Bradwood Landing addresses Oregon'sLNG terminal concerns

Bradwood Landing addresses Oregon's LNG terminal concerns

In a letter submitted February 12 to Oregon Governor Kulongoski, Bradwood Landing provided responses to comments submitted by the state regarding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s draft Environmental Impact Report (dEIS) on its proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.

While the company’s formal response to Oregon agencies’ comments will be submitted to FERC so that it is part of the official record, Bradwood provided the state with a detailed progress report for the issues identified in the Governor’s December 13, 2007, memo to FERC.

“I appreciate the State of Oregon's analysis of the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG import terminal,” said NorthernStar Natural Gas (NSNG) CEO William “Si” Garrett. “Such a complex proposal requires a thorough examination of the record to ensure that the public's interest has been served.”

In its letter, Bradwood said that FERC's dEIS was based on information dated several months prior to its publication. The issues had already been addressed prior to the state’s comments, the company said, adding it has continued to submit significant additional information to state and federal agencies since the dEIS was drafted in the summer of 2007.

Garrett addressed comments downplaying the economic demand for natural gas in the Pacific Northwest.

Within the past two years, the company said, nine independent studies have examined North American and Pacific Northwest natural gas markets. They have all come to the same conclusions: The Northwest’s traditional supplies of natural gas are declining.

Detailed geotechnical evaluations of the site were conducted and have shown the Bradwood site suitable, the company said.

The company maintains that its environmental plan exceeds requirements. The state did not evaluate those plans as part of its comments on the dEIS even though they had been submitted to the state, the company said. NSNG’s environmental plan goes above and beyond regulatory requirements. For example, although only impacting slightly more than 13 acres of wetlands, NSNG will either create or conserve 291 acres of higher value habitat. The company said its proposed Salmon Enhancement Initiative is a voluntary effort that represents the largest private commitment to watershed health on the Columbia River and will actually provide a net ecological benefit for the lower Columbia.

Dredging will have minimal environmental impact, the company said. The area needed to dredge for the ship turning basin at Bradwood would occur in deep water (greater than 20 feet). Deep water is generally not utilized by salmonids, particularly juvenile salmonids that tend to stay in the upper water column.

NSNG says it will pay for all safety and security upgrades and not burden local emergency responder agencies.

The company also said it has submitted a decommissioning plan to Clatsop County. This information is outside the scope of the dEIS, the company said.