preferred, and that was to amend the comprehensive plan to change the language on size and scale. The amendment would take longer because it involves a separate public hearing process, and Commissioner Richard Lee said he preferred the "more expedient" route. "I'd like to see us not make the decision today, because we have the time," Patrick said before the final vote. "Expediency is not one of the reasons for our decision." The final decision to approve NorthernStar's application was the fifth time Patrick was out-voted Thursday. Roberts said she disagreed with the route the board had taken to approval, but still went ahead with a yes vote for the project. More>>>>>> www.dailyastorian.com/