An LNG protest sign from FERC's December 2009 field trip in Washington County.
If LNG opponents were hoping for a new angle in their fight against Oregon LNG, this isn’t it.
A report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) clears the company of any serious wrongdoing in how it dealt with landowners along the route of its proposed pipeline in Northwest Oregon.
Oregonians opposed to LNG and the Palomar Pipeline turned out in big numbers for Thursday’s protest outside the annual meeting of Northwest Natural Gas.
Since my first post on this rally a week ago, organizers have sent me some new information about what will take place today.
LNG Protesters at a rally outside Portland City Hall. Photo by Dennis Newman.
If there was a social calendar for Oregon environmentalists, this might the biggest event of them all.
The annual meeting of shareholders for NW Natural takes place a week from today. It’s become an annual draw not just for investors, but also for Oregon’s anti-LNG movement. Last year’s rally was fairly serene. But two years ago some of the protesters chained themselves to the doors at the utility’s offices in downtown Portland.
(Note: Please continue reading to see the video: No Gas? No problem. How a Portland woman is fighting the Palomar Pipeline.)
A lot of small businesses in Clatsop County are taking a hit because of Bradwood Landing LNG’s decision to file for bankruptcy. We’ve known for some time that Bradwood’s parent company, NorthernStar Natural Gas, owes more than $17 million to the Palomar Pipeline company.
Now the Daily Astorian has digged a further into the bankruptcy records. It reports that other debtors left hanging include the Stoel Rives law firm and Clatsop County. Even the Astoria Rotary Club may be out $190.
See Daily Astorian: Does Bradwood owe you money?
Anti-LNG protesters at a news conference earlier this month. Photo by Dennis Newman.
The day after the “big news”, Oregon’s anti-LNG coalition was confident and looking ahead to the next fight against LNG in Oregon.
“A great day for salmon”. “A huge victory for Oregon families”. This is how they described the news that work on the Bradwood Landing LNG project was being suspended, and that the company behind it was filing for bankruptcy.
NorthernStar Natural Gas, the developer of the Bradwood Landing LNG project, has filed for bankruptcy.
In papers filed yesterday in Houston, the company says it’s unable to pay its debts and will liquidate under Chapter 7. Company spokesman Charles Deister wouldn’t comment when asked about the filing. He referred me to yesterday’s announcement that the company is suspending work on Bradwood Landing.
Julia Warren who works for the bankruptcy trustee has confirmed the filing.
NorthernStar Natural Gas Bankruptcy Filing
Also, NW Natural said earlier today in a press release that NorthernStar “intends” to file for bankruptcy.
LNG Opponents are holding a 1pm news conference to talk about all this.
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?
This is huge news folks.
Two and a half years after winning federal approval, the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal is now on life support. The developer of Bradwood, Northern Star Natural Gas, says it’s suspending work on the project.
