A gas pipeline explosion in Quebec and its aftermath
What was the next step from last week's post? A brief synopsis of the meeting was LNG bad, river good. Salmon spawning grounds will be jeopardized with anything placed on the river and with any displacement of the river bed or with the water and its temperature. All those who want to save the Columbia River from LNG corporations building along its banks must write to FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) stating, specifically, why they oppose the corporation and its placement of an LNG holding tank on the river. Bradwood Landing connotates a warm, fuzzy feeling that should not be used so everyone is encouraged to always refer to the site as the Bradwood Proposal or simply Northern Star. We say: envision the Landing (and the warm, fuzzy feeling it conjures up) engulfed in a flash of flames, the countryside of trees devastated all around, the local emergency crews unable to cope with the outcome of a incident of any magnitude.
This is not supposition, it is reality. It is concerns that the Department of Energy has written to FERC concerning LNG corporations building in remote areas, and specifically Bradwood, where emergency response teams are not adequate to respond to any degree should any sort of breech of safety arise.
Perplexing is that there are so many state departments that just don't have anything to do with one another. One state department can be concerned with one aspect while another, blithely unaware or apparently uncaring, issues permit after permit. The fact that the State of Oregon has issued water permits to Northern Star before it has been leased or sold any land, or permitted to build is a vexing problem. However, these permits have been issued. In order to counter those permits, what can and does need to happen next is that businesses need to write to FERC and let that agency know how they will be impacted should Northern Star be allowed to build at Bradwood.
The Coast Guard has written a letter that has gone unanswered by Northern Star regarding other ship traffic being totally limited when a tanker hauling LNG is on the river. On the average there will be three tankers per week on the river. This will curtail the cruise ship industry that many of our community businesses have recently committed themselves to during much of the year. A severely crippling effect that must be taken into consideration when Northern Star touts its numbers of bringing in $$ to the local economy. They do not bring an additional amount to the table. It is an either or, sadly, as the nature of the beast tends to knock the other income makers (mainly tourism through cruise ships and the fishing industry) out of the picture.
We would like the reader to understand that we do not have a vested interest in whether or not an LNG corporation comes in to Clatsop County. Northern Star people have a vested interest and they are not going to give you "both sides". We, frankly and forthrightly, do not see Northern Star's or any LNG corporation's side to putting a facility on the Columbia River except that they are in it for the money and it doesn't bring enough money to Clatsop County to make up for the damage done to the river, the potentially colossal damage done to salmon and sturgeon as well as the tourist industry.
The salmon project is a complete waste of time and money. From the studies done by Bonneville Power Administrations' own scientists these programs and projects do not restore the spawning grounds and hatcheries are a dismal failure in bringing back the salmon runs. We, frankly, need to get rid of the dams, but that is another day another fight another post. For now, we need to not even allow another mistake to happen much less then use 50 years trying to correct it.
To top it off, this is gas that is being imported from other countries when we aren't even using our own resources! Furthermore, this liquid gas, for which we are loosing our economy and our river is being changed and our fish our going extinct isn't even for us, it is for California! And inland! NONE of it stays local! We don't get special rates or discounts for taking the risks associated with hosting a energy plant which are targets as well as pipelines which have leaks and cause surrounding lands to be jeopardized with fireballs from mishaps.
You can contact local businesses and tell them about your concerns. Share with them how they need to contact FERC re their Environmental Concerns on the Bradwood Landing Project Docket #CP06-365 Magalie Roman Salas Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E.Washington, DC 20426. Businesses, at this point, are crucial to the process because they have a different perspective on the impact that having these tankers on our river will have to our environment and our economy. The businesses, locally, have only been told by Northern Star of the supposed benefits bought through its initial outlay to build the facility. Someone needs to tell them of the draw backs. The impacts that dredging will have on our river's ecology and the fish habitat that is already so desperately out of balance. The impact once tankers are on the river and the loss of cruise ships and fishing boats on the river so that the tankers are safe.
This is something you can do tonight to ensure our river, our community and our children have a safer and healthier tomorrow.
Perplexing is that there are so many state departments that just don't have anything to do with one another. One state department can be concerned with one aspect while another, blithely unaware or apparently uncaring, issues permit after permit. The fact that the State of Oregon has issued water permits to Northern Star before it has been leased or sold any land, or permitted to build is a vexing problem. However, these permits have been issued. In order to counter those permits, what can and does need to happen next is that businesses need to write to FERC and let that agency know how they will be impacted should Northern Star be allowed to build at Bradwood.
The Coast Guard has written a letter that has gone unanswered by Northern Star regarding other ship traffic being totally limited when a tanker hauling LNG is on the river. On the average there will be three tankers per week on the river. This will curtail the cruise ship industry that many of our community businesses have recently committed themselves to during much of the year. A severely crippling effect that must be taken into consideration when Northern Star touts its numbers of bringing in $$ to the local economy. They do not bring an additional amount to the table. It is an either or, sadly, as the nature of the beast tends to knock the other income makers (mainly tourism through cruise ships and the fishing industry) out of the picture.
We would like the reader to understand that we do not have a vested interest in whether or not an LNG corporation comes in to Clatsop County. Northern Star people have a vested interest and they are not going to give you "both sides". We, frankly and forthrightly, do not see Northern Star's or any LNG corporation's side to putting a facility on the Columbia River except that they are in it for the money and it doesn't bring enough money to Clatsop County to make up for the damage done to the river, the potentially colossal damage done to salmon and sturgeon as well as the tourist industry.
The salmon project is a complete waste of time and money. From the studies done by Bonneville Power Administrations' own scientists these programs and projects do not restore the spawning grounds and hatcheries are a dismal failure in bringing back the salmon runs. We, frankly, need to get rid of the dams, but that is another day another fight another post. For now, we need to not even allow another mistake to happen much less then use 50 years trying to correct it.
To top it off, this is gas that is being imported from other countries when we aren't even using our own resources! Furthermore, this liquid gas, for which we are loosing our economy and our river is being changed and our fish our going extinct isn't even for us, it is for California! And inland! NONE of it stays local! We don't get special rates or discounts for taking the risks associated with hosting a energy plant which are targets as well as pipelines which have leaks and cause surrounding lands to be jeopardized with fireballs from mishaps.
You can contact local businesses and tell them about your concerns. Share with them how they need to contact FERC re their Environmental Concerns on the Bradwood Landing Project Docket #CP06-365 Magalie Roman Salas Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E.Washington, DC 20426. Businesses, at this point, are crucial to the process because they have a different perspective on the impact that having these tankers on our river will have to our environment and our economy. The businesses, locally, have only been told by Northern Star of the supposed benefits bought through its initial outlay to build the facility. Someone needs to tell them of the draw backs. The impacts that dredging will have on our river's ecology and the fish habitat that is already so desperately out of balance. The impact once tankers are on the river and the loss of cruise ships and fishing boats on the river so that the tankers are safe.
This is something you can do tonight to ensure our river, our community and our children have a safer and healthier tomorrow.
1 comment:
New Years resolution: Today I am writing to my fav stores and asking them if they realize they are in the "zone" if there is a disaster on the river. Gimre's, Links and Riverside Pet are getting written letters today.
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