County, NorthernStar resuming negotiations

The on again, off again negotiations between Wahkiakum County and NorthernStar Natural Gas for security escorts services for tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) are apparently on again.

Last week, Sheriff Dan Bardsley announced that the negotiator for NorthernStar had informed him that the company would end negotiations with the county for the service.

On Tuesday of this week, that stance changed.

"I had a call today and was told they want to continue negotiations," Bardsley said Tuesday afternoon.

NorthernStar wants to build an LNG receiving terminal at Bradwood, Ore., across the Columbia from Puget Island. One condition for operation is that they provide government based security for the tankers that would deliver the LNG. The company has been negotiating with Bardsley and Wahkiakum County for that service.

Bardsley has said that NorthernStar has offered to pay the salaries of the officers who would be hired for the duty, but he wants the company to cover incidental expenses that could occur when the officers aren't on LNG duty but are working for the county.

"There will be expenses that have to be in the contract," Bardsley said. "These costs have to be picked up by NorthernStar. There's no other way around it.

"I didn't want to be put in this position, but it's part of the job of being sheriff.

"If we do this work, I want to do it for the right reasons, and it's not going to fall on the shoulders of the taxpayers."

On Tuesday before the call, county Commissioners Dan Cothren and Lisa Marsyla commented on the negotiations. Both said they had received comments from constituents following last week's announcement that negotiations apparently were ending.

"I had lots of calls pro and con," Cothren said.

"If the numbers work out, I'm for it (the security contract)," he said. "It's not accepting LNG across the river, but for the good of the county, if the numbers are there, I'm for it. It's a good thing if we can get it."

Bardsley agreed and commented that he isn't trying to stop the agreement, just to make sure county costs are covered.

"I had some calls with (NorthernStar officer) Sy Garrett," Marsyla said, adding that she wouldn't expect formal notice from NorthernStar about ending negotiations.