By a vote of 4-1, the Clatsop County (Ore.) Commission last Thursday tentatively approved the
consolidated zoning application that will allow the construction of the Bradwood Landing LNG
terminal. Parent company NorthernStar Natural Gas has worked with county, state and federal
officials for more than two years on the siting of the facility on land that formerly housed a lumber
mill, town and deep-water port.
"The construction and operation of the Bradwood Landing terminal will bring good jobs to Clatsop
County, but more importantly will help secure a more stable energy future for Oregon and
Washington," said Paul Soanes, president of NorthernStar Natural Gas. "We greatly appreciate the time and considerable effort the commissioners and their staff put into reviewing our application and look forward to working with them as we move forward on our project."
Based on the County Commission's vote Thursday, NorthernStar Natural Gas will work with the county to prepare findings consistent with the board's discussion for final approval at a subsequent meeting of the County Commission.
Without additional supplies of natural gas--either through LNG or additional pipelines from supply
areas such as Canada, the U.S. Rockies or the Gulf of Mexico--the Pacific Northwest would likely
experience spikes in natural gas prices in the coming years. Importing gas via LNG directly into the region at Bradwood would insulate the regional economy from the ripple effects of higher energy costs, boost regional employment and be a boon to Clatsop County.
The construction of Bradwood Landing would create 450 jobs over three years and, once completed, would create 65 permanent jobs at the facility and associated maritime trades with wages averaging $60,000 per year (more than twice the current average wage in Clatsop County). In addition, the Bradwood terminal would pay more than $7.8 million annually in property taxes to the county.
NorthernStar's Salmon Enhancement Initiative would ensure that the project creates a net benefit
for the ecology of the Lower Columbia River and represents the largest private financial
commitment to watershed restoration on the Columbia. The Salmon Enhancement Initiative would provide up to $59 million over the life of the project for watershed and critical habitat restoration.
Public comment on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's draft Environmental Impact
Statement for Bradwood Landing is open through Dec. 24. FERC staff will then respond to all of
the comments it has received before issuing its final Environmental Impact Statement.
Additionally, Bradwood will continue to work with Oregon natural resource agencies for related
state permits.
