If you are in support of the liquefied natural gas project, please attend the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission meeting the evening of Oct. 27, at the North Bend Community Building. You can be certain that the Citizens Against Virtually Everything people will be there with signs and placards.

It seems that in recent years we have developed an atmosphere where the anti-everything minority has become a group of outspoken people who consequently tend to dominate various issues. However, I believe there is a silent majority out there with busy schedules, just trying to make a living and not wanting to get into a conflict, who don’t get involved. It is time to put out that extra effort and get involved in the LNG discussion. If enough of us speak with our individual voices we will be heard. We have an opportunity and we simply need to reach out and take it.

This LNG terminal is a minimum of a $1.2 billion project and the pipeline is another $1-plus billion. During the construction phase of the terminal alone there will be as many as 1,000 people employed at its peak. Additionally, the pipeline will employ another 600 individuals. This would bring in approximately $10 million per year in property taxes after the first three years. Is employing people and generating property taxes bad for Coos County?

A lot has been said and often misstated about the dangers of bringing in these ships filled with LNG. There has never been a breach of an LNG tanker, therefore one can only estimate what might happen through a scientific model.

Get involved and learn the truth about that. Under current regulations there are more safeguards than one can imagine. We used to have more than 300 ships per year entering our port and now we have about 40 per year. I would think that the longshoremen, tugboat operators and stevedore companies would love to see an additional 70 ships per year enter the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay.

Once again, if you support the LNG project, please attend the Oct. 27 meeting at the community center.

Sam Roth

Coos Bay