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Some clarity is needed regarding the timing of the recent NorthernStar Natural Gas decision to "suspend" its Bradwood LNG application.

In February of this year, Oregon DEQ repeated its request to NorthernStar for detailed information about how the construction and operation of the terminal would change the Columbia's water velocity, turbidity and temperature during spring and late summer, when salmon are migrating.  DEQ requested this data by May 7, 2010 or the permit would likely be denied.

NorthernStar's response was to not provide the needed data, and to issue demands that DEQ either drop its request for three-dimensional modeling of the river or approve a conditional certificate, with additional studies to come later.

Of course the ultimate response was NorthernStar "suspending" its application on May 4 and declaring bankruptcy on May 7.  And to blame regulatory delays and the permitting process.

LNG and all its pipelines are not needed in Oregon and it is curious that corporate representatives think they can acquire the necessary permits without performing environmental analyses based on solid science. 

Then again, maybe the analyses were performed - with the resulting data interpretations clearly dooming the application.

posted 3 years ago
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