A tremendous thank you

To The Eagle:

This week was the answer to our dreams and the culmination of years of incredible hard work and dedication. It proved that grassroots organizing can impact change. Thank you to all the individuals, families, and organizations that were a part of this monumental effort. To every person who showed up at a meeting, testified, rallied, wrote a letter, submitted comment, talked to your neighbors, friends, or family, or who were with us in body or spirit, the Columbia River thanks you. LNG, stay out of the Columbia River!

Five years ago, we were a number of small groups looking for a way to fight four proposed LNG proposals on the Columbia. Fortunately, Peter Huhtala introduced us to Brent Foster, Brett VandenHeuvel and Columbia Riverkeeper. A Coalition was formed! And as they always say, “…and the rest is history.”

Yes, it is time to celebrate now. Unfortunately, the celebration has to be short. We have defeated one project but OregonLNG, Jordan Cove, and Northwest Natural Gas and the Palomar Pipeline are still on our table. We cannot let energy speculators and utility companies in combination with questionable business behavior destroy the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest.

So bask in the glow of our recent success and prepare to renew our efforts. Thanks again and I will close with a quote from Margaret Mead that should be our mantra,

“Never doubt that a group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

George Exum,

Wahkiakum Friends

of the River