7/11/2008 11:30:00 AM

Letter: Can you say 'speculators'? The cost of a barrel of oil a year ago was half what it is today, yet some would have us believe that the solution is to boost production in the states to help prevent coming doom. What's amazing to me is that the cost has risen by 100 percent. I am quite sure that the oil workers did not receive a 100 percent increase in their pay, or that the producing countries all of a sudden have had their cost go up 100 percent. So what is really going on? Can anyone say "speculators?" In our own Clatsop County, Texas oil speculators are proposing to bring liquefied natural gas to the area purportedly to bring "clean energy and good jobs." Why would any business want to bring LNG to the U.S. when the cost of domestic natural gas is half the price of the world market price for LNG? Why would their customers ever pay more for the unclean LNG (as carbon-loading as "clean coal") when they would have to pay double for LNG? Oh, wait a minute. Back in the 1970s, the U.S. imported about 35 percent of its oil, and today nearly 70 percent. When we become dependent on foreign sources of energy we give up any control we have about the cost or where we buy a needed product. So that's why the cost doubled in one year - because we import more than we produce. That makes no sense, because we have imported more than we produce for many years. So, again, why now? Could it be speculators? I make this correlation because we now import about 2 percent of our natural gas needs from LNG. As time goes on and we become more and more dependent, guess what will happen to our current pricing for natural gas? How would you like your heating cost to double in one year? Putting millions of dollars into developing the infrastructure to accommodate LNG is extremely wasteful, and at this time we need to be putting all our efforts in developing alternative energy sources to get rid of our dependency on foreign oil and foreign natural gas. LNG is a step backward. We can make intelligent energy choices now for the future economic health of the U.S. The referendum in September is asking for a "No" vote to stop pipelines that would transmit natural gas from LNG plants through our parks and open spaces. Why would anyone want to have 36-inch high-pressure dangerous pipelines running under our parks and open spaces where we and our kids play? Even supporters of the concept of LNG cannot honestly want to have these massive pipelines with a 100 foot right of way happen in their parks. Do not let the speculators pad their pockets with futures trading by allowing LNG, which we do not need in Oregon (Oregon Department of Energy report May 2008). Vote "No" on the September ballot to ensure that NorthernStar plays by the rules and changes their plans to conform to our laws. Don West Astoria