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Important Letter Writing!
We Need Everyone!
ACTION ALERT: What
do the potential key state decision-makers think about LNG? The Secretary of State, Governor, and Treasurer are the
three people who sit on the Oregon State Lands Board, which will decide whether to allow LNG terminals on the Columbia River
and in Coos Bay. Please contact the four candidates running for Oregon's Secretary
of State and Treasurer and let them know you want them to oppose LNG in Oregon and the proposed gas pipelines! Tell
them why you oppose LNG and ask them to oppose it as well.
Contact them by phone, email
or letter:
Secretary of State candidates:
Senator Kate Brown Party: D
District: 21
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1721
Capitol Address: 900 Court
St. NE., S-323, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: sen.katebrown@state.or.us <mailto:sen.katebrown@state.or.us>
Senator Brad Avakian Party: D District: 17
Capitol
Phone: 503-986-1717 Interim Phone: 503-531-9783
Capitol Address: 900 Court
St. NE., S-305, Salem, OR, 97301
Interim Address: 17915 NW Lonerock Drive, Portland, OR, 97229
Email: sen.bradavakian@state.or.us <mailto:sen.bradavakian@state.or.us>
Senator Vicki L Walker Party: D District: 7
Capitol
Phone: 503-986-1707
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-210, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: sen.vickiwalker@state.or.us <mailto:sen.vickiwalker@state.or.us>
Senator Rick Metsger Party: D District: 26
Capitol
Phone: 503-986-1726
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-307, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: sen.rickmetsger@state.or.us <mailto:sen.rickmetsger@state.or.us>
The only declared candidate for Treasurer right now is:
Senator
Ben Westlund Party: D District: 27
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1727
Capitol
Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-318, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: sen.benwestlund@state.or.us <mailto:sen.benwestlund@state.or.us>
These comments were prepared by Dan Serres with Columbia Riverkeeper and
Columbia River Clean Energy Coalition. Feel free to use them as guide lines in
preparing your comments for FERC.
1.There is no need for LNG in Oregon.
ODOE recently concluded that many alternatives to LNG terminals and their related
pipelines remain available for meeting energy demands. FERC evaluate all regional
alternatives for meeting energy demands, including alternatives in California.
FERC cannot make reasonable conclusions about the relative impacts
of the
Oregon LNG project in meeting the West Coast's energy demands without having
some framework for evaluating the alternatives.
Oregon is aggressively pursuing renewable energy goals and reductions
in
greenhouse gas emissions that would be threatened by buying a large amount of
LNG-sourced gas.
The 1.5 bcf/d facility proposed by Oregon LNG is massive and excessive
for
Oregon's market. Oregon LNG requires access to a larger market, and would
likely use the eastern segment of Palomar to meet this purpose. Oregon - which
only uses 0.9 bcf/d during high-demand months (Jan 2007) and closer to 0.65
bcf/d on an average month - does not need a 1.5 bcf/d facility.
Indeed, the CA market consumes ten times as much as Oregon and is
the "market
maker" for LNG projects in Oregon.
2.FERC must evaluate the full impact of the Oregon LNG project including
pipelines, and admit that the project cannot function as proposed .
Williams Pipeline Co. has stated that its pipeline cannot accommodate
the
proposed quantities of gas from Oregon LNG, and ODOE stated in its recent need
analysis that any LNG project in Oregon would require a connection to the GTN
Pipeline.
For Oregon LNG, the EIS should incorporate a detailed analysis of
the eastern
segment of the Palomar pipeline. Palomar's eastern half, or a pipeline like it,
would have to be constructed to connect Oregon LNG to market.
3.LNG is too expensive.
The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) recently issued a report that concludes that
LNG terminals are less affordable and more environmentally destructive than other
available alternatives.
The market does not function properly in evaluating the costs of
LNG or of the
project's environmental damages. LNG prices in the Pacific Basin are currently
double North American gas prices, according to the recent ODOE report.
Oil prices, which are linked to LNG prices, would have to collapse
to $60/barrel -
less than half the current price - for linked LNG prices to compete with North
American natural gas. (see attached key quotes from ODOE study).
4. FERC must evaluate all energy alternatives
to the Oregon LNG project.
Cheaper and less destructive energy sources are available, and FERC continues to ignore
alternatives. FERC's process is far too lenient and does not weigh the relative
environmental, economic, and public safety costs of different methods of meeting energy
demands - including conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy generation.
By allowing "market forces" to decide which projects are ultimately
built, FERC
abdicates its responsibility to provide a clear assessment of alternatives. All
energy projects are not equivalent in their environmental impacts, and it is
FERC's responsibility - not the market's - to weigh the relative environmental,
economic, and public safety impacts of each potential project.
FERC's failure to conduct a programmatic EIS has led to three LNG
projects
being proposed in Oregon - a State that uses, on average, about half as much gas
as the proposed capacity for the Oregon LNG project. The pipelines clearly feed
California, and FERC must evaluate alternatives region-wide that would serve the
same (California) market.
5. FERC must evaluate the life-cycle greenhouse
gas emission impacts of LNG.
ODOE recently concluded that LNG shipments moving over long distances
- say,
from the Middle East to Oregon - are comparable in their overall carbon dioxide
emissions to coal for the purposes of electricity generation.
Oregon cannot afford to take on this greenhouse gas liability at
a time when the
State is actively moving towards reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, Oregon would potentially face disadvantages in a future
cap-andtrade
system because of LNG's added life-cycle CO2 emissions (accounting for
liquefaction, transportation, and regasification).
6 . The EIS must address noise, air quality,
and public safety impacts from the
newly proposed compressor station .
7. The project involves huge potential public
safety impacts.
The lack of odorization in the pipeline increases the likelihood
that leaks will go
undetected and result in ignition and fire. The thermal hazard area for a pipeline
this size exceeds 800 feet - and many homes are well within this range according
to the current proposed route.
Rural counties and small towns along this route do not have adequate
emergency
response and firefighting resources to accommodate this project. FERC must
consider these issues as part of the EIS - and specifically outline how these
resource gaps will be mitigated. It is not appropriate to defer this issue until after
the DEIS.
Farm and forest operations can potentially damage pipelines, and
the lack of
odorization, frequent flooding, and operation of heavy equipment increase safety
hazards through active timber and agricultural areas.
The pipeline's proposed route is too close to several homes and businesses.
8. The project will have significant, negative,
unmitigatable environmental impacts.
Dredging will negatively impact critical salmon habitat.
Ballast and cooling water intake from LNG tankers will negatively
impact aquatic
species.
The pipeline will degrade critical salmon habitat and key habitat.
The pipeline will damage wildlife habitat, including habitat for
the NW Spotted
Owl, marbled murrelet, tree voles, etc.
9. The NOI is inaccurate in its description of the project.
For instance, a 1.5 bcf/d facility would entail more than 100 ships/year .
Bradwood LNG is proposing 125 ships/year for a 1.2 bcf/d facility.
Please clarify
how you come to the conclusion that only 100 ships/year will come to Oregon
LNG.
If the USCG restricts vessel size (as it did with the Bradwood project)
to ships
under 200,000 cubic meters, then Oregon LNG will likely require more
shipments.
10. In general, FERC's siting process fails
to adequately evaluate key public safety,
economic, and environmental issues.
Lastly, FERC apparently allows major project changes to occur after the application
is filed, and even after the DEIS is issued.
We have seen this play out with Bradwood LNG, and the Governor of
Oregon
recently requested a new or supplemental DEIS for Bradwood LNG because of
changes after the DEIS comment period closed.
The public will require at least 90 days to review the EIS for Oregon
LNG, and
FERC should not allow major project changes after Oregon LNG's project
application is filed.
For written comments:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First St., N.E. Room IA
Washington, DC 20426
Label one copy of your comments for the attention of OEP/DG2E/Gas Branch 2, PJ-11.2.
Reference Docket No. PF07-10-000 on the original and both copies.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC, on or before
June 12, 2008.
Cowlitz County Planning Commision Meeting
Wednesday,7:00 February 20, 2008
The Cowlitz County Planning Commission will hold an open record public hearing on the proposed Legislative Action to
update the Cowlitz County Critical Area Ordinance.The hearing will be held in the Commissioners hearing room, third floor,County
Administrative building, 207 Fourth Ave. North, Kelso, WA.
Any persons having interest in or comments regarding the revision of the Critical Area Ordinance may appear at said
time and place to be heard.
Past Events
Statewide Call to Action
“No
LNG in Oregon”
Wednesday,
February 6
11
AM to 2 PM
Capitol
Steps, Salem
Why should
you care about this?
· There are 3 LNG projects proposed for the Oregon coast.
· If even one should get built, it will increase Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions by millions of
tons per year.
· These projects will cost billions, money that could be spent on clean, renewable energy.
· The terminals and pipelines linking them to California will endanger communities, cross and condemn
hundreds miles of land, and destroy habitat.
· LNG is not needed in Oregon; even the Governor admits that most of the gas is going out of state.
· Ask yourself: Why is Oregon being chosen for LNG that will go to California?
DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO OUR STATE!!!
COME OUT AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!!!
BRING YOUR FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS!!!
Can’t
Make the Rally? On February
6, CALL Governor Ted Kulongoski at 503.378.4582. Demand that he stand up for Oregonians, and to veto all LNG terminals. Tell
him that you would rather see an investment in clean, renewable energy for Oregon.
For more
information: www.lngpollutes.org or email nolngrally@verizon.net
Media
contact: Rory Cox: rcox@pacificenvironment.org or 415.399.8850 x302
Sponsoring Organizations: Citizens Against LNG, Columbia Riverkeeper, Friends of Living
Oregon Waters (FLOW), Landowners and Citizens for a Safe Community (LCSC), No California Pipeline, Oregon Citizens Against
the Pipeline, Oregon Wild, Pacific Green Party, Pacific Environment, Ratepayers for Affordable Clean Energy (RACE), Sierra
Club of Oregon, Southern Oregon Pipeline Information Project/No California Pipeline, Wahkiakum Friends of the River.
Palomar pipeline forum:
The Molalla CPO is sponsoring a public forum on the
Palomar Pipeline proposal that would pass near Molalla to the south. This forum will be the first opportunity for local citizens
to directly question representatives of Palomar, the development company that
is proposing the construction of this pipeline.
The forum will be held at the Foothills
Church, 122 Grange Ave. , Molalla at
7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31. Palomar will make a presentation and answer questions until 8:15 p.m. and then Columbia
River Keeper will make a presentation in opposition to the pipeline and answer
questions.
Jim Gilbert
Day of Action Bridge walk
Our bridge walk didn't attract many walkers but we made the Longview Daily News. We had a lot of fun, even with
the cold fall air and a lot of passing cars showed support for our cause. We hope to see more of you at our next event.
Cowlitz County Fair
I have been told thanks to our volunteers the fair was a success. We received almost 500 signitures on our petition
and talked with a lot of wounderful people. The word is getting out but we have much more work to do.
The drawing winners are: Drum roll Carol
Swingle won the color T.V. and Rhonda Culver won the No LNG T shirt. Thank you to all of you that stopped by we
had a great time and appriciate you interaction. Be sure to check back for other up coming events.
Castle Rock Fair
The fair went well with a lot of questions asked and answered. Vonda Brock did a great job with the help of Marjie Castle,
William Castle, Sandra Davis and Kay Busack. With the experience of this one behind us we hope to do even greater things at
the Cowlitz County Fair.Hope to see you there.
Fair Pictures
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