Bradwood LNG Project Dead – Northernstar Declares Bankruptcy – LNG Opponents Declare Victory!

For the past 5 years the Sierra Club and others have fought against the Bradwood Landing LNG proposal because of the threat it posed to critical salmon habitat on the Columbia River, increased green house gas emissions, the loss of farmland, national forest clearcuts required for associated pipelines, and increased dependence on foreign fossil fuels. Since this proposal originally surface we were shocked that anyone would attempt to build a massive industrial complex and deep-water port in the center of what the National Marine Fisheries Service has identified as “lynchpin” habitat for endangered salmon: habitat that needs protection and restoration to ensure the survival of this culturally, economically and biologically important fish. The site proposed for Bradwood is home to wetlands and shallow water habitat that all the salmon who traverse the Columbia River rely on for transitioning from fresh water to salt water on their migration to the Pacific Ocean.

The suspension of the Bradwood Landing LNG project and the abrupt dissolution and bankruptcy of the company proposing the project means that those salmon are now safe from this ill-conceived development.

While we are now celebrating that our hard work and commitment to this issue have paid off, we are also looking to the horizon to see how this victory will effect the other LNG projects we are working to defeat in Oregon. Oregon LNG in Warrenton, Jordan Cove LNG in Coos Bay, and the Palomar Pipeline that would traverse the Mt. Hood National Forest are still on our radar and we are hopeful that this victory over Bradwood Landing LNG will help stop other LNG projects in the state. Of immediate importance and relevance is the Palomar Pipeline.

The Palomar Pipeline was proposed to serve the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal. NWNatural, the parent company of Palomar, has a binding contract with Bradwood LNG to fill the capacity of the Palomar Pipeline with LNG sourced gas. So the question now is: Now that the Palomar Pipeline LNG source is gone, will NWNatural abandon this sinking ship? For years farmers, foresters, vintners and residents living along the proposed Palomar Pipeline have put their lives on hold because of their inability to develop or sell their lands due to the pipeline right of way restrictions. Meanwhile state and federal agencies have been processing permits for this pipeline on its route through our public and private lands. It is time for NWNatural to pull the plug on the entire Palomar Pipeline proposal and stop wasting the public’s time, the state’s resources for permitting, and the money of their investors on a project that is clearly without need.

On Thursday, May 27^th the annual NWNatural shareholders meeting will take place at the Oregon Convention Center inPortland. We will be there for our third annual NWNatural rally to let investors and the public know that LNG is a bad investment that will raise our energy costs in Oregon and cause a highway wide, 47-mile long clearcut through Mt. Hood National Forest.

NW Natural shareholders meeting protest

Thursday, May 27^th from 1pm-4pm

Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Blvd, Portland, OR

For more information or to get involved, contact Olivia Schmidt: oliviariver@gmail.com or 971-533-2390

Coalition press release on the suspension of Bradwood Landing LNG:

Astoria, OR – A broad coalition of citizen groups celebrated today as NorthernStar Natural Gas suspended its attempt to build the Bradwood liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Columbia River, near Astoria, Oregon.  Facing huge opposition from farm, fishing, forest, and environmental groups, Bradwood LNG’s announcement generated swift reaction from people throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper, explained the significance of the groups’ victory over the Bradwood LNG project. “LNG has no place in Oregon.  This is a tremendous victory for family farmers, fisherman, and Columbia River salmon.  This is proof that Oregonians will fight to protect our resources and our livelihoods.”

Farmers threatened by the proposed LNG pipelines rejoiced after hearing that Bradwood LNG had suspended its project. “Thousands of us have been living under a cloud of having our farms condemned for these wrong-headed LNG schemes. We look forward to being able to work our lands without interference from LNG speculators,” said Steve Wick, a Yamhill County filbert grower.

George Exum, a resident of Puget Island, WA who lives within a mile of the suspended Bradwood project, lauded the hard work and cooperation of Oregon and Washington residents in protecting their community from Texas-based NorthernStar.  “All the efforts of citizens in Washington and Oregon who saw the economic and environmental harm threatened by Bradwood Landing LNG have paid off. This is a great victory for the Columbia River and the communities who rely on it for their livelihoods.”

Olivia Schmidt, organizer for Oregon Sierra Club, welcomed the decision as a victory for clean energy in Oregon.  “By rejecting Bradwood LNG, Oregonians have rejected increasing their dependence on a destructive, expensive, imported fossil fuel.  At the same time, we have protected Oregon’s water, air quality, and communities.”

Bradwood Landing LNG faced legal challenges by the states of Oregon and Washington, the Nez Perce Tribe, Columbia Riverkeeper, Columbia River Business Alliance, Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club, BARK (defenders of Mt. Hood National Forest), and others.