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Opponents of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal at Coos Bay and a connecting LNG pipeline that would cross Douglas County are already lining up to speak out against Thursday's approval of the project by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC approved the Jordan Cove Energy Project and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline on a 3-1 vote.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced Thursday he will file a formal request for reconsideration of the FERC decision due to environmental concerns. Local groups concerned with the terminal and pipeline will file a similar request.
If that doesn't work, the next step is to take concerns to a federal appeals court.
Michele Swaner, spokeswoman for Williams, the firm that will manage the pipeline connecting with the Coos Bay terminal, said her company is happy with the approval but was already braced for opposition.
“It's definitely a milestone,” she said. At this point, she said, tentative construction is projected to begin in the second quarter of 2013, with service beginning at the end of the following year. Further regulatory approvals are still needed.
Swaner said the project could possibly employ 1,200 during construction. On a Web site dedicated to the project, Pacific Connector estimates that 120 permanent jobs would be created.
Opponents believe only 35 percent of those jobs would go to local people. Swaner said her company would work with local unions to look for the right employees with the needed skill sets.
Those against the project are concerned about potential environmental impacts to land, water, wildlife and human safety. They are also concerned about the potential use of eminent domain to take private property for commercial interests.
FERC's majority opinion stated that the pipeline would meet increased demand and be in the public interest by delivering 1 billion cubic feet per day of regasified LNG to the Northwest, northern California and northern Nevada.
The proposed terminal facility would receive about 80 ships full of LNG a year. The fuel would be delivered to Malin near the California border through a 234-mile pipeline that would traverse parts of Coos, Douglas, Josephine and Klamath counties.
Diane Phillips of Azalea has spoken out against the project for some time and can often be seen at functions around the county in a red shirt that says “No LNG.”
On Thursday, Phillips said with Oregon's use of natural gas standing at less than 1 percent and new technology allowing more natural gas to be harvested domestically, she didn't see the need for a project she believes would result in huge impacts to forests, fish, waterways and recreation while edging out fledgling renewable energy markets.
Phillips and Francis Eatherington, who owns land in Days Creek in the path of the proposed pipeline, said logging will need to take place if the pipeline is built, cutting huge swaths of trees through the local watershed and glutting the market with more lumber at a time when prices are already down.
“You'll see it from space,” Phillips said of the pipeline's clearance area.
In his dissenting opinion, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghof echoed concerns about the need for imported LNG, the validity of prices cited in environmental documents. He also raised safety questions due to the terminal's proximity to a regional airport.
Kim Heiting, director of corporate communications at natural gas supplier NW Natural, said the company has been keeping track of the three proposed LNG terminals in Oregon.
While the firm thinks LNG is good for its customer base and competition in the market, Heiting said the Jordan Cove project was not NW Natural's favored project because it is not close to the larger Oregon population.
“We would like to see LNG, because it gives us another supply source and it makes the Canadian and Rocky Mountain (suppliers) compete,” she said, adding that the Bradwood Landing and Oregon LNG projects on the Columbia River are the company's favored projects.
Swaner said Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector are working with Avista in southwestern Oregon. She echoed Heiting's belief that LNG will position companies to remain and become more competitive as they see use increase.
While Williams believes the Northwest is a good market, Swaner does not believe the market is big enough for all three of the current proposed LNG projects.
“There's probably not room for more than one, and we think the market will determine where the project will be built,” she said.
Aside from the environmental impacts causing concern to locals, Eatherington feels the possible use of eminent domain to acquire permanent easements for the pipeline is a clandestine effort by the gas suppliers to enter the world market, importing foreign LNG and exporting local resources.
She said she was told she would be given between 25 and 75 percent of the assessed property value for such an easement, which she estimated might be $1,000 for an easement over 3 to 4 acres of her property.
“To give us a one-time payment for (impacts that last for) generations,” Eatherington said, shrugging her shoulders in exasperation. “It just doesn't make sense to condemn people's land to import fossil fuels from Russia.”
Swaner said in the past, Williams has used eminent domain only as a last resort and would continue to listen and negotiate fairly based on fair market value of properties.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced Thursday he will file a formal request for reconsideration of the FERC decision due to environmental concerns. Local groups concerned with the terminal and pipeline will file a similar request.
If that doesn't work, the next step is to take concerns to a federal appeals court.
Michele Swaner, spokeswoman for Williams, the firm that will manage the pipeline connecting with the Coos Bay terminal, said her company is happy with the approval but was already braced for opposition.
“It's definitely a milestone,” she said. At this point, she said, tentative construction is projected to begin in the second quarter of 2013, with service beginning at the end of the following year. Further regulatory approvals are still needed.
Swaner said the project could possibly employ 1,200 during construction. On a Web site dedicated to the project, Pacific Connector estimates that 120 permanent jobs would be created.
Opponents believe only 35 percent of those jobs would go to local people. Swaner said her company would work with local unions to look for the right employees with the needed skill sets.
Those against the project are concerned about potential environmental impacts to land, water, wildlife and human safety. They are also concerned about the potential use of eminent domain to take private property for commercial interests.
FERC's majority opinion stated that the pipeline would meet increased demand and be in the public interest by delivering 1 billion cubic feet per day of regasified LNG to the Northwest, northern California and northern Nevada.
The proposed terminal facility would receive about 80 ships full of LNG a year. The fuel would be delivered to Malin near the California border through a 234-mile pipeline that would traverse parts of Coos, Douglas, Josephine and Klamath counties.
Diane Phillips of Azalea has spoken out against the project for some time and can often be seen at functions around the county in a red shirt that says “No LNG.”
On Thursday, Phillips said with Oregon's use of natural gas standing at less than 1 percent and new technology allowing more natural gas to be harvested domestically, she didn't see the need for a project she believes would result in huge impacts to forests, fish, waterways and recreation while edging out fledgling renewable energy markets.
Phillips and Francis Eatherington, who owns land in Days Creek in the path of the proposed pipeline, said logging will need to take place if the pipeline is built, cutting huge swaths of trees through the local watershed and glutting the market with more lumber at a time when prices are already down.
“You'll see it from space,” Phillips said of the pipeline's clearance area.
In his dissenting opinion, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghof echoed concerns about the need for imported LNG, the validity of prices cited in environmental documents. He also raised safety questions due to the terminal's proximity to a regional airport.
Kim Heiting, director of corporate communications at natural gas supplier NW Natural, said the company has been keeping track of the three proposed LNG terminals in Oregon.
While the firm thinks LNG is good for its customer base and competition in the market, Heiting said the Jordan Cove project was not NW Natural's favored project because it is not close to the larger Oregon population.
“We would like to see LNG, because it gives us another supply source and it makes the Canadian and Rocky Mountain (suppliers) compete,” she said, adding that the Bradwood Landing and Oregon LNG projects on the Columbia River are the company's favored projects.
Swaner said Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector are working with Avista in southwestern Oregon. She echoed Heiting's belief that LNG will position companies to remain and become more competitive as they see use increase.
While Williams believes the Northwest is a good market, Swaner does not believe the market is big enough for all three of the current proposed LNG projects.
“There's probably not room for more than one, and we think the market will determine where the project will be built,” she said.
Aside from the environmental impacts causing concern to locals, Eatherington feels the possible use of eminent domain to acquire permanent easements for the pipeline is a clandestine effort by the gas suppliers to enter the world market, importing foreign LNG and exporting local resources.
She said she was told she would be given between 25 and 75 percent of the assessed property value for such an easement, which she estimated might be $1,000 for an easement over 3 to 4 acres of her property.
“To give us a one-time payment for (impacts that last for) generations,” Eatherington said, shrugging her shoulders in exasperation. “It just doesn't make sense to condemn people's land to import fossil fuels from Russia.”
Swaner said in the past, Williams has used eminent domain only as a last resort and would continue to listen and negotiate fairly based on fair market value of properties.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
