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Other Views: Time to move on from LNG Saturday Dec 17, 2016 at 12:01 AM The (Coos Bay) World Judging from the reader comments on our Facebook page as of this weekend, there is apparently a change of attitude about the Jordan Cove Energy Project and its proposal to build a liquefied natural gas export plant here on Coos Bay. Rather than engaging in heated debate about progress and job growth versus environmental preservation and public safety, the whole back and forth following the latest news about the project is a collective “Meh.” The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finally put a stake through the heart of the current regulatory process on Friday by announcing that it would not consider a re-hearing on its original March 11 decision to deny permission to build a 234-mile-long interstate LNG pipeline and export terminal. Following FERC’s ruling Friday was a response by Don Althoff, President and CEO of Jordan Cove parent company, Calgary-based Veresen Inc.: “Veresen remains committed to this important energy infrastructure project. We are very disappointed by FERC’s decision, especially in light of the significant progress that has been made in demonstrating market support ...” Friday’s decision suggests otherwise. It said that the April 8 request for re-consideration was denied because the petitioners "failed to demonstrate the existence of 'extraordinary circumstances' that overcome the need for finality." In other words, it sounds like FERC got tired of waiting. And reader comments over the weekend suggest — so have we. We should not judge Veresen too harshly. It’s not like the company came in to our area and gave us something of value and then intentionally snatched it away. And over the years the company has distributed thousands of dollars in grants to the community and local public safety efforts. Bottom line, though, is that Veresen is a corporation, publicly owned and answerable to stockholders who want returns on investment. Jordan Cove isn’t paying out. So, despite the optimistic tone of the CEO, we’re starting to realize that we shouldn’t waste anymore time hoping and wishing and allowing ourselves to be disappointed over and over again. But last Friday offered us with an interesting juxtaposition of economic good and bad news. That afternoon’s release of the FERC decision was preceded by presentations that morning at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Economic Outlook Forum. And there is where we learned about all the other reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the economic future of the South Coast. We still have a rich and growing agriculture industry. Intermediate manufacturing is coming back, slowly but surely. Real estate markets are showing signs of recovery and new generations of mid-career professionals are slowly trickling in, attracted by the region’s natural beauty and relatively low cost of living. The health care industry continues to boom, and we have an educational resource in Southwestern Oregon Community College, building programs and facilities to meet the demand for training more people for that field and others. Economist Annette Shelton-Tiderman of the Oregon Employment Department said we are looking at about a 5-percent growth rate over the next 10 years. It’s a fairly slow pace but that gives businesses and communities structure and opportunities to plan ahead. And, during an entire morning of presentations by economic and business leaders, LNG was barely mentioned, and only then in passing. As state economists reminded us that morning, their official forecasts take into account what’s real now, not what’s promised. We believe that’s the perspective we should all share.