Bradbury: Liquified natural gas would be a bad deal for Oregon

By THERESA HOGUE

Gazette-Times reporter

Representatives for a statewide coalition of groups that don't want to see Oregon become the site of liquefied natural gas facilities brought their case to an audience of about 100 in a church hall in Corvallis.

Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, as keynote speaker, said plans to locate ports, terminals and pipelines for LNG is a step backwards in Oregon's quest for clean, renewable energy.

"It's clear that we're at a crossroad," he said. "Do we move forward with energy policies that protect the planet or remain tied to an outdated, dirty technology like LNG?"

The audience gathered Tuesday evening at the Corvallis Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's hall heard LNG objections from clean-energy activists Rory Cox of Pacific Environment, Jody McCaffree of Citizens Against LNG and Dan Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is considering approval of proposals for Oregon-sited LNG facilities from energy companies, including NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc. of Texas, Jordon Cove and Leucadia National. The companies want to locate ports and storage terminals for liquefied natural gas - two in the lower Columbia River area and one in Coos Bay. A 220-mile pipeline cutting across farm and forestland through portions of the Mt. Hood National Forest also is included in the companies' plans. Another 231-mile pipeline would tie in with the Coos Bay project.

Liquefied natural gas is formed by cooling natural gas to negative 260 Fahrenheit. It comes from foreign sources, and must be shipped to terminals where it is then warmed back to its gas stage, and then sent along pipelines already used by domestic natural gas companies. Because so much energy is used in transportation and the heating and cooling of liquid natural gas, it produces up to 30 percent more greenhouse gases than domestic natural gas.

Bradbury, who worked with former Vice President Al Gore to oppose global warming, is among Oregon's most staunch opponents to locating LNG facilities in Oregon, and he has delivered more than 125 talks on the subject in the last two years.

Bradbury said that the Legislature last year passed a sweeping package of energy reforms to put Oregon on track to be a leader in lowering carbon emissions.

"Unfortunately we're now looking at three projects that threaten our ability to say we are doing everything we can to lower greenhouse gases," he said.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who had at one time said he was not "unalterably opposed" to the sitings, has since expressed concerns at the likely use of eminent domain to seize the lands necessary for the facilities and pipelines from those who don't want to sell rural lands in the way of the projects. He has suggested the state would go to court if the feds try to impose what all states have so far rejected.

Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper said that opposition hasn't convinced the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the past; the agency has not turned down a liquefied natural gas proposal.

"FERC is very cozy with the energy industry," he said. But he said the state can still stand up and say no to the projects, including by not issuing companies permits for the projects.

"We're the political backbone for Oregon to say 'No'," he said.

Some opponents cited the dangers of locating the terminals along Oregon's seismically active coast.

McCaffree is fighting the proposed terminal at Coos Bay, which would be located on the beach in a tsunami zone, near a fault line.

The proposed gas line connecting the terminal with an already existing line would cross five major rivers, two of them twice, and goes through public forests, requiring swaths cut through forests to make way for the pipelines.

Besides, McCaffree said, studies indicated that liquefied natural gas terminals in the country already are underutilized, so adding more did not make sense. She was hoping to rally support around Oregon to fight the proposed terminal.

"We are just little people fighting," she said.