LNG - A Lot Happening
author: Oden's Knee
The LNG proposals continue to creep forward. There are a few big things coming up that people should know about - an event on Tuesday, May 13 where local activists working on LNG and Sec. State Bill Bradbury will address the impacts of the LNG proposals to our climate, Columbia River, and Coos Bay.
Additionally, there will be hearings on Oregon LNG's proposal in May.
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What is Going on With LNG?
Find Out Here:
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS: OREGON'S CROSSROADS IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS
TUESDAY MAY 13
6:30 PM
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH (1011 SW 12TH AVENUE, PORTLAND)
Overview:
There is a heck of a lot going on with opposition to LNG. Forest Grove folks just did a great attention-grabbing event that displayed the potential impacts of the proposed LNG-related pipelines (see recent post). Three proposals are trying to move ahead in Oregon simultaneously, and thousands of Oregonians are actively opposing them all.
1. Coos Bay. The Jordan Cove LNG project and the 223-mile Pacific Connector pipeline are receiving stiff opposition from activists in So. Oregon. Multiple appeals have been filed to block land use approvals for the project. However, the company is moving ahead and trying to acquire federal permits. The Port of Coos Bay recently announced that the LNG terminals will move forward despite a related container terminal project falling through - meaning that the development as a whole will have minimal jobs and maximum negative impacts to Oregonians. About 10 days ago, hundreds of people attended "open house" meetings for the Pacific Connector and gave the pipeline companies an earful - and got great press for their resistance in Medford and elsewhere.
2. Bradwood. This project, located in a beautiful stretch of the Columbia 38 miles from the mouth of the river, is the "leader of the pack", so far. They are poised to get approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is widely reviled for rubber-stamping these projects, and is allowing Bradwood to change its project mid-stream while submitting shoddy environmental impact assessments. This project is backed by NW Natural Gas, as well. NW Natural would ultimately own and operate the Bradwood pipeline - 35-mile pipeline proposed to cross the Columbia River into Cowlitz County, Washington. NW Natural is also pushing the related Palomar pipeline - a 220-mile line that would extend from near Bradwood to near Madras. (That's right - two pipelines for one LNG terminal!!) They plan to cross through the Cascades via trenches in Wild & Scenic Rivers, clear-cuts in protected forests, and construction on highly erosive slopes. Bradwood claims that Palomar is a separate project - but NW Natural is involved in both projects and they are clearly connected. There will be more action soon on drawing attention to NW Natural's dealings with creepy Texas-based LNG speculators. Like Coos Bay, Bradwood, the Bradwood pipeline, and the Palomar pipeline are drawing a huge amount of opposition.
3. Oregon LNG. See the bottom of this email for information on upcoming hearings. Oregon LNG's proposal (formerly owned by Calpine) is located near the mouth of the Columbia in Warrenton, Oregon. Oregon LNG is also changing its project mid-stream, and we encourage people to give written and oral comments on the project this month. While this project is behind the other two LNG proposals, it involves similar threats to public safety, the environment, and local economic activity. The Oregon LNG pipeline - 120 miles across the Willamette Valley - would use eminent domain and cause huge environmental damage like Palomar, the Bradwood pipeline, and the Pacific Connector.
So ...
What can you do?
Here are a few things:
The following event will be a great chance to get up to speed on the LNG situation. One of the key issues in the LNG controversy involves the life-cycle emissions of LNG vs. conventional natural gas. While NW Natural is pretending that LNG is a "clean" fuel, this ignores the up-stream impacts and carbon emissions of extracting, liquefying, transporting, and regasifying LNG. These added emissions put LNG life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in the ballpark of new gasified coal plants. They are up to 30 percent worse than conventional gas emissions.
TUESDAY MAY 13
6:30 PM
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH (1011) SW 12TH AVENUE, PORTLAND)
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS: OREGON'S CROSSROADS IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS
Join Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and activists working to stop proposed Liquefied Natural Gas projects for an informational meeting to build on growing opposition to LNG in Oregon.
We'll be discussing everything you wanted to know about the proposed LNG and pipeline projects in Oregon and most importantly how we can stop them!
As the world races to address the causes of global warming, Texas and New York based energy speculators are aiming to make Oregon the west coast's import site for massive new supplies of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The projects would increase Oregon's import of gas by over 500% and the gas imported would have the carbon impact of over 14 million cars. The Wall Street Journal has called LNG "the next fossil fuel," but how Oregon responds to the planned LNG terminals is our most serious test to date as to how we will respond to the global warming crisis. While LNG, which has a greenhouse gas impact similar to coal, could undo Oregon's progress on renewable energy, LNG and their related pipelines projects also threaten Columbia River salmon, rural communities, and seriously increase the price of gas. The newly proposed gas pipelines would involve clear-cutting a pipeline right-of-way that would include a 40 mile swath through the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Come hear from Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and the activists that are leading the fight against LNG in Oregon. Get the facts and learn how you can help stop these terrible projects from being built!
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Oregon LNG & Oregon Pipeline Hearings (scoping notice attached in PDF form).
These hearings will involve viewing of maps, potentially a presentation by FERC and/or Oregon LNG, and public testimony. In the past, the hearings have been eventful and characterized by vocal public outrage about the impacts of these projects on a number of fronts - to landowners facing eminent domain, to the environment of Oregon, and to the global climate. One thing they won't tell us is where the LNG originates from and what the conditions are for LNG-producing areas.
Tuesday, May 20. 7pm.
Banks H.S. Gymnasium
450 S Main St.
Banks, OR 97106
Wednesday, May 21. 7pm.
Warrenton H.S. Gymnasium.
1700 SE Main St.
Warrenton, OR 97146.
Thursday, May 22. 7pm.
Woodburn H.S. Lectorium.
1785 N Front St.
Woodburn, OR. 97071.
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There is even more going on here than LNG, now.
Three major proposals have come forward to pipe gas from Wyoming and the Rocky Mountains to Oregon. Like LNG, these projects are primarily driven by California's gas market which is about ten times the size of Oregon's. The majority of any of the imported gas will go to California. With LNG, in particular, this has prompted many landowers facing eminent domain for the pipelines to questions why Oregon is being used as a "back door" for California. Essentially, FERC approves everything without really sorting out which projects have the least impact - so companies like NorthernStar, etc., can push projects in Oregon that would use the Palomar pipeline to serve a California market. The proposed Rockies projects would bring domestic gas to the West Coast market, but would be expensive to construct, as well.
Even worse, the only LNG terminal currently constructed is just beginning operations in Baja, Mexico. We have a huge responsibility in this fight to do more than stop LNG at any one of our three Oregon sites - we need to reduce gas demand so we're not promoting LNG plants in Mexico, either. This fight can help us build the political will to move away from fossil fuels altogether. We cannot afford to dump billions into purchasing LNG from anywhere - Baja, Coos Bay, or Bradwood. Japanese and Korean consumers pay 2-3 times our current gas prices for LNG, and LNG will soak up dollars that must be invested in conservation and efficiency measures. Frankly, they can afford to pay more because they use gas more efficiently.
When you approach candidates for office who are espousing "clean energy" goals, don't let them off the hook without asking about LNG. And don't let them tell you that LNG is a "bridge". It's carbon-intensive, super-expensive, and highly destructive infrastructure. It's a waste of time and a waste of money. We need representatives who are going to do everything in their power to kill these projects.
Kroger, Novick and Merkeley have all taken a strong stand - to their credit.
Don't be afraid to ask the rest.