noLNG

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

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.   

Now, lets argue about the title to a referendum.

4/29/2008 12:48:00 PM

LNG backers challenge ballot title NorthernStar Natural Gas argues that parklands are not ‘protected’ By CASSANDRA PROFITA The Daily Astorian Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas project developer NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc. today submitted a challenge to the ballot title for the proposed referendum on the Clatsop County Commission's decision to allow pipelines on land zoned for open space, parks and recreation. The company has already filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Clatsop County Circuit Court to stop the referendum process from moving forward, arguing the county's land-use decision isn't an appropriate subject for a ballot referendum and any challenges should be handled by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. As of this morning, the court hadn't ruled on the motion. More: www.dailyastorian.com

Clatsop C.C. Meeting, March 20, 2008

Highlights of today's County Commissioner's meeting:

And the Vote is 4-1 (Sam Patrick, no)
It was quite a spectacle to see our county commissioners tumbling all over themselves to help NorthernStar's LNG proposal overcome any obstacle that law or common sense presented.  It was acrobatic government at its worst.  It was the un-civics lesson you wouldn't want your kids to see.  It was appalling and disgusting.   Hard to believe we voted these oafs into office....

Thanks to the many NO LNGers who filled the Boyington Bldg. meeting room today - it was a high energy, well-informed crowd - who had to restrain themselves from laughing at the absurdities and groaning at the sell-out of our county by the commissioners. 

At the meeting Ann Samuelson suggested that our county's fire, safety, and law enforcement districts really don't need the safety and emergency resources and equipment they're asking for to respond to an LNG emergency; she suggested they're are just being greedy.  She said the districts' desire to have NorthernStar pay some of the costs is just taking advantage of the company, like winning the lottery.   Samuelson, Roberts, Hazen, and Lee loved the idea of making our districts negotiate w/ NorthernStar to get more "reasonable" amounts - they certainly did NOT want the county to make any demands on NorthernStar.   So are they worried about our safety or NorthernStar's balance sheet???

At the end of the meeting, Samuelson talked about the need for forgiveness and reconciliation.  That was so absurd coming from her that easily half the people at the meeting left, rather than listen to her babble on.  Samuelson has been such a dedicated advocate for NorthernStar and Bradwood - perhaps she can get them to hire her on....

Richard Lee stormed over to the county attorney to demand that the county eject Columbia Riverkeeper attorney Brett VandenHeuvel after he raised a point of order that the chair, Patricia Roberts, refused to recognize.   He also brought up the District Attorney's stipend - perhaps in his mind this is connected to LNG???

And although county road standards require a 500-foot turning radius on curves, the commissioners are on their way to approving much lower standards on Clifton Road for NorthernStar - 275 feet on one curve and 350 feet at another.   Final vote about Clifton Road is April 9.   I'm enraged that they willing to endanger all the residents and others who drive on Clifton Road.    Would any of the commissioners drive on a below-standard Clifton Road at night in a storm with an 18-wheeler coming at them???

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/

Clatsop County Board of Commissioners meeting.#2

Your presence DOES make a difference.  Attend Day 2 of the Clatsop County Commissioners hearing on Monday, November 19th, Guy Boyington Building on the corner of 9th & Commercial in Astoria, beginning at 9:00 am.

Clatsop County Board of Commissioners meeting.

NorthernStar is spending a lot of money on simplistic newspaper ads filled with empty promises.  Maybe they¹re afraid the County Commissioners will admit that

Written comments to the Commissioners are due Friday,

Oct. 19 by 5 p.m.  Comdev@co.clatsop.or.us;  800 Exchange
Street, #100, Astoria, OR 97103
You can also submit written comments at the hearing.

Attend this crucial hearing, and bring a friend with you!  Public comment will begin in the afternoon, after formal presentations by NorthernStar and county consultants and other staff.  The hearing is scheduled to last until 10 p.m., with breaks for lunch and dinner.

Each speaker can talk for 3 minutes.  You can say a lot in 3 minutes, so speak from the heart and head, and talk about what matters to you.  And/or submit written comments at the hearing.

Your comments should relate to Clatsop County and/or how LNG will affect you, your family, community, or the Columbia River.  Be as factual and specific as possible.   Please bring extra copies of your material to give to the Commissioners, the audience, and the press.

You can use your speaking time to read or summarize documents you submit to the county or talk about something else entirely.  The county has said that each person who signs up to speak will get a number, and people will be called roughly in the order they sign up.

NO LNG buttons, t-shirts, signs, and decals will be available for donations at the AVA Gallery after 9:30 a.m. on the 22nd.   The gallery is on the corner of 11th and Exchange, across the street from the parking lot.
                  

The Commissioners need to hear from you and see for themselves the public opposition to LNG!

Five steps to help stop LNG on the Columbia River! 
1)  Columbia Riverkeeper provides vital legal and professional expertise to grassroots NO LNG work.  DONATE at www.columbiariverkeeper.org, or mail your check to Columbia Riverkeeper, 724 Oak St., Hood River, OR  97031.

2)  CONTACT local, state, and federal elected officials through http://capwiz.com.

3)  For NO LNG t-shirts, yard signs, decals, and buttons, contact Laurie Caplan at 503-338-6508.

4)  For more NO LNG information or to help, contact Cheryl Johnson, 503-458-6910, or Laurie Caplan, 503-338-6508.   For pipeline information, Dan Serres at 503-890-2441.

5) FORWARD THIS EMAIL to everyone you know because LNG on the Columbia will affect the economy, environment, and safety of the entire region.

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Beware Texans bearing gifts

Today's Daily Astorian has an editorial worth a read. Titled Beware Texans Bearing Gifts with a subhead of "LNG developers are here to make a pile, not to make our region more livable," the piece makes some nice points about the long-term impact of allowing this sort of heavy industry on our river.

A few quotes:

     At the heart of the LNG discussion is this simple truth: An LNG terminal at Bradwood will dramatically alter the culture of the Lower Columbia River, and in a way that many of us will not like 20 years from now.    

...NorthernStar and the others are here to make the kind of killing that big developers dream of. They are not here to be our longstanding friends or to make this a more livable place.    

Developments like this are for all practical purposes irreversible in a meaningful human time frame. Particularly at a time when this region is being considered for designation as the West Coast's first National Heritage Area, we should approach all major decisions with seriousness and profound awareness of our obligations to future generations.

Read Beware Texans Bearing Gifts.

Remember the Planning Commission meets in Astoria this Wednesday to make a preliminary recommendation. The meeting starts at 10 a.m., in the Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St. in downtown Astoria

Latest county staff report reaffirms opposition to LNG plant

Great news out of Clatsop County this evening. The Planning Commission staff report has reaffirmed their opposition to the proposed county-wide zoning changes that Northern Star was requesting in order to build at Bradwood.

It remains important that as many as possible attend the hearing on Wednesday, August 29th, 10:00 am, to let the Planning Commission know that they should follow the recommendation of their staff and the wishes of the majority of their community.

Is your sign in your yard?
Is your decal on your car?
Is your button on your chest?

County says Bradwood Landing executives failed to meet criteria for land-use approval

An updated report from county planners continues to advise the Clatsop County Planning Commission to deny Bradwood Landing LLC's application for zone changes and other land-use permits for an LNG terminal on the Columbia River east of Astoria.

Bradwood Landing made several advances in addressing deficiencies raised in an earlier staff report to the Planning Commissioner. However, after analyzing all the evidence presented during the commission's public hearing process, Bradwood Landing ultimately did not adequately address all of the deficiencies and ultimately does not satisfy the criteria to grant a zone change to build a liquefied natural gas marine terminal and related facilities at the former mill site, leading staff to reiterate its recommendation for denial.

full article  Latest county staff report reaffirms opposition to LNG plant

Supplemental Staff Report to Clatsop County Planning Commission, Aug. 23, 2007 (pdf)

Clatsop County Planning Commission: Bradwood Landing information 

As an added bonus to our day, the photo at the top of this post is KMUN Coast Radio's photo of the day tomorrow. You can show your appreciation for their helping save our river by dripping them a note. Or seeing as how it's pledge week, you can always give them your quarters, and if you do, make sure you mention you saw our "save our river' banner on their site so they know we know we are out here.

County Demands End to Secrecy!

Time for more comments The Clatsop County Planning Commission's public record for testimony on the Bradwood Landing project will be open for another two weeks. The deadline to submit comments is 5 p.m. July 31. Anyone wishing to respond to evidence in the public record must do so by 5 p.m. Aug. 7. All records can be mailed to: Clatsop County Community Development 800 Exchange St., Suite 100 Astoria, OR 97103 Records can also be e-mailed to: ( comdev@co.clatsop.or.us)The next planning commission meeting on the Bradwood Project will be 10 a.m. Aug. 29, in the Judge Guy Boyington Building. At that meeting, the commission will make a "tentative recommendation" to the Clastop County Board of Commissioners and set a future meeting date to adopt a formal recommendation.

Planners demand end to LNG secrecy
County representatives grill NorthernStar on controversial points

By CASSANDRA PROFITA
The Daily Astorian

The Clatsop County Planning Commission grilled Bradwood Landing executives for answers Tuesday during the second part of a land-use hearing on the company's proposed liquefied natural gas terminal.

After another three hours of public testimony on the project from a total of about 150 LNG opponent speakers and 70 supporters over the two-day hearing, it was finally time for the commissioners to voice their thoughts on NorthernStar Natural Gas Co.'s application to build a $600 million LNG terminal 20 miles east of Astoria at Bradwood Landing.

Several board members followed up on opponents' public comments and directed pointed questions at NorthernStar representatives, explaining their need to understand the "ramifications" of the upcoming decision on a host of zone changes needed before a terminal could be built at the site.
Continue to read http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=78&SubSectionID=876&ArticleID=43882

Enter you testimony to the Clatsop County Planning Commission.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Stay tuned...

Calling all interested parties: you have 14 days to enter testimony on the Bradwood Landing land-use application into the public record.

The deadline to submit comments to the planning commission is 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 31.

Anyone wishing to respond to evidence in the public record must do so by 5p.m. Tuesday, August 7.

The next planning commission meeting on the Bradwood Project will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 29, in the Judge Guy Boyington Building. The meeting will be open to the public, but the record for testimony and evidence will be closed.

The commission will make a "tentative recommendation" to the Clastop County Board of Commissioners at that time and set a meeting for adopting a formal recommendation.

The Daily Astorian.

Clatsop County publishes some Bradwood data

Clatsop County has published some of the Northern Star application documents on its web site (Clatsop County Oregon - Bradwood LNG)

From the site:

On Dec. 12, 2006, Bradwood Landing LLC submitted applications and supporting documents to Clatsop County Community Development to site a liquified natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Bradwood.  The applications and supporting documents are available using these links:

• Bradwood Landing LLC applications
• Bradwood Landing LLC findings in support of its applications
• Bradwood Landing LLC additional applications filed Dec. 15, 2006

There is also a PDF with county and public reaction to Northern Star's Notice of Intent (NOI) available at the site. (direct link)

LNG veil of secrecy on security to be lifted 'early next year'

article from the Daily Astorian

 

A report detailing safety and security issues connected to the proposed Bradwood liquefied natural gas project will be released to the public, Clatsop County announced Thursday.

County Administrator Scott Derickson said the U.S. Coast Guard and Northern Star Natural Gas, the project developer, have agreed to make available the Coast Guard's review and response to the company's Waterway Suitability Assessment.

The assessment will address at least some safety and security issues, including tanker traffic, although it will also have information redacted for security purposes. It should be interesting to see what actually makes it through the review process.

But here's the thing I really love. Remember this article from last week? Shipping impacts left out of LNG report which said:

"...the company contended large vessel traffic on the Columbia River had already been assessed by other projects such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Channel Improvement Project, which considered the impacts of deepening the shipping channel for vessels traveling upriver. Northern Star did not feel the need to do another review based on the impacts of LNG vessels."

Reread that last sentence. Then read this quote from Gary Coppedge in today's article:

"All our studies show there will be no substantial impact, aside from another ship on the river..."

Ummm, Gary, what studies? Didn't you just say you didn't do any studies? Although to be fair, I guess if you didn't do any studies, it makes it awfully easy to say that the ones you did didn't show anything negative. Or something.

ADDENDUM:

Oh wait! There another thing. While perusing the Partner list at Northern Star's site, I noticed that the company listed as providing "river transit analysis" is Parsons Brinckerhoff. That would be the same Parsons Brinckerhoff that was the project manager on Boston's Big Dig project that collapsed last summer, killing Milena Del Valle. The same company that is now being sued for gross negligence and breach of contract and being investigated on criminal charges in relation to Del Valle's death.

This is a nice piece on the pending lawsuit in the Boston Herald:

State Attorney General Tom Reilly, whose term is up at the end of the year, said the lawsuit being filed in state court is based on the belief that the project managers knew early on about problems with the epoxy bolt system used to secure 4,500-pound cement ceiling panels but didn’t take steps to fix it.

"The clock was ticking. The fuse was lit. It was just a matter of time until this tragedy occurred," Reilly said.

    The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for repairs, loss of tunnel use and toll revenue and other economic factors. ... A separate criminal investigation is ongoing. Evidence is now being presented to a grand jury that will decide whether criminal charges up to manslaughter will be brought, Reilly said.

    "I can tell you this: What I saw was a crime. ... It will be up to the grand jury to decide whether it is," Reilly said Monday in announcing the state lawsuit.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling safer already.

Concerns about the estuary at the proposed Bradwood LNG site

This is an excerpt from a letter to The Daily Astorian, published today (11.24.06)

"...the zoning does not permit dredging of 55 acres of estuary used as prime salmon habitat. This has been a bone of contention for quite some time between Northern Star and Clatsop County. Kathleen Sellman, the Clatsop County Community Development director, stated in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on March 29, "Of particular concern is the proposed dredging activity within the AC-2 zone. Note: Dredging is not a permitted, conditional or review use in this zone. In other words, the site is not zoned appropriately for the proposed use."

Cheryl Johnson and Ted Messing
Estuary coordinators -- Columbia Riverkeeper

read the complete letter