LNG terminal appealed

By Alexander Rich, Staff Writer
Friday, March 28, 2008 | 9 comment(s)

Font Size: Shrink Font Enlarge Font | Submit your news
The opponents of a liquefied natural gas terminal proposed for Coos Bay’s North Spit have offered three reasons to overturn the project’s land-use application.

In a brief received by the Land Use Board of Appeals earlier this week, the opponents argued that not enough consideration was given to environmental concerns, preservation of Indian artifacts and the possibility a pipeline to transport natural gas from the terminal might not be built.

The application, approved by Coos County Commissioners on Dec. 5, 2007, was appealed Dec. 26 by the Southern Oregon Pipeline Information Project, a nonprofit advocacy group formed solely to oppose the Coos Bay LNG terminal and pipeline projects.

At the time, the appellant simply indicated it would appeal the application without giving specific reasons why. The rationale was delivered in a 22-page brief received by LUBA staff on Monday.

The issues were similar to those raised at a public hearing on the land use application in August.

But while speakers at the hearing often spoke expansively about the problems the terminal might cause to the environment, the brief dealt in technicalities.

The brief noted the terminal construction will include 50-foot setbacks from Henderson Marsh, a salt-water wetland west of the project site. The condition was insufficent, the appellant argues, because the county didn’t explain how such a setback would adequately protect the marsh.

It also argues a wetland exists in the northwest portion of the construction area that will be used as a temporary grubbing stockpile. The county suggested the map used by the appellant was inaccurate, and instead relied upon a map prepared by the project’s proponent, Jordan Cove Energy Project, and approved by the Department of State Lands. This second map suggested there are no wetlands in the northwest portion of the project site.

The brief also suggests the county needed to include conditions to ensure Indian artifacts located in the construction area would be properly handled. The county required Jordan Cove to coordinate with the Coquille Indian Tribe or the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians before removing any material from the construction site.

The appellant argued the county should have required a site plan, including specific plans and architectural drawings, prior to approval of the land-use application.

Finally, the appellant said the county should have included a condition that construction of a pipeline must be approved before construction can begin on an LNG terminal.

Jordan Cove now has a 21 days to file a brief of its own, after which the board will hear orals arugments and then rule on the case.

Project Manager Bob Braddock said he had reviewed the appellant’s main arguments and, without consulting an attorney, felt confident the county’s decision would be upheld.



Previous
Next

Have you checked out The World Link Forums?

Comments

The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines

Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Comment Policy

The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.

Please follow these basic rules:

  • No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
  • No deliberately false information.
  • No obscenity or racially offensive language.
  • No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
  • No information that invades another person's privacy.
  • No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.

Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.

The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.

Close Guidelines

Steven Paige wrote on Mar 31, 2008 9:41 AM:

This thing will never get built. Its being reported that a Japanese utility agreed to buy gas for $18/mmbtu for a ten year term. Given you can make $8 more dollars sending LNG to Japan than to the US...where do you think the gas is going to go? These developers won't get finacing without a LNG supply source locked up for 20 years. In a world where LNG is in short supply and Asia is willing to pay double what America is....this import porject is simply not viable..

Common Sense wrote on Mar 29, 2008 2:41 PM:

Well Joe...

You said little & offered LESS reasons to support your minority PRO California LNG point of view! I deal in facts & you deal in self serving (Probably a construction worker or Port Commission member) pro LNG point of view that is the minority in this state (EVERY poll taken in every newspaper has ANTI-California LNG people in front of PRO-California LNG by OVER a 2 to 1 margin)...sorry, but Oregon doesn't need or want that California LNG here...

Janice wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:40 PM:

Former Bender - We have had fascists running this country for almost eight years now. The Bush administration has done nothing but enrich their corporate buddies and trash the Constitution. Do you call their actions patriotic? America has come to its senses and will be sending these neo-cons and the others who hold the same fascist beliefs right out of office soon.

Dick Cheney's Energy Act FORCES these LNG terminals on the people of the US. Is that democratic? Seems like a fascist dictatorship to me.

Joe wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:44 PM:

I am speechless. I understand common concerns regarding the placement of the LNG terminal. There are serious questions (that have serious answers from many agencies IF you take the time to read and educate yourself). The likes of "common sense" take away any credibility the anti-LNG faction had. That is the rant of a child, not a concerned citizen. I encourage The World to post more of the rants from the nutty radicals against progress.

Common Sense wrote on Mar 28, 2008 5:27 PM:

Add these to the list of the appeal towards California LNG storage unit at Jordon Cove:

1) Jordon Cove is in a tsunami zone!

2) No state vote on this!

3) Oregon people being forced to sell their properties to foreign investors!

4) No one going to support future problems (Coast Guard & state agency's have said they would need MORE man power/money to prevent future problems or possible major explosion problem (Due to Earth Quake, Tsunami, leakage of gas along 230 miles of pipeline, Terrorist attack, etc)?

Bottomline: GREAT job on fighting this industrial garbage that Oregon doesn't need or want. Fighting = More delayed time for the foreign investors = More $$$ spent on project = LESS chance of it coming here = Foreign LNG investors leaving Oregon & NOT coming back anytime SOON...

some one who cares wrote on Mar 28, 2008 3:46 PM:

if we keep saying no no no then when wefind that perfect industry that everyone wants they are going to say no no no why would a company want to come to the area when all we say is no no no itis time to start saying yes yes yes

Former Bender wrote on Mar 28, 2008 3:11 PM:

More of the NIMBYs. Turn in your cars, move out of your houses, quit using paper so we can quit killing trees. Where is this Utopia that these pro-luddites want? With these people the perfect is the enemy of the good. Nobody is going to make these left wingers do any work. One of these days, we'll have re-education camps in this country courtesy of the facists on the left. That is what they are. The equivalent of the Brown Shirts from the 1930's. I had to move out of the Bay Area to get a decent job because of people like these folks. Hopefully, one day, America will come to Its sense and disgorge these people form Its shores.

JJrunner wrote on Mar 28, 2008 2:39 PM:

Indian artifacts? Yeah, there are plenty of arrowheads and battle axes strewn about out there.

At least come up with something that doesn't make us laugh.

Thomas wrote on Mar 28, 2008 1:31 PM:

Although I am 100% opposed to the insane LNG scheme, this type of legal tactic by the "official opposition" is just plain silly, and makes it much harder for reasonable local residents to take more effective action in stopping this LNG nonsense ........ thanks a lot.



*Member ID:
*Password:
 

Not already registered?

Do not use usernames or passwords from your financial accounts!

Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required!



*Create a Member ID:
*Choose a password:
*Re-enter password:
*E-mail Address:
*Year of Birth:
 

(children under 13 cannot register)

*First Name:
*Last Name:
Would you like to be added to our mailing lists?
Daily Headlines
Breaking News
Special Offers
 
Advanced Search
Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

Blogroll

Most Popular

Polls

» View Past Poll Results
» Suggest a Poll

Marketplace

Special Sections

More Special Sections