LTE The Daily Astorian

Letter: Driven by heart
It is amazing how desperate NorthernStar and the other liquefied natural gas advocates have become as they resort to mudslinging to thwart the tide of public opinion that is turning against them. Filing an IRS complaint against Columbia Riverkeeper    , along with their accusations that LNG opponents are "anarchists" and "extremists," is their slimy attempt to deflect attention from the mounting evidence that the proposed LNG projects are in deep trouble. The most recent example of their failing is outlined by the National Marine Fisheries Service listing more than 150 problems with Bradwood Landing.

The Texas LNG promoters do not do this dirty work themselves, they have millions of dollars to work with, so they hire public relations firms to carefully craft their message and to hide the facts. They persuade pseudo-journalists to invade and disrupt community meetings and they throw a lot of money around to buy influence. Energy Action Northwest (a front for the LNG companies), cannot deny the science and they cannot refute the facts, so they are resorting to personal attacks.

And who are they mounting this big smear campaign against? Local citizens who have realized just how harmful LNG will be for our local economy, the river and the salmon. Small groups of citizens, who formed on both sides of the river, realized in order to stand up to NorthernStar and the LNG's millions, we would need additional resources. As local citizens, we invited Columbia Riverkeeper     to work with us in this fight to protect our river, its resources and the families who are dependent on it. Columbia Riverkeeper     has been working to protect the river since 1989 (formerly as Columbia River United), long before LNG reared its ugly head in the estuary.

The LNG industry's mouthpiece, Energy Action Northwest, has millions of dollars - while we have heart. And heart means grassroots organizations made up of local teachers, fishermen, librarians, contractors, laborers, doctors, businessmen and farmers who believe in democracy. Heart means local citizens volunteering their time and donating their hard earned money to protect our livelihoods and our way of life. Heart means using the tools democracy provides.

As patriotic citizens we not only have the right, indeed we have the responsibility to make our voices heard on issues affecting our local communities and our families. We will not be intimidated by slanderous attacks from Energy Action Northwest. We will not be silenced by the innuendo and half-truths of the LNG industry. We will continue to work peacefully and to stand up for our river, our homes and our way of life.

CHERYL JOHNSON
Astoria