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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2016)
5A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 LNG: Not everyone is happy about it &RQWLQXHGIURP3DJH$ that the company is “ceasing development of its terminal and pipeline projects.” Oregon LNG could not be reached for comment. ‘Not an act of God’ “This is not an act of God,” Laurie Caplan, co-chair- Zoman of Columbia 3aci¿c Common Sense, said. “This happened because hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people refused to have this project foisted on us.” Brett VandenHeuvel, the executive director of Colum- bia Riverkeeper, a Hood Riv- er-based environmental group that led the opposition, called Oregon LNG’s retreat a “huge victory after 10 years of incredible local activism.” “)armers and ¿shermen and estuary residents should be very proud of their success,” he said. “It’s been inspiring to me and many others across the Northwest.” Asked whether local activ- ism or ¿nancial considerations had more to do with Oregon LNG’s defeat, VandenHeu- vel said both factors came into play. “The project would’ve been built seven years ago without local activists standing up,” he said. “(Oregon LNG) had local approvals. They were march- ing forward, and people chal- lenged those approvals. There (were) lawsuits. There was a change in the (county) com- mission. All of those things led to the demise.” “Financially, it doesn’t make sense if you can’t make progress in 10 years,” he continued. “But the reason for those 10 years was local opposition.” Not everyone is happy. Though fewer people turned out to support the proj- ect than came to oppose it at public meetings, they were vocal about the need to bring industry to the county and are disappointed that Ore- gon LNG’s attempt came to naught. “I think it’s a disaster for Clatsop County, for the city of Warrenton, for all the tax- ing groups that work county- wide,” Dick Hellberg, a former Warrenton city commissioner, said. The staff at Columbia Riv- erkeeper, he said, “don’t have any understanding of the his- tory or the needs of the people in Clatsop County, other than the retired segment that didn’t want anything to change. So they’re the winner, but, in the long term, the economy of Clatsop County is the loser. “And all those people that are working on minimum wages and having to be sup- ported by the food bank — they’re the losers, because we don’t have that many good-paying jobs or the tax base to do the things that we need to do in the county,” he said. Environmental and safety concerns U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, said he was relieved that opponents of the project, who had raised envi- ronmental and safety concerns about industrial development at the mouth of the Columbia River, had prevailed. “Local of¿cials and mem- bers of the Clatsop County community raised valid con- cerns about this project from the very beginning,” Wyden said in a statement. “I shared the concerns that the Ore- gon LNG project would have had negative environmental and economic impacts, and I am relieved that local voices prevailed.” Oregon LNG had proposed a terminal on the Skipanon Peninsula and an 87-mile pipe- line to link with a natural gas connector in Washington state. The company wanted to export natural gas from western Can- ada and the Rocky Mountains to markets in Asia. The company had argued that the project would be an economic boon for Warrenton and Clatsop County, providing jobs, as well as tax revenue to local governments. But a coalition of resi- dents, environmentalists and ¿shermen attacked the project as misguided and potentially dangerous. Activists had pre- viously fought an LNG proj- ect at Bradwood Landing east of Astoria, which collapsed in 010 after hitting ¿nancial and political roadblocks. A draft environmental review of the Oregon LNG project by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released in August found that environmental impacts could be reduced if the company took measures to minimize harm to ¿sh and wildlife hab- itat and water Tuality. A ¿nal review was expected in June. Host of obstacles Yet the project was facing a host of obstacles. Last year, the state Land Use Board of Appeals upheld Clatsop County’s 2013 deci- sion to deny a permit for a por- tion of the pipeline. The coun- ty’s Board of Commissioners had initially approved the pipeline in 2010, but the vote was reversed when new com- missioners were elected after a political backlash. Oregon LNG was embroiled in a lawsuit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over an easement the Army Corps holds on the Skipanon Peninsula, where the company was leasing land from the Port of Astoria for the terminal. And the split decision from the city’s hearings of¿- cer in March raised signi¿cant doubts about whether the ter- minal could move forward. The hearings of¿cer found that the terminal would adversely impact ¿sh habitat and ¿shing activity in the Lower Colum- bia River Estuary. “Large fossil fuel export projects on the Columbia are doomed. They’ve repeatedly failed, from coal to oil to gas,” VandenHeuvel said. “People value the river for salmon and recreation and jobs that don’t destroy the river. So I think there’s a very bleak future for these giant export terminals.” U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, said the proposed LNG terminal was “not right for this community.” “I join the many Clat- sop County residents who are relieved to learn that it will not move forward,” Bonamici said in a statement. “I welcome productive conversations with Clatsop County leaders and residents about sustainable and safe ways to grow the region’s economy that capitalize on the region’s many strengths and create family wage jobs.” 'LI¿FXOWYRWHV Oregon LNG’s withdrawal spares the Warrenton City Commission from having to weigh in publicly on an issue that has drawn bitter opposi- tion on the North Coast. The Astoria City Council voted in September to oppose the proj- ect. Public opinion was likely more balanced in Warrenton, where the project could have had a more direct economic bene¿t, but commissioners were facing dif¿cult votes on the company’s appeal. Oregon LNG publicly downplayed the importance of local approvals for the project, while at the same time seek- ing local permits to help sat- isfy multiple layers of regula- tory requirements. “Why would you apply to a city and contest that the city even had jurisdiction in the ¿rst place"” City Commis- sioner Henry Balensifer said. Warrenton has welcomed big box stores and other busi- ness development, but Balen- sifer said the experience with Oregon LNG might prompt city commissioners to look more closely at land-use laws. “There are things that we need to ensure so that we can actually plan and strate- gize what it is exactly that our community wants and what exactly is appropriate for our community to have in terms of industrial development on our waterfront,” he said. Energy investors had been pursuing two separate lique- ¿ed natural gas projects on the Oregon Coast in a race to seize on a potentially lucrative export market. The Federal Energy Regu- latory Commission in March denied applications for the Jor- dan Cove terminal and pipe- line project at Coos Bay, ¿nd- ing that investors had not identi¿ed markets and that the public bene¿ts of the pipeline did not outweigh the adverse effects on landowners. Veresen Inc., based in Can- ada, and The Williams Compa- nies in Oklahoma, are appeal- ing the decision, citing new commitments from buyers in Asia. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has also urged the federal agency to reconsider. Jordan Cove was further along in the regulatory process than Oregon LNG and did not attract the same intensity of local opposition. OREGON LNG — A TIMELINE • 2004: Oregon LNG project begins. The company leases 96-acres on the Skipanon Peninsula from Port of Astoria. • 2005: Oregon LNG’s first backer, Calpine, files for bankruptcy. • 2007: Oregon LNG receives Federal Energy Regulatory Commission OK to begin National Environmental Policy Act prefiling. • 2008: Oregon LNG files formal federal application to build an LNG import terminal. • 2010: National Marine Fisheries Service refuses to initiate federal Endangered Species Act consultation. Clatsop County Board of Commissioners approve a segment of Oregon LNG’s pipeline. Columbia River- keeper and the Northwest Property Rights Coalition appeal approval to the Land Use Board of Appeals. • 2011: Newly elected Board of Commissioners reconsid- ers former board’s land use approval and reverses. Oregon LNG sues the county for reconsidering pipeline approval; Riverkeeper inter- venes on the county’s side. The court agrees with the county and dismisses Oregon LNG’s lawsuit. • 2012: Oregon LNG notifies federal government of plans to modify its application to include liquefaction capacity. Oregon LNG amends appli- cation to become an LNG export terminal. Oregon LNG loses its appeal of Clatsop County’s right to vote on the pipeline. • 2013: Oregon Supreme Court rejects Oregon LNG’s appeal and affirms Clatsop food and beer at Plaza Jalisco in Astoria a few hours after the news broke Friday. The partners-in-protest swapped stories about anti- LNG demonstrations going back to 2004, relishing that the story ¿nally culminated in what they believe is a happy ending. “It is long overdue,” Caplan said after learning of the com- pany’s departure. “Oregon LNG has drained energy, resources, time and talent out A (2) (-) (-) (6) (-) (8) (9) (10) (12) (13) (-) (20) (-) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) L KATU KOMO KING KOIN KIRO KGW KRCW KOPB KPTV KPDX KCPQ TBS KZJO ESPN ESPN2 NICK DISN FAM FMC LIFE ROOT FS1 SPIKE COM HIST A&E TLC DISC NGEO TNT AMC USA FOOD HGTV FX CNN FNC CNBC BRAV TCM SYFY RFD (2) (4) (5) (-) (7) (-) (3) (10) (12) (-) (13) (20) (22) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) of Clatsop County for way too long.” ReÀecting on their relent- less effort to repel the project, the activists wondered why they had to spend a decade defending their coastal com- munity in the ¿rst place. And, for all they knew, the ¿ght could have continued for years. “I knew we would win, because we were right,” Caplan said. “I just didn’t know when.” Astonishment and relief Awash in astonishment and relief, Johnson, Caplan and a small group of Oregon LNG opponents met for Mexican Ap ril 21 st CON CEAL CONCEAL CARRY CARRY PERM IT PERMIT CLASS CLASS Oregon – O rego n 34 - U States tah Utah - Valid 1 PM o r 6 PM W A NTED Valid 35 States Best W estern : 5 5 5 Ha m b urg Ave, Asto ria Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A O OR/Utah–valid R/U ta h— va lid in in WA W A $80 $80 or o r Oregon O reg o n only o n ly $4 5 $45 | Firea rm Tra in in gN W @ gm a il.com w w shauncurtain.com w .Firea rm Tra in in gN W .com ~ shauncurtain@gmail.com Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 LISTINGS M ONDAY E VENING County’s right to reconsider the pipeline decision. Oregon LNG files its export application. County Board of Commis- sioners votes to deny the pipeline land use permits. Oregon LNG appeals the county’s decision to the Land Use Board of Appeals. • 2014: Oregon Court of Appeals reverses Land Use Board of Appeals and finds that county commissioners were not biased when they rejected pipeline. • 2015: Land Use Board of Appeals upholds Board of Commissioners 2013 vote against the pipeline. Draft environmental impact statement released. Two public hearings on Ore- gon LNG’s land use permits draw hundreds of opponents. A federal magistrate judge rules Oregon LNG did not prove the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers abandoned an easement on the proposed LNG site. • 2016: Oregon LNG pulls out of Army Corps litigation. Oregon LNG refiles case against Army Corps of Engi- neers. Oregon LNG’s final environ- mental review pushed back. Warrenton denies LNG termi- nal, OKs pipeline. Hearings officer concludes LNG project would impede fishing, impact fish. Oregon LNG, Columbia Riverkeeper appeal Warren- ton ruling. Hearings planned for May. Oregon LNG withdraws War- renton project. Sources: Oregon LNG, Co- lumbia Riverkeeper and The Daily Astorian files 36 0-921-2071 360-921-2071 Evening listings MONDAY A PRIL 18 A - Charter Astoria/ Seaside - L - Charter Long Beach 6 PM 6:30 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 KATU News at 6 Jeopardy! Wheel of Fortune Dancing With the Stars (N) Castle "Backstabber" (N) KATU News at 11 (:35) Jimmy Kimmel KOMO 4 News Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy! Dancing With the Stars (N) Castle "Backstabber" (N) KOMO 4 News (:35) Jimmy Kimmel NBC Nightly News KING 5 News KING 5 News Evening The Voice "Live Top 12 Performances" (N) Blindspot "One Begets Technique" (N) KING 5 News (:35) Tonight Show KOIN 6 News at 6 CBS Evening News Extra Ent. Tonight Supergirl "Better Angels" (SF) (N) Scorpion "Chernobyl, Intentions" (N) NCIS: Los Angeles "Granger, O." 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