OK, I’m an angry female reader of the paper. About the front page story headlined “Feds: Size of LNG hazard zones is safe” (The World, July 28), your bias is showing and I’m offended. The article was written or edited by someone who, after four years of discussion locally, is not familiar with the liquefied natural gas subject.  

First, when referring to one of the few proponents of LNG locally, you refer to Jordan Cove Project Manager Bob Braddock.  When you refer to the leader of the many thousand people organized in opposition to LNG from North Bend to the California border, you refer to the North Bend woman. Don’t help prove the former paper editor to be correct in her assertions of sexual bias.

Second, I believe that some of the information in your article is incomplete or misleading. For example, the article’s title. If the U.S. Coast Guard established zones were safe, they would not be referred to as a hazard. LNG tanker vessels would not be escorted by armed Coast Guard and fire fighting tugs. The moving zone surrounding LNG tankers in the Coos Bay channel is not safe. Your article properly confirms that every citizen in the communities of Charleston, Barview, Empire, parts of North Bend, the county airport, and so much more, will be placed in harm’s way when you consider that all will be within the one-mile hazard zone. Many will be within the 500 meter (1,500 foot) serious threat zone. And, you properly stated that the vapor cloud searching for an ignition source may travel up to two miles, possibly incinerating much of the community.

Third, you discuss the fact that Jordan Cove Energy intends to use tanker vessels with LNG content storage capacity of 148,000 cubic meters. It is documented that there are currently 277 LNG tanker vessels on the world’s waters. Only 36 are greater than 148,000 cubic meters. All vessels are chartered under long-term contract, some to the year 2036. Most tankers under 160,000 cubic meters storage capacity are very old and are being replaced. It is a matter of good business sense to use the largest tanker possible. There are 112 vessels on order from the worlds shipyards. Only 16 are 148,000 cubic meters LNG storage capacity or less. Again, all are long-term chartered.

Fourth, do the math. It is documented in the paper that Mr. Braddock has told us that his LNG terminal, employing mostly people from outside of the area, will send out at least one billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. Assuming that he uses vessels with 160,000 cubic meters of LNG storage capacity, that will require more than six vessels coming and going per month, each time placing all of us in that hazard zone that you discussed.