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Guest Opinion: Time for Oregon to end all work on LNG project Sunday Dec 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Deb Evans and Ron Schaaf On Dec. 9, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission confirmed its denial of the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline and the Jordan Cove LNG Export Terminal, delivering a fatal blow to the proposed project. FERC was clear in its denial that “Pacific Connector failed to demonstrate a need for the project sufficient to outweigh the potential harm to the economic interests of landowners whose property rights might be taken by exercise of the right of eminent domain.” The process for the Pacific Connector pipeline has been continuing for over a decade, first as an import project and then as an export project after it became clear the U.S. no longer needed imported natural gas. During this entire time hundreds of Oregon landowners along the 232-mile pipeline route have been dramatically affected in their ability to develop, sell or otherwise make any decisions regarding their property because of uncertainty about the pipeline and the potential for an eminent domain action. Katherine Clark is a case in point. The pipeline has disturbed her life plans for over eight years. Katherine is a widow who has lived the past 50 years just south of Klamath Falls in the house her late husband built. At 78, she is ready to sell her home and 56 acres of crop and pasture land to retire closer to her grandkids. Unfortunately, the planned pipeline route bisects a second homesite already permitted by the county and runs through her prime crop land. “This is my whole retirement here,” she says, and has put off selling because the pipeline cloud over the property affects a sale at market value. Richard Rust of Douglas County spent $6,000 to carve off 90 acres of his property and obtain a permit for a ridgetop homesite. A buyer was lined up, but the deal fell through when it was learned the pipeline would cross the ridgeline through the homesite. These are just two examples of the financial sacrifices landowners have been forced to make at the expense of the pipeline company and government permitting entities. While FERC’s denial gives hope that the uncertainty will soon be over, the project is not completely dead. The company announced it intends to submit a completely new application sometime in the future, giving no relief to Katherine Clark or the hundreds of other landowners held hostage to Jordan Cove’s speculative risk-taking. As affected landowners, we agree with recent editorials published in The World, Coos Bay’s newspaper, and the Mail Tribune, where the basic message was: Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector had their chance for more than a decade, now it’s time to move on. It is fundamentally wrong to threaten landowners with eminent domain so a private corporation can profit, especially when that private company is a foreign entity intending to export Canadian gas to foreign countries. Military veteran Frank Adams’ property is nestled in Douglas County’s picturesque Camas Valley and sits in the path of the pipeline. Frank is clear he did not risk his life in Vietnam to have his property rights threatened by a foreign corporation. After 10-plus years, landowners need this project to finally die. We need to get on with attending to our property without the threat of eminent domain and the dangerous risks of a 36-inch, high-pressure gas pipeline near our homes. The state of Oregon plays a key role in this project by processing various required permits including removal-fill, clean water and a supporting power plant. Gov. Kate Brown repeatedly defers to state permitting agencies and will not engage with the process as Oregon’s governor. State agencies continue to process permits even after FERC issued their initial project denial in March 2016, while the federal agencies suspended their involvement. We are emphatic that with no certificate of public convenience and necessity and no order from FERC granting permission for the project to go forward, this project is dead. We are calling on all implicated state agencies to immediately and formally dismiss any and all pending actions in light of the FERC decision. FERC made the right decision and followed its own policy statements. The state must now move on, focusing resources, energy and taxpayer dollars on creating jobs and sustainable economic development that does not hinge on taking land from hundreds of private citizens. Rejecting it permanently will benefit the affected landowners and all Oregonians, ensuring that a risky and ill-conceived terminal and pipeline project will not threaten our private property rights, our water, our safety or our environment. Landowners deserve no less after 10-plus years of uncertainty. — This guest opinion is co-signed by Bob Barker, Stacey and Craig McLaughlin, Deb Evans, Ron Schaaf, Francis Eatherington and John Clark — all affected landowners who filed two letters to FERC that were cited in the March 11, 2016 denial and the Dec. 9 decision to deny rehearing.