Oregon Watchdog: Wu pushes for review of new LNG information

U. S. Congressman David Wu
Oregon 1st District

PRESS RELEASE: May 13, 2008

WU PUSHES FOR REVIEW OF NEW LNG INFORMATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning Congressman David Wu asked that the latest data on Oregon’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) needs and recent changes to the Bradwood Landing LNG facility proposal be included in the federal assessment of LNG’s environmental impact. Congressman Wu wrote a letter to Secretary Kimberly Bose of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asking that a supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) be issued to address the newest information about Bradwood Landing and the need for LNG projects in Oregon.

“I have long said that any LNG decisions should be made by the state and members of the local communities,” said Wu. “Governor Kulongoski believes that a supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement is necessary due to changes in the Bradwood Landing proposal and new information in the Oregon Department of Energy’s recent report. It is only right that the state should have all of its concerns addressed before the federal government makes a final decision about the future direction of energy projects in Oregon.”

The text of Congressman Wu’s letter follows.

May 13, 2008

Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE, Room 1A
Washington, DC 20426

Re: Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Bradwood Landing LLC Docket No. CP06-366
Northern Star Energy LLC Docket Nos. CP06-366, CP06-376, and CP06-377

Dear Secretary Bose:

I write today in concurrence with Oregon Governor Theodore Kulongoski to request that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issue a supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) to address both an Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) report on liquefied natural gas (LNG) dated May 7, 2008 and changes in the proposal for the Bradwood Landing facility located 30 miles east of Astoria, Oregon.

On February 14, 2008, the governor wrote to FERC insisting that the Commission comprehensively review all of the alternatives to supplying natural gas to the region. At that time, the governor also requested that the Oregon Department of Energy assess the future demand for natural gas in Oregon by conducting a study of alternatives to natural gas in the region and an assessment of the life-cycle carbon emissions of LNG compared to coal and non-LNG sources of natural gas. The Oregon Department of Energy issued its report on May 7, 2008 stating that there is adequate natural gas in the Rocky Mountains, Canada, and Alaska to serve Oregon's near- and long-term needs, and that pipelines would bring natural gas to the Oregon market in more economical terms than LNG facilities could do. Furthermore, the report points to a surplus of LNG terminals located in the United States, which are increasingly underutilized because other countries are willing to pay more for LNG.

FERC’s response to Governor Kulongoski, dated April 2, 2008, states that the agency will take comments from state and local agencies, ODOE, and the public into consideration when deciding whether to authorize any LNG projects. As FERC declined to conduct the evaluation of alternatives to supplying natural gas to the region via an LNG terminal, I believe the ODOE's report should be considered as part of a SDEIS.

Additionally, FERC should issue a SDEIS to include changes in the Bradwood Landing proposal that have occurred since the DEIS was released. These changes include the lack of screened water intakes on LNG tankers, changes in proposed pipeline routes, and changes to the deposit locations of dredge materials, as well as the possibility of open regasification, which will lead to increased discharge of water into the Columbia. These are substantial changes and their possible effects on the environment and the surrounding communities must be considered.

I firmly believe that any Environmental Impact Statement that does not take into account the ODOE's report or the changes to the Bradwood Landing proposal can not adequately address the true effects of the proposed facility or the needs of the environment and Oregon communities.

I request immediate attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

David Wu
Member of Congress
###