The LNG Public Protection ActMoving forward!
The LNG Public Protection Act was formally introduced yesterday.
The bill number is HB 2015. This is the number you should refer to when asking you legislators to support the bill.
Chief sponsors of the bill are Rep. Riley and Sen. Prozanski.
Co-sponsors include: Rep. Bailey, Rep. Barker, Rep. Barnhart, Rep. Buckley, Rep. Boone, Rep. Dembrow, Rep. Greenlick, Rep. Harker, Rep. Shields, Rep. Tomei, Rep. Weidner, Sen. Rosenbaum and Sen. Walker.
Please thank the co-sponsors, especially if they are from your district.
Please contact your Rep and Senator and ask them to support the bill.
Next steps: The bill will go to committee and there will be a public hearing on the bill during the next month or so.
What the bill does: HB 2015 is a common sense bill that says that we should not give away state land and water rights unless there is a need for LNG in Oregon.
Specifically, the bill states:
Prior to issuing state water rights, removal/fill permits or granting state land leases for LNG terminals and LNG-related pipelines, the Oregon Department of Energy is required to conduct a needs assessment to determine whether there is a significant need in Oregon for LNG that cannot be filled by North American sources of natural gas.
The price of natural gas derived from LNG will not exceed the price of natural gas from North American sources the operation of the LNG terminal is consistent with Oregon’s strategies to address climate change.
The bill also requires that LNG terminals and related pipelines have no adverse impact to beneficial uses including but not limited to fishing, recreation, agriculture and wildlife.
DEQ would apply this stronger standard protection in their permitting process for pollution discharge permits and water quality certification.
For more info: Brett VandenHeuvel, Executive Director, Columbia Riverkeeper
724 Oak Street, Hood River, OR 97103
phone: 503-348-2436, fax: 541-387-3029
bv@columbiariverkeeper.org
No comments:
Post a Comment