It’s hard to know where to begin.
At the first FERC public hearing about Oregon LNG, property owners unloaded themselves of a long list of complaints about the company, the federal government and how LNG issues are decided.
They talked about Oregon LNG employees trespassing on their land, accused the company of intimidation, complained about not being told in advance about important meetings and the difficulties of a system they believe is stacked in favor of energy developers.
Oregon LNG wants to build an LNG import terminal near Warrenton, and a 120-mile pipeline crossing Clatsop, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill, Marion and Clackamas counties.
One of the speakers at today’s meeting in Forest Grove was Mary Wilson who’s family farms about 700 acres near Dayton. She told the FERC judge that in September of 2007, she caught a man in a pick up truck trespassing on her property. He wouldn’t identify himself and his vehicle didn’t have a license plate. As he drove off, she saw him taking photos out the window.
When she met him again a couple of weeks later, she says he admitted he was an employee of Oregon LNG. Wilson was clearly frustrated, saying the employee treated the matter as if it were a big joke. “It shows,” she says, “that these people think the rules don’t apply to them and they think they can do whatever they want to do.”
Many of the speakers said that FERC and the company were scheduling important meetings and making changes to plans without ever telling landowners.
Others talked about getting maps that were too vague to be helpful and riddled with errors.
Paul Sansone lives in the Gales Creek area of Washington County. “My first indication that something was happening,” he says, “was unusual helicopter activity over our farms.”
Sansone’s neighbor, Cindy Straughan, had a more specific example of why landowners feel they’re being kept in the dark. During a trip to her farm last year, she took a group of FERC and Oregon LNG officials to a spot on her property where she was concerned about flooding.
She says the conversation went on for about 10 to 15 minutes, but no one from the company bothered to mention that the plans had changed. Instead of a pipeline crossing at that location, Oregon LNG now wanted to install an electrical facility that would block her driveway. Straughan says she never knew about the change until after the group had departed.
And it’s not just landowners. Two city officials from Forest Grove said they have trouble getting information from FERC about meetings. “We seem to get information almost by accident,” says Mayor Peter Truax.
But the most serious issues raised by landowners were charges that Oregon LNG and its CEO Peter Hansen tried to intimidate them into cooperating with the company.
Several speakers accused Hansen of promising favorable treatment if they allowed Oregon LNG access to their property. If they didn’t? Some said Hansen told them there was always the option of taking their land through eminent domain.
“This is not how you get cooperation from property owners,” said Sansone. “It’s a lot like a Sicilian Mafia person who says we’re going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
The most bizarre charge? Armed private security guards at a public meeting held at the Banks High School in 2008. I’m not saying the information isn’t believable, too many witnesses saw them. But unless they were hired by the school, having those guns on campus is probably illegal.
Sansone testified he was told by other FERC officials that the guard were hired by Oregon LNG. But when I looked over at Hansen, I saw him shaking his head “no”.
Today’s meeting wrapped with no testimony from Oregon LNG officials. They’ll get their chance at the Portland hearing on Thursday.
Here is the hearing schedule for the rest of the week.
- Wednesday, 1:00pm
Clatsop County Courthouse, Judge Guy Boyington Building, 820 Exchange St., Astoria
- Thursday, 9:00am
Portland City Hall, Chamber Room, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland
On Thursday, anti-LNG groups stage a rally at 12:15pm outside Portland City Hall. In addition to the FERC meetings, the State of Oregon is reviewing the lease with Oregon LNG for its proposed LNG terminal.
Dennis,
I’m surprised at your response to the issue of private, armed security guards at Banks High School.
With all the testimony you heard on Tuesday, is it your opinion that Peter Hansen’s response trumps several people who actually researched the issue and were advised by credible officials that Oregon LNG hired these ‘rent-a-cops’?
Your posting seemed to discount the most credible body of evidence.
Perhaps I simply misinterpreted your comment.
Chuck
Chuck,
I was just trying to provide some fairness. An accusation was made against Hansen and he denied it by shaking his head. I watched Hansen a lot during the hearing and this was the only time I saw him react to the various allegations made against him. I thought it would be unfair to leave it out.
I agree with you that some of the people who made those allegations were very credible.
Dennis