| Press Release |
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| May 9, 2008 |
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Governor Kulongoski Receives Report that Questions LNG in Oregon
Oregon Department of Energy reports there is a need for natural gas but LNG not the answer to meet that need
(Salem) – Today Governor Ted Kulongoski received a report from the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) that concludes that while Oregon will need increased supplies of natural gas to meet the state’s energy needs, the proposed natural gas pipelines from the Rocky Mountains will be able to meet that increased demand. The report also concludes that the proposed pipelines in the Rocky Mountains are more likely to provide less expensive natural gas and produce significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions than the three LNG facilities proposed in Oregon.
The report is in response to the Governor’s direction in a letter on February 14, 2008 which requested that ODOE conduct an analysis on the need for and costs, both financial and environmental, of an LNG facility in Oregon. The request came after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made it clear it would not take the time to perform a natural gas needs assessment or take a comprehensive approach in its process to site energy projects.
“This report raises serious questions about whether LNG is the only source to serve an increased demand for natural gas and whether LNG terminals are in the public’s best interest both economically and environmentally,” Governor Ted Kulongoski said.
Today the Governor also filed a request with the FERC to issue a new supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the LNG import terminal facility at Bradwood Landing and its associated pipelines, because the project proposal has changed substantially since the draft EIS was issued August 2007 and because significant new information concerning the LNG project has been submitted by the applicants themselves. In this request, the Governor asked FERC to also evaluate in the supplemental DEIS the new report from the Oregon Department of Energy.
“Because of substantial changes in the proposed action by Bradwood Landing, and significant new information relevant to the environmental concerns related to the proposed project, Oregon has the right under federal law to have our concerns addressed before any final federal determination is completed,” the Governor said.
Regarding Bradwood Landing, federal statute and case law require FERC to issue a supplemental DEIS when there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns about a proposed project. The public must also be provided an opportunity to comment on the new information.
In addition to the new Oregon Department of Energy report regarding need and supply of natural gas, the state of Oregon found the project proposal for siting has substantially changed in four respects:
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The DEIS recommended that all ships use 'screened water intakes.' However, Bradwood Landing officials now state that not all ships will use these intakes. The impacts of unscreened intakes on threatened or endangered salmon must be evaluated in a supplemental DEIS.
- Bradwood Landing officials have recently acknowledged that the routes of the associate pipelines are expected to change. Changes could have different environmental, public safety and economic effects.
- The state of Oregon has learned that the deposit of dredge spoils will now be placed entirely at the facility site, not elsewhere in Wahkiakum County as proposed in the DEIS.
- Oregon has also learned that the regasification system may be altered to allow open regasification. This change will result in increased amounts of wastewater discharged in the Columbia River. The effects on fish are unknown and need to be evaluated.
To read the Governor's letter to FERC requesting a supplemental DEIS as well as submitting the DOE report, click here.
To read the complete DOE report, click here.
Contacts:
Anna Richter Taylor, 503-378-6169
Rem Nivens, 503-378-6496
Jillian Schoene, 503-378-5040
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