january1 2015
VERNONIA’S
volume9 issue1
www.vernoniasvoice.com
free
reflecting the spirit of our community
DEQ Public Comment Period on Oregon LNG Project Ends Jan. 17 th
By Scott Laird and Brett Costley
formation on a date and location is cur-
rently available. Purcell said there is
The Oregon Department of a possibility that the comment period,
Environmental Quality (DEQ) has which will most likely end before the
initiated a 60-day comment period for informational meeting is
a 401 Water Quality Certification for held, may be extended.
the proposed Oregon Liquified Natural
The DEQ pro-
Gas (OLNG) pipeline project which cess could end up being
is planned to pass near Vernonia. The moot as the Oregon Court
comment period began on November 18, of Appeals, on December
2014 and ends on January 17, 2015.
17, upheld the process
The proposed project includes a by which Clatsop County
bidirectional liquefied natural gas termi- commissioners rejected a
nal located in Warrenton, OR along with land-use application for
an eighty-six-mile natural gas pipeline construction of the pipe-
which will travel through Clatsop, Tilla- line and terminal. The
mook, and Columbia counties, crossing County
Commission
the Columbia River near Deer Island and initially approved the
continuing into Washington State.
pipeline, but new Com-
According to Jennifer Purcell of missioners reversed that
DEQ NW Region and the North Coast decision. The Commissioners rejection
Regional Solutions Team, DEQ will post was appealed by project supporters but
a public notice for informational meet- has now been upheld by the Court of Ap-
ings to be held in late January, 2015, in peals, putting the future of the project in
Astoria and Vernonia, although no in- jeopardy.
DEQ is currently reviewing
applications for air and water
quality permits associated with
the proposed facility and pipe-
line and will specifically evalu-
As of December 15, 2014 ate the project under Section 401
the Vernonia Alumni Sports Initiative has of the federal Clean Water Act to
raised over $75,000 through contributions determine whether proposed ac-
by 165 alumni. A year-end appeal, mailed on tivities will comply with Oregon
November 24, has generated $16,440 thus far. water quality standards. The ap-
One year ago the Sports Initiative had plication’s scope potentially af-
reached the $50,000 level with 130 alumni fects waterways and wetlands in
Clatsop, Tillamook, and Colum-
contributing.
When combined with the Gary Davis bia counties.
Memorial ($4,000), the Class of 73 Give Back About forty-four miles of
Bash ($10,000), the local match for the OSAA the proposed pipeline is in the
grant for the football practice field ($10,000),
the Sports Initiative is just shy of $100,000
being contributed for athletic facilities during
the past two years.
Alumni Sports
Initiative Update
inside
8
another round
10
vhs winter
sports report
12
legislative update
15
celebrating
families 2014
Nehalem River watershed.
According to Purcell there will
be multiple opportunities for the public
to provide comments to DEQ throughout
the permitting process. “For permit ap-
plications associated with this proposed
facility, DEQ has hosted or plans to
host informal public information meet-
ings,” said Purcell in an email response
to questions about DEQ’s project review
process. “These meetings are typically
held at the beginning of the permitting
process to further explain the process
and discuss at a high-level what DEQ
is evaluating specific to the permit(s)
in question. Public information meet-
ings also provide an opportunity for the
public to ask questions related to the
permit(s) in question and the associated
process.”
Purcell says that after permits
are drafted, there will be another oppor-
tunity for the public to comment. “DEQ
will hold formal public hearings to so-
licit comments specific to the permit(s)
in question. Public hearings and testi-
mony received informs permitting and
becomes part of the permanent record,”
said Purcell.
Natural gas will be
transported to and from the
Warrenton Terminal via a thirty-
six inch diameter pipeline. The
Pipeline will interconnect with
the interstate transmission sys-
tem of Northwest Pipeline GP
near Woodland, Washington.
According to the OLNG web-
site, the pipeline is primarily
intended to transport natural gas
from Canada and will be com-
pressed to liquid natural gas in
Warrenton and then exported to
Asia. It can, with demand, flow
in the opposite direction, but
this is not the expected use.
The route of the pipeline shows
it crossing the Nehalem River north of
Highway 26 on Route 103.
The pipeline would also cross
Cedar Creek (a tributary to the Nehalem
River) about 1 mile west (upstream)
of the Vernonia Airport. Data on this
stream crossing notes it would be a “Cut
and Cover” (trench through stream) with
high landslide risk and lists Coho as en-
dangered fish.
The route also shows the pipe-
line crossing Rock Creek between Flack
and Burn Roads and crossing the Ne-
halem River and Highway 47 North of
Pittsburg.
An electrically driven gas com-
pressor station would be constructed at
milepost 80.8 of the pipeline, 1.2 miles
continued on page 6
Three Scouts Complete Projects
and Apply for Rank of Eagle Scout
Three
local
emergency
services
Boy Scouts have all
while using the trail
completed projects and
close to Vernonia.
been recommended
Eyrrick
received
for the rank of Eagle
support for printing
Scout.
of the brochure from
Bradley Ely,
the Vernonia Area
Jacob Eyyrick, and
Chamber of Commerce
Jeffrey Goodman are
and has installed boxes
all awaiting notification
to hold the brochure at
from the Boy Scouts
the Anderson Park and
of America National
Vernonia Lake trail
Organization that they
heads.
have been accepted as
Jeff Goodman
Eagle Scouts.
converted the basement
All three have
of the Grace Family
completed
projects
Fellowship
Church
Jacob Eyrrick and Nicholas Welch of the Vernonia
which benefit the
into
a
usable
space
by
Area Chamber of Commerce.
Vernonia community.
organizing a work party
and also develop and install several
Brad
Ely
to spread gravel for
constructed and repaired interpretive new ones. There are now eighteen drainage, protect the building furnace
signs around Vernonia Lake and interpretive signs installed.
and create storage space. Goodman
Jacob
Eyrrick
led
a
along the Webb Way Linear Trail.
completed the work last spring.
Many of the signs had been installed committee which designed and
All three scouts are expected
as part of a previous Eagle Scout published a visitors guide to Vernonia to hear about the status of their Eagle
Project. Ely raised funds, purchased for travelers using the Linear Trail. rank by the end of January.
supplies, and organized work crews The brochure was created to help
For more photos turn to page 7.
to repair and re-install several signs hikers, bikers and other trail users find
