VIDEO: Hey! NW Natural Rallies To Block Palomar Pipeline
The Hey! NW Natural campaign to block the Palomar Pipeline moved from cyberspace to the physical world Tuesday afternoon with a rally in downtown Portland. It was a small group, not surprising considering the cold weather.
But they came armed with the names of some 1500 landowners who’ll be affected if the pipeline is built, and a petition with 400 more names of other Oregonians who oppose it. The rally was held outside the headquarters of NW Natural Gas, one of the main partners trying to build Palomar.
Hey! NW Natural has been busy on social media sites trying to raise awareness about the pipeline, the damage they say it will do to Oregon’s environment and the impact it will have on landowners who have property along the proposed route.
See our story: Can Facebook, Twitter and YouTube Stop An LNG Pipeline?
Video: Highlights From Hey! NW Natural Rally
Meanwhile, LNG opponents scored an big court victory they think will help them build the opposition to Palomar.
The Palomar Pipeline project would carry natural gas from the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal to the interstate pipeline system. Running some 220 miles long, it crosses Clatsop, Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas and Wasco counties. More than 40 miles would cross through the Mt. Hood National Forest.
As far as opponents are concerned, Palomar is the key project to stop. Without it, they say there’s no viable market for the imported LNG gas that would come from Bradwood, or another project called Oregon LNG. Both LNG terminals would be built on the Columbia River not far from Astoria.
The 1500 Names
This is a list of people with homes, farms, vineyards and other businesses along the Palomar route. Columbia Riverkeeper and Willamette Riverkeeper first asked for the list from FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. After being turned down, they filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. After being turned down again, they sued in federal court and won.
Now that they have the names, Dan Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper this will help them spread to word around the region to landowners, some of whom only found out about the pipeline from neighbors. Serres says this is vital to keeping the process open and transparent and believes it will help grow opposition to Palomar.
Video: Dan Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper talks about the importance of the 1500 names.
[...] Natural Oregon: http://www.naturaloregon.org/2009/12/08/video-hey-nw-natural-rallies-to-block-palomar-pipeline/ [...]
[...] December 8th, the Hey! Northwest Natural campaign staged a press conference on the steps of Northwest Natural Gas headquarters, urging one of Oregon’s largest energy companies to pull its support of the Palomar LNG [...]