What does vibrant stencil art (watch video) and dense legal comments have in common? We use them both to protect the estuary from LNG.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/MnA-ckWHUEE[/youtube]
On Thursday, January 22, over 50 people gathered in Warrenton to learn more about the impacts of the Oregon LNG project on public safety and critical salmon habitat. With help from artist Janet Essley, participants in the meeting created new stenciled artwork to express their love of the estuary and their concerns about the Oregon LNG project. The event was the latest step in raising public awareness about the Oregon LNG project and the role local, state, and federal agencies can play in denying the destructive, polluting terminal and pipeline. 
At the same time, Riverkeeper submitted detailed legal comments drafted by our Staff Attorney, Lauren Goldberg, that describe why Oregon LNG’s project would violate environmental laws. Read our comments here if you want the full story. Your support powers our in-depth legal analysis, which preserves our right to appeal. Over two dozen fishing, landowner, community safety, and conservation organizations joined Riverkeeper on these comments.
Take a moment today to comment online and explain your concerns about Oregon LNG’s impact on salmon, water quality, habitat, and fishing. Click here to tell DEQ to deny Oregon LNG!
Riverkeeper, Agencies, and Tribes Identify Risk of LNG Terminal For Fish and Fishing
Already, Riverkeeper, key local and state agencies, and tribes have identified major problems with Oregon LNG’s proposal. These groups and agencies registered their concerns with the Army Corps of Engineers, which must decide whether to approve massive dredging in critical salmon habitat for the proposed terminal and pipeline. In its comments to the Corps, Riverkeeper commissioned an expert review of the proposed Oregon LNG terminal, which concluded, “…it is clear that construction and operation of the proposed OLNG project would negatively impact ESA-listed salmonids of a variety of species and life stages throughout the entire year.”[i] Riverkeeper is not alone in raising concerns about Oregon LNG. In comments to the Corps, the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) summarized Oregon LNG’s impact by stating, “The proposed project will impact limited and fragmented habitats and ongoing salmon recovery efforts.” CREST continued by explaining that the site of the proposed Oregon LNG terminal would be more appropriately used for salmon restoration, writing, “The entire peninsula has a high potential for restoration, is close to the mouth of the Columbia River, and is hydrologically connected to ongoing restoration work in the Skipanon River, Youngs Bay, and Youngs Bay tributaries.”
Not only would the project harm salmon habitat, but it also presents a risk to a vibrant local fishing industry. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) identified major potential disruptions to local commercial and sports fishing because of exclusion zones required for LNG tankers to keep LNG export tankers safe. ODFW stated:,“the application does not adequately characterize the potential for substantial disruption of this socially and economically important fishery during construction and operation of the marine terminal complex. For instance, this fishery experienced 107,700 angler trips in 2014 with a combined catch of nearly 84,500 salmon.” Because the Oregon LNG project could disrupt access for fishers and other boaters in the Warrenton area, several fishing groups also urged the Corps to deny the Oregon LNG proposal.
Upcoming Opportunities to Make Your Voice Heard About Oregon LNG
Oregonians and Washingtonians are saying No to LNG, and Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) should do the same! In the next few weeks, DEQ is seeking our input on Oregon LNG’s controversial proposal to decimate salmon habitat in the Columbia River for its LNG export terminal and pipeline.
We had great turnout in at the DEQ meetings in Warrenton and Vernonia on January 27 and 29. See Daily Astorian coverage. We urge local activists to attend upcoming meetings to demonstrate your opposition and urge DEQ to conduct a detailed, independent review of Oregon LNG. Dates for future meetings to be announced.
Oregon LNG cannot build its destructive, polluting terminal and gas pipeline without approvals from DEQ. We need your voice in persuading DEQ to deny Oregon LNG – make that happen by submitting your comment today.
[i] Review of the draft Biological Assessment and Essential Fish Habitat Assessment for Proposed Oregon LNG Terminal Project. Richard Williams, PhD. Clear Creek Consulting. January 8, 2015.
