State officials want more of a say in determining where natural gas pipelines go. There's legislation in the works that would make that happen.

Oregon law currently requires power companies and public agencies to purchase property or get permission to use all the land along a route, whether it's a pipeline or a road, before seeking permits from the Department of State Lands. This can be problematic, said DSL director Louise Solliday. Companies often spend years getting property rights along a specific corridor, then, when they seek state permits, DSL suggests they reroute the line so it doesn't got through a wetland, or avoids a stream.

"Getting these projects in the door sooner gives us the ability to work with project proponents, to talk about the impacts to waterways," she said at a hearing in April.

Opponents of the project have suggested in mass e-mails that the bill is a gift to the LNG companies to get their projects fast-tracked for approval.

"We wholeheartedly disagree with the idea that HB 3058 is necessary, or will improve the permitting process." said Dan Serres, conservation director of the Columbia Riverkeeper, in an e-mail.

He also suggested LNG companies asked for the bill to make it easier and less expensive to build their pipelines.

"This is a pure give-away to the LNG industry," he wrote.

That's not the case, said Solliday.

If anything, getting the projects under review earlier will allow the state to give companies more direction in choosing a route.

"This bill has nothing to do with the changing hands of property," she said.

The bill has been moved into the Rules Committee, which is headed by Rep. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay. He said there are several amendments being considered to the bill, after which there will be hearings in his committee. He understands there is concern about the bill's impact on LNG proposals, but Roblan emphasized the bill would simply allow applicants to get DSL permits. It won't allow anyone to go onto private property and begin construction.

"We are going to make sure that is very clear," he said.

Dan Lattin, the project manager for the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, said  his company is pursuing several permits already without getting the right to the property of the pipeline. HB 3058 would only bring the state's permitting process in line with those others.

"Obviously before we go on anyone's land, we will acquire the right-of-way fairly," he said.

Solliday said even with the change, applicants will have to wait four months to have their forms completed, including a 30-day public review period.