Oregon environmentalists are – in their words – celebrating Tuesday’s big victory over the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal.
Northern Star Natural Gas won’t say the project is dead, it prefers to use the word “suspended”. But it seems clear that unless some LNG angel shows up with buckets of cash, Bradwood is a goner.
Which leads us to this question, what’s the future of the other LNG projects in Oregon?
Brett VandenHeuvel of Columbia Riverkeeper says, “It shows there is no place in Oregon for LNG.” While the developer of Bradwood blamed delays in getting permits, VandenHeuvel says the process is not at fault. “They all suffer from the same problems,” he says, “harming salmon habitat, destroying farm land and bringing in an unneeded source of dirty fuel.”
In Northwest Oregon, there are two LNG projects still standing.
A company called Oregon LNG wants to build a terminal on the Columbia River near Warrenton, and a 120-mile pipeline to deliver the gas. It’s running into strong opposition not just from environmentalists, but also from farmers who worry the pipeline will destroy their farms and their livelihoods. Oregon LNG is still waiting for federal approval.
Then there’s the Palomar Pipeline. Of the two, this one faces a more immediate problem. It was supposed to connect with Bradwood and carry the natural gas 220-miles to an interstate pipeline junction near Maupin. Like the Oregon LNG pipeline, it crosses prime farm land in the Willamette Valley. It also creates miles of clear cut through Mt. Hood National Forest. Olivia Schmidt has led the anti-LNG efforts for the Oregon Sierra Club. “I don’t see any way for Palomar to move ahead without Bradwood,” she says.
The third LNG project in Oregon is the Jordan Cove terminal in Coos Bay and the Pacific Connector Pipeline that crosses several southwest counties.
VandenHeuvel says the failure of Bradwood should send a signal to the remaining LNG proposals. “I’m hopeful the other LNG companies will recognize their projects aren’t viable either.”
“Oregonians are going to stand up for our natural resources, our livelihoods, our forests, our farms and our salmon.”
Congratulations