noLNG

HIKE THE PIPE

NO-LNG in Mt. Hood National Forest!

Hike the Pipe on SAT. JUNE 14TH & 15TH for more details

go to www.bark-out.org or call          503-331-0374      

 

When will the FERC 'ers see the Light?

As most politicians are awake about the NorthernStar scheme to sneak  one in on us, the people of the Lower Columbia River, Mr Joe is still spilling, but he cannot  fool any of us.

Maybe California wants him back?

5/15/2008 12:22:00 PM

Rep. David Wu Wu, Kulongoski seek new LNG report Pressure mounts for more scrutiny of Bradwood project By CASSANDRA PROFITA The Daily Astorian Pressure is mounting for federal regulators to amend their environmental review of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas project. U.S. Rep. David Wu joined Gov. Ted Kulongoski this week in asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Bradwood project to address recent design changes and the state's energy needs report released Friday. If drafted, a supplemental report would be subject to a 45-day public review, which could delay the final licensing decision. The state's energy study concluded Oregon will need more natural gas in the future but domestic gas piped in from the Rocky Mountains would be a viable alternative to imported LNG, which likely would be more expensive than the domestic gas. The requests from Wu and Kulongoski follow an earlier call from the anti-LNG group Columbia Riverkeeper for additional scrutiny of the Bradwood proposal. In a letter to FERC last month, the group detailed numerous changes to the proposed Bradwood facility design since FERC issued its first review of the project's environmental impacts last August. Among the changes listed are a retraction of the company's guarantee that all of its LNG delivery tankers' will have screens to protect fish during ballast water intakes, changes to the 36-mile pipeline route and dredge material disposal sites and a possible change in the regasification method to one that requires Columbia River water. "These are substantial changes, and their possible effects on the environment and the surrounding communities must be considered," Wu said in a letter to FERC sent Tuesday. "I firmly believe that any Environmental Impact Statement that does not take into account the (Oregon Department of Energy) report or the changes to the Bradwood Landing proposal cannot adequately address the true effects of the proposed facility or the needs of the environment and Oregon communities." Joe Desmond, spokesman for Bradwood project developer NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc., said the project has not changed substantially since the first environmental review. The changes in the pipeline route are still within the broader corridor outlined in the draft environmental impact statement, he said, and the regasification method has not changed in the project description submitted to FERC. More: www.dailyastorian.com

Warrenton Blasts NorthernStar.

Is the steamroller (NorthernStar) running out of steam? Why is NorthernStar having so much trouble to develop a Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that is acceptable to all the communities along the transit route of the LNG carriers and the receiving terminal. Most likely because, they still want to do the whole thing on "The Cheap". After all this is business as usual!

Warrenton blasts LNG firm over safety issues
Commission approves written response to be sent to FERC

By SANDRA SWAIN
The Daily Astorian

Despite NorthernStar Natural Gas Co.'s claims to the contrary, the city of Warrenton is not satisfied that safety concerns have been adequately addressed for the liquefied natural gas facility the company proposes to build at Bradwood Landing, 20 miles east of Astoria.

At Tuesday's meeting, the Warrenton City Commission unanimously approved a written response to be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The vote was 3-0, with Mayor Gil Gramson and Commissioner Dick Hellberg absent. The response addresses a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and a proposed Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that NorthernStar has filed with FERC.

The letter, written for the city by attorney Diane Phillips, says Warrenton will not agree to the "take-it-or-leave it" approach put forward by NorthernStar.
More: www.dailyastorian.com

Bill Clinton in Astoria, OR.

ALEX PAJUNAS — The Daily Astorian Former President Bill Clinton stops to meet with crowd members and address their concerns and interests in the upcoming presidential election. ALEX PAJUNAS — The Daily Astorian Former President Bill Clinton prepares to meet with crowd members after a 52-minute speech outside of the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

A visit of presidential importance
Clinton blasts federal rules on LNG sites

By CASSANDRA PROFITA
The Daily Astorian

In his speech before hundreds gathered at the Columbia River Maritime Museum plaza Monday, former President Bill Clinton presented his case for making Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee for president.

Chief among his arguments was her stance on liquefied natural gas.

Hillary Clinton's backers boast that she, unlike her Democratic rival Barack Obama and Republican nominee John McCain, voted against the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which took the power to site LNG terminals away from states and gave it to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"It stripped you of the right to approve the siting of your own LNG facilities, and that was wrong," Clinton said Monday.

Two of the three LNG terminals proposed in Oregon are on the Columbia River. One is at a site in Warrenton, and another is 20 miles east of Astoria at Bradwood Landing.

On Monday, standing on the 17th Street dock along the Columbia River, Clinton said the projects "would burden you."

"Look behind me," he said.

If all three LNG terminals are built, he said they would deliver "two and a half times as much liquefied natural gas as Oregon and Washington use every year."

More: www.dailyastorian.com

Would you like to help?

If you believe in being a good steward of the environment and the health of the Columbia River, you can help with a tax deductable donation, click on the link.

https://columbiariverkeeper.ejoinme.org/MyPages/Donate/tabid/5203/Default.aspx

For Sale, Freeport LNG, Texas.

Oregon doesn't need LNG Oregon Department of Energy says there is a need for natural gas but LNG is not the answer SALEM - Governor Ted Kulongoski received a report from the Oregon Department of Energy today that concludes that while Oregon will need increased supplies of natural gas to meet the state's energy needs, the proposed natural gas pipelines from the Rocky Mountains will be able to meet that increased demand. The report also concludes that the proposed pipelines in the Rocky Mountains are more likely to provide less expensive natural gas and produce significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions than the three LNG facilities proposed in Oregon. "This report raises serious questions about whether LNG is the only source to serve an increased demand for natural gas and whether LNG terminals are in the public's best interest both economically and environmentally," Governor Ted Kulongoski said. Today the Governor also filed a request with the FERC to issue a new supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the LNG import terminal facility at Bradwood Landing and its associated pipelines, because the project proposal has changed substantially since the draft EIS was issued August 2007 and because significant new information concerning the LNG project has been submitted by the applicants themselves.  In addition to the new Oregon Department of Energy report regarding need and supply of natural gas, the state of Oregon found the project proposal for siting has substantially changed in four respects: • The DEIS recommended that all ships use 'screened water intakes.' However, Bradwood Landing officials now state that not all ships will use these intakes. The impacts of unscreened intakes on threatened or endangered salmon must be evaluated in a supplemental DEIS. • Bradwood Landing officials have recently acknowledged that the routes of the associate pipelines are expected to change. Changes could have different environmental, public safety and economic effects. • The state of Oregon has learned that the deposit of dredge spoils will now be placed entirely at the facility site, not elsewhere in Wahkiakum County as proposed in the DEIS. • Oregon has also learned that the regasification system may be altered to allow open regasification. This change will result in increased amounts of wastewater discharged in the Columbia River. The effects on fish are unknown and need to be evaluated. More: www.dailyastorian.com The governor's letter to FERC requesting a supplemental DEIS and submitting the energy department report is available at http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/docs/LNG_Bose-Letter-050908.pdf The full energy department report is available at: http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/docs/LNG_Letter-Report-050708.pdf

Ruling on the Ballot Referendum

Court rules that citizens ballot referendum attacking County LNG decision is legal, LNG opponents celebrate! 

Astoria, OR  Backers of a ballot measure referendum aimed at overturning Clatsop Countys approval of the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal on the Columbia River are celebrating a ruling by Clatsop County Circuit Court Judge Cindee Matyas holding that the referendum is legal and denying LNG backers challenge to the measure.  Columbia Riverkeeper and County residents Marc Auerbach, Debbie Twombly and Don West filed the ballot referendum to challenge Clatsop Countys decision to change County law in order to allow gas pipelines from LNG terminals to run through zoned parklands, recreation, and open space.  The judges ruling blocks a move by NorthernStar and proponents of the Bradwood LNG project to keep the referendum off the ballot and to prohibit volunteers from gathering signatures for the measure.

Columbia Riverkeeper attorney Brett VandenHeuvel, who also represented the chief petitioners behind the ballot measure referendum, applauded the judges decision. "NorthernStar filed this baseless lawsuit because they are afraid of letting the voters decide whether to allow large gas pipelines in parks.  Bradwood lost because Oregon's Constitution clearly protects the peoples right to vote on important decisions."

Debbie Twombly, Astoria resident and a chief petitioner, added, "They wanted to keep the public from voting on this since even they recognize that voters will decide against opening up our parks for high-pressure gas pipelines.  Even people who support the LNG projects do not support the Commissioners re-writing our laws to allow pipelines throughout our parks."

Marc Auerbach, also a chief petitioner and chair of the Northwest Property Rights Coalition, looked forward to the referendum campaign.  "The tainted approval of Bradwood was a mistake in law and a mistake in policy.  The referendum will enable the people to voice their opposition to this regrettable project and its disastrous pipeline."

Volunteers for Clatsop County Citizens for Common Sense are already amassing the necessary signatures for the referendum and will qualify the measure for the September 15 ballot.   

Why we Fight!

Would anyone see our river changed from the above picture to the one below. (click on the picture)

Northern Star should pay before building LNG.

To The Eagle:

Thanks to the Board of Wahkiakum County Commissioners for their attention to the proposed LNG terminal and pipeline at Bradwood, Oregon. Our citizens and their properties are the closest to the proposed LNG terminal and the LNG carrier during unloading and river transit. Unfortunately, NorthernStar, the Bradwood promoter, has not been candid in its response to the county.

On December 18, 2007 the Commissioners wrote to the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC) expressing concerns that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) does not adequately address the safety and economic impact on the county’s residents.

Our Commissioners requested a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) based on an independent safety assessment and economic impact assessment, to be funded by NorthernStar. The Commissioners also asked FERC to make the results a condition to the federal permit and Final EIS. After no response from NorthernStar, the Board submitted a follow-up letter on April 8, 2008. The answer from NorthernStar reads as follow: “Bradwood Landing has funded Wahkiakum County $100,000 per year without restriction on how they spend the money. A fraction of the money could have been spent on the referenced study or could be spent in the future. Bradwood Landing has generously funded Wahkiakum County for these types of needs”.

NorthernStar’s answer is not accurate. NorthernStar gave the money to a private non-profit organization, Wahkiakum Community Foundation, not to the County government.

Therefore, the control of the money is not within the County government and is not readily available for these studies. Secondly, the cost of these studies could far exceed the amount of the gift. The Public Safety Assessment and Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Revisions and Response Resource Cost Share Report for Clatsop County, Oregon cost more than $170,000.

Even though the LNG terminal would be in Oregon, Wahkiakum County would face enormous expenses for emergency, medical and security services and related infrastructure. We need to know what we would need and how much it would cost.

The funding by NorthernStar and execution of the needed resources should be completed before the start of the operation phase and continued thereafter.

Frans Eykel

Puget Island, WA.

Add Political Damage.

This letter was send in response to an excellent article in The Oregonian. (Zuckerman)

It's easy to identify the massive environmental threats from the
proposed LNG terminals and pipelines. Thanks to the Oregonian for
highlighting another danger - the corruption of our political
process, as shown by the Clackamas County Commissioners and the
"donations" they received from natural gas lobbyists.

It's something we've experienced here in Clatsop County.  We saw
some of our Clatsop County Commissioners and Planning
Commissioners indulging in what I call acrobatic law - bending
over backwards and twisting the law to meet NorthernStar's
desires.  Although there is no evidence of cash changing hands,
it looked like a corrupted process and contributed to the
successful recall of one county commissioner.

Add political damage to the dangers posed by LNG to Oregon's air,
water, health, safety, economy, environment, quality of life, and
future.  Oregonians must get involved in the politics of proposed
LNG pipelines in their county.

Laurie Caplan