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.

The next logical target is the Palomar Pipeline. This is a highly controversial pipeline that has farmers up in arms, and environmentalists worried about the damage it could do to old growth trees and watersheds.

Palomar was supposed to connect with Bradwood and carry the gas 220-miles east to an interstate pipeline junction near Maupin. The proposed path takes it through some of Oregon’s prime farm land in the Willamette Valley, and leaves a 47-mile clear cut in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

NW Natural, one of Palomar’s developers, says the death of Bradwood doesn’t kill the entire project. It says they are looking at their options for the western end of the pipeline – the part that would have connected to Bradwood. But the eastern side of Palomar is a different story.  NW Natural President and CEO Gregg Kantor says the eastern segment is now even more important, “as a way to bring additional domestic supplies from the Rocky Mountains and western Canada.”

But Amy Harwood of Bark says just dropping half of Palomar isn’t good enough. That eastern section is the one that runs past Mt. Hood. “We don’t want to see these corridors leave a permanent scar across our remaining old growth forest in Mt. Hood National Forest, across our wild rivers we spend on for good drinking water as well as quality fishing,” she says.

Harwood says anti-LNG forces will rally at the next annual meeting of NW Natural shareholders in Portland. That’s scheduled for May 27.

At today’s news conference were representatives of Columbia Riverkeeper, Bark, Oregon Citizens Against Pipelines and the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission.

I’ve edited three short videos from today’s event.

Video: The Future of LNG in Oregon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHH3GbdNga0

Video: NorthernStar Natural Gas Filing For Bankruptcy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgQwPDfZoqg

Video: What Killed Bradwood Landing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmTmx6YrZg

Related Stories:

Bradwood LNG Developer Files For Bankruptcy
Environmentalists Savor ‘Tremendous Victory’ Over LNG
LNG Opponents Celebrate A Victory Over Bradwood Landing

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

Notice of 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.

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.”

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.

The surprising news came to us late Tuesday afternoon. In a press release the company says…

“The extended delays in the processing of state and federal permits for Bradwood Landing and the difficult investment environment have forced us to suspend development. In particular, the challenging regulatory environment gives investors pause, especially considering that Bradwood Landing would have such a positive impact on the Northwest’s economy and environment while supporting the region’s transition to renewable energy by providing a new source of reliable and affordable natural gas.”

-NorthernStar Natural Gas President Paul Soanes

The latest delay was a ruling two weeks ago by Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals. The board rejected Clatsop County permits for the project, saying the county made errors that appear to violate state planning laws.

Work on Bradwood Landing LNG began about six years ago. Northern Star Natural Gas proposed building an LNG import terminal along the Columbia River about 20 miles east of Astoria. Plans called for spending about $580 million, two large storing tanks, and a 38-mile pipeline to carry the gas to market.

The company says construction would have created 450 jobs, and 60 people would be needed to operate it. Clatsop County stood to take in $7.8 million in taxes and port fees every year.

But it was opposed by a large coalition of fishing and environmental groups who said the project would do too much damage to salmon habitat as well as commercial and recreational fishing on the Columbia River. The states of Oregon and Washington were also opposed. They along with the environmental coalition were fighting Bradwood Landing before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

LNG opponents were celebrating their newest legal victory – a ruling by Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals to reject plans for the Bradwood Landing LNG project in Clatsop County.

The ruling probably isn’t a fatal blow. But it’s given LNG opponents new confidence that they can block Bradwood Landing, and all other plans for LNG in Oregon.

What the Board decided is that Clatsop County made two mistakes when it approved the LNG project that would be located on the Columbia River about 20-miles upstream from Astoria.

First, it says Clatsop County planners misjudged how big the project will be, and by doing that may be violating county and state planning rules. The board also questions whether the county is doing enough to protect salmon habitat and fishing areas. The issue now goes back to Clatsop County.

But this is the second time Board has rejected plans for Bradwood, and for the same reasons. According to Brett VandenHeuvel of Columbia Riverkeeper, that doesn’t give Clatsop County much room to find another way to approve the project. He says it’s time for the county, and all of Oregon, to walk away from LNG.

A spokesman for the company that’s building Bradwood Landing tells the Daily Astorian that these issues can be worked out, and the project will be allowed to move forward. The paper says Clatsop County plans to go ahead with land use hearings for Bradwood on Friday.

Video: Press Conference By LNG Opponents

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOt_V6nzWtM

The decision hasn’t been posted on LUBA’s website. But according to Columbia Riverkeeper, which brought the case to the Board, the ruling could mean the end of the road for Bradwood Landing.

“This is a crushing defeat for Bradwood Landing,” says Brett VandenHeuvel, Director of Columbia Riverkeeper. “With the legal requirement to protect endangered salmon and traditional fishing areas, I can’t conceive of a way this LNG project moves forward. This is the second time we’ve won on these issues.  Bradwood has run out of options.”

The decision means the issue goes back to Clatsop County – which will have to resolve two issues. First, is the LNG terminal too large for the area where it will be located? Second, will it do more than minimal damage to the environment and salmon habitat?

“This is an important victory over LNG on the Columbia River.  It not only makes the Bradwood project less viable, but it also sends a message to the other proposed LNG projects: destroying salmon habitat and the livelihoods that depend on them will be rejected,” says Brian Pasko, Director of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club.

A spokesman for Northern Star Natural Gas, the company that wants to build Bradwood Landing, tells the Associated Press he’s confident the project will go ahead.

LNG pipeline protesters at a December 2009 rally in Portland.

Although this is listed on my events story of the day, it’s worth a new mention. Oregon DEQ is holding a public meeting tonight in Astoria about the Bradwood Landing LNG project.

Also, I’ve learned a little bit more about the Wyden-Merkley LNG bill.

But first, the big meeting tonight. Oregon DEQ plays an important role in determining if the Bradwood Landing LNG project can be built. It has to review permits for Clean Air, Clean Water, among other things. It has to work with NOAA Fisheries to see if the project will do too much damage to endangered salmon in the Columbia River.

As Dan Serres with Columbia Riverkeeper puts it, “DEQ can stop this project and protect Oregon.” Serres expects the meeting to draw quite a crowd, perhaps 100 people or more.

Reps from DEQ will be explaining to people how the permitting process works, how long it will take, and when it expects to hold more formal hearings. But expect some enthusiastic advice from the crowd on how DEQ should decide this issue.

Wyden-Merkley LNG Bill

In yesterday’s post I raised the question that if the Wyden-Merkley LNG bill passes, will it force Bradwood Landing and the Jordan Cove LNG projects to start all over?

Tom Towslee, with Wyden’s staff in Portland says the answer to that is – no. Bradwood and Jordan Cove have already been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Towslee says, “You can’t unring that bell.”

Wyden and Merkley are trying to take away FERC’s authority to approve LNG projects, and return that power to state authorities.

Even if the bill doesn’t pass, Oregon still has considerable power over LNG.  As noted earlier in this story, any LNG project has to get several permits from the state.

Columbia Riverkeeper is one of the main groups opposing two proposed LNG projects near Astoria – Bradwood Landing and Oregon LNG. It’s also involved in efforts to block two pipelines that would connect the terminals to the interstate gas pipeline system.

But in our conversation today, some very interesting questions came up about just how easy it might become to stop all LNG projects in Oregon, if the bill becomes law.

Wyden and Merkley’s bill would take away control over the siting of LNG projects from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC’s been a big supporter of LNG projects, making it the agency that “can’t say no”, at least not where LNG is concerned.  Under the bill, That power would go back to state governments. Here in Oregon, the current state leadership is anti-LNG.

“The state deserves the right to map out its energy future,” says VandenHeuvel. “We shouldn’t be tied to foreign fossil fuel, we shouldn’t be tied to dirty energy projects like LNG.”

Clearly, the Wyden-Merkley bill makes it much harder for any new LNG projects to move ahead. Under that category – the Oregon LNG project and pipeline. FERC staff is still working on an Environmental Impact Statement, so it’s still early in the approval process.

But what about Bradwood Landing and Jordan Cove? These two projects are already FERC approved. If the bill passes, does control over their future automatically go back to Oregon? Or do they fall under some kind of grandfather clause?

FERC got the power to control LNG siting in the 2005 Energy Act. The Wyden-Merkley update wipes that out and acts as if the change never happened. A plain english reading of the bill says that means Bradwood Landing and Jordan Cove would have to start over from scratch. This time before Oregon regulators instead of the feds.

VandenHeuvel, a lawyer, says it isn’t clear if this is what Wyden and Merkley have in mind. Meanwhile I’ve got calls into both offices and waiting for replies. Hoping to learn more tomorrow.

An LNG protest sign from December, 2009.

Oregon’s two Senators are joining forces on a bill that could bring LNG projects in our state to a grinding halt.

Wyden and Merkley want to take away control over LNG projects from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). They’ve introduced a bill that would return that power to the states.

Whether or not Wyden and Merkley are outright trying to stop LNG in Oregon is unclear. But given the current political landscape in this state, that’s a real possibility, should the bill become law.

FERC was given control over the siting of LNG projects in the 2005 Energy Act. Since then, the commission has approved two projects in Oregon. Bradwood Landing LNG is a proposed site on the Columbia River about 20 miles east of Astoria. The Jordan Cove LNG terminal would be built on the north side of Coos Bay.

Then there’s a third project, Oregon LNG, which would also be placed along the Columbia River near Warrenton. Oregon LNG is still early in the approval process. All three LNG terminals also require the construction of major pipelines to carry the natural gas to interstate markets.

Wyden and Merkley say it’s time let state governments decide when and where to put LNG facilities. Here’s a couple of quotes from their statements.

“As citizens and their public officials in my state and those of my colleagues can attest, putting FERC in the driver’s seat for LNG siting has been a colossal mistake. Rather than address the critical environmental and economic questions of whether these large, potentially dangerous natural gas storage facilities are even needed or whether energy supplies could be provided with less environmental impact and risk, FERC has taken the attitude that it’s not its job to make such decisions.”

Senator Ron Wyden

“It just doesn’t make sense to take states out of decisions that will affect their residents for years or decades to come. We need to give states a say and restore accountability. Momentous decisions about LNG terminals should only be done in partnership with local residents – not over their objections.”

Senator Jeff Merkley

It’s not that these projects don’t have supporters, but Oregon’s current state leadership is dead set against LNG. Governor Kulongoski and Attorney General John Kroger are strong critics. The state has sued to block FERC’s license for Bradwood Landing and will probably also sue to stop Jordan Cove.

Oregon complaints mirror those of Merkley and Wyden, that FERC hasn’t done a good enough job in assessing the environmental impacts of these projects, and has given them approval even before other federal agencies and the state have completed their studies.

Other sponsors of the legislation include Senators Cantwell of Washington, Dodd of Connecticut, plus Mikulski and Cardin of Maryland.