Tuesday, March 15, 2016

U.S. Energy Regulator Denies Oregon LNG/LucadiaWarrenton, Oregon)Company’s Applications For LNG Export Terminal, Pipeline


- Alberta Oil Magazine - http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com 

U.S. energy regulator denies Calgary company’s applications for LNG export terminal, pipeline


The U.S. federal energy regulator has denied an application by a subsidiary of a Calgary company for the construction and operation of a natural gas pipeline and LNG export terminal on the Oregon coast.
In May 2013, Jordan Cove Energy Project, a wholly owned subsidiary of Calgary-based Versen, applied to build and operate an LNG export facility in Coos Bay, Oregon. Less than a month later,  Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, which is owned equally by Jordan Cove and a subsidiary of the Williams Companies, applied to build and operate 373 kilometres of pipeline for transporting natural gas from Malin, Oregon to the proposed Jordan Cove terminal, where it would be liquefied, stored and loaded onto transpacific tankers. Together, the projects would be capable of producing 6.8 million tonnes of LNG each year using western Canadian and U.S. natural gas.
On Friday, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied Pacific Connector’s application on the grounds that the benefits of the project to the public did not outweigh the potential adverse impacts. The commission asserts that Pacific Connector has demonstrated “little or no evidence of need for” the pipeline.
Similarly, the commission ruled that, without a pipeline connecting the Jordan Cove LNG terminal to a source of natural gas, the benefits to the public would not outweigh the potential adverse impacts that would arise from the construction of the facility.
“Clearly, we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the FERC decision,” said Don Althoff, president and CEO of Veresen, in a statement. “The FERC appears to be concerned that we have not yet demonstrated sufficient commercial support for the projects. We will continue to advance negotiations with customers to address this concern.”
The companies will request a rehearing of the decision.

Article printed from Alberta Oil Magazine: http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com
URL to article: http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2016/03/us-energy-regulator-denies-calgary-company-application-for-lng-terminal-pipeline/

Monday, March 14, 2016

Clatsop County department of Public Health says...".We think we got the Flue"


Clatsop County Department of Public Health has become aware that many students throughout the county are absent because of influenza like illnesses. The Health Department is investigating the situation. From the information we have at this point, it appears that a large number of illnesses might be caused by influenza or “flu”.

What is flu? Flu is a contagious respiratory illness that is caused by a virus. It is thought to be spread by droplets made when people cough, sneeze or talk. It is also possible to transmit flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it, and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. The average incubation period for flu is 2 days but can range between 1-4 days. Those with flu can infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.

Symptoms: body aches, cough, fever (100 ºF or higher), sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, feeling very tired, vomiting or diarrhea. Not everyone that has flu has all of these symptoms.

How serious is it? The severity of flu is unpredictable and can vary from person to person. Certain people are at a higher risk of complications from flu. These include young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease) and the elderly. Complications can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infection, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions.

Prevention:  The flu vaccine is the best way to protect you and those around you.  The vaccine is proving to be 60% effective protecting against this year’s circulating strains of the virus.  It’s important for everyone 6 months and older to receive the vaccine.  It takes 2 weeks before the vaccine will be fully protective.  It’s never too late to get the vaccine.

If you think your child has the flu, the following will help you and help prevent others from getting sick:

·     Stay home when sick. Maintain distance from other people to prevent the spread of illness
·     Don’t return to work or school for 24 hours after fever has resolved without the aid of fever reducing medicines (e.g., Advil or Tylenol)
·     Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
·     Wash hands often with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also helpful in reducing the spread of the flu.
·     Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. Wash hands after blowing the nose or coughing into a tissue and dispose of tissues after use.
·     Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent the spread of germs.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance, please contact the Clatsop County Department of Public Department Communicable Disease Control Program at 503-325-8500

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied applications from Jordan Cove

By Ted Sickinger| The Oregonian/OregonLive Email the author | Follow on Twitter on March 11, 2016 at 7:05 PM, updated March 11, 2016 at 7:59 PM

tsickinger@oregonian.com 503‑221‑8505; @tedsickinger ‑ Oregonian/Oregon Live reporter Kelly House contributed to this story
In a decision that stunned supporters and critics alike, federal regulators Friday rejected plans for a massive liquefied natural gas export terminal in Coos Bay, saying applicants had not demonstrated any need for the facility. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied applications from the Calgary‑based energy company Veresen Inc. and its pipeline collaborator, the Williams Partners, to locate the Jordan Cove Energy Project in the Southern Oregon coastal town, as well as a feeder pipeline that would have stretched halfway across the state. Regulators said they were required to balance the need for any project against any adverse impacts it would have on landowners or the environment. The need for Jordan Cove was based entirely on demand for natural gas from customers in Asia, and with those markets in upheaval, Jordan Cove's backers have yet to demonstrate that the demand exists. Regulators noted that Veresen and Williams had signed no formal contracts to sell the terminal and pipeline capacity, and had not even held a successful "open‑season" process to demonstrate informal interest in the facility. Meanwhile, the companies had been unable to negotiate easements with more than 90 percent of 630 landowners along the 232‑ mile pipeline route, and would have required the widespread use of eminent domain to secure the necessary rights of way. The commissioners noted the landowners' concerns with land devaluation, loss of revenue and harm to business operations, including timber, agriculture and oyster harvesting. "Because the record does not support a finding that the public benefits of the Pacific Connector Pipeline outweigh the adverse effects on landowners, we deny Pacific Connector's request...to construct and operate the pipeline," the commission's order said. Without a pipeline, it was impossible to demonstrate any public benefit to the LNG terminal, so the commission denied that application. too. Friday's rejection came with a caveat: The two companies are free to reapply in the future, and the commission would consider their plans if they can demonstrate "a market need" for their product. The decision was a stunner for all involved, from the project's backers to property rights and environmental groups who have fought the plan since it was it first proposed as a gas import facility more than a decade ago. "Clearly, we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the FERC decision," said Don Althoff, chief executive of Veresen, which has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the project. "The FERC appears to be concerned that we have not yet demonstrated sufficient commercial support for the projects. We will continue to advance negotiations with customers to address this concern." The company said Jordan Cove LNG and Pacific Connector will file a request for a rehearing of the decision. Feds reject Jordan Cove LNG terminal 3/14/2016 Feds reject Jordan Cove LNG terminal | OregonLive.com http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2016/03/feds_deny_jordan_cove_lng_term.html 2/2 Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy © 2016 Oregon Live LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Oregon Live LLC. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Contact interactivity management. Ad Choices Even Gov. Kate Brown's office received no early word about the rejection. Brown has taken no formal position on the controversial project, though her predecessor had expressed support. "We are currently reviewing the denial order internally and with the Oregon Department of Justice," a spokesman told The Oregonian/Oregonlive when asked about Brown's reaction. Opponents, meanwhile, were thrilled. They have fought the project since 2004, when it was proposed as an import facility to supplement what were supposedly dwindling domestic gas supplies. Backers switched the project to an export facility after North American gas production soared with the advent of hydraulic fracturing. "This has been 12 years of my life," said Jody McCaffree, a North Bend resident who formed the advocacy group Citizen's Against LNG to take on the. "It gives you a bit of faith that sometimes the people can win with perseverance and hard work, even though you're up against astronomical odds and deep pockets." "I'm ecstatic," said John Clarke, a landowner in Winston whose rural property was bisected by the pipeline route. "I don't know what to do. Jump in the air?" The LNG terminal, its 232‑mile feeder pipeline and a natural gas‑fired power plant were expected to cost some $7.5 billion. Supporters expected thousands of construction jobs, 150 permanent positions and an ongoing flow of taxes and fees to a corner of the state that has been down on its luck for decades. Building the pipeline would affect nearly 160 miles of private lands and the more than 600 landowners. A proposal for a separate LNG terminal at the mouth of the Columbia River also hit a new stumbling block last week, when a lawyer for the city of Warrenton denied the Oregon LNG company's application for a permit to build the facility. Clatsop County has also denied permits for the feeder pipeline proposed to serve that project, which throws into doubt its ability to secure state land use approvals. And the project is mired in a dispute over its lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ‑‑ Ted Sickinger

Sunday, March 13, 2016

After Trump endorsement, NASCAR leader faces the fallout

After Trump endorsement, NASCAR leader faces the fallout


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — When Brian France came out in support of Donald Trump for president, the chairman and chief executive of NASCAR thought of it as nothing more than a "routine endorsement."
He's been dealing with the fallout ever since.
France's decision to personally back the front-runner for the Republican nomination has roiled a sport his family built from the ground up. It's threatened a decade of work to broaden NASCAR's appeal among minorities, upset one of the most powerful teams in the sport and risked a break with the corporate sponsors that are its financial lifeblood.
"I was, frankly, very surprised, that my diversity efforts for my whole career would have been called into question over this, in my view, a routine endorsement," France said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press.
France acknowledged he's had to have conversations with sponsors since making the endorsement, which came as NASCAR is seeking a new main sponsor for its top series.
"I made a few phone calls and clarified some things," he said. "That kind of goes with the territory."
France's appearance at a Trump rally the day before last week's Super Tuesday elections fit with the sport's history of occasionally blending politics with the action at the track. His grandfather, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., endorsed George Wallace for president. The organization's all-time winningest driver, Richard Petty, celebrated his 200th victory with President Ronald Reagan and ran for statewide office in North Carolina in the 1990s.
France told the AP on Wednesday he backed Barack Obama in 2008 and actively participated in the campaign, shifting his support to Mitt Romney four years later.
"I supported Obama. I went to his rallies. I parted with my hard-earned money. There was a movement going on, and I was really thrilled with the idea of the first African-American president," he said. "I did the same for Mitt Romney. In both of those cases, I have never agreed with all of their policies."
But Trump is a candidate unlike others in recent memory, a businessman and TV celebrity drawing criticism for the racial undertones of his rhetoric and policies. The billionaire has called immigrants from Mexico rapists and drug dealers, has vowed to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally and seeks to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country.
Trump has also earned the explicit or implicit backing of a slew of white nationalist leaders, including former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has compared his language to that of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
It's into that cauldron that France inserted himself and his sport — without knowing all of what Trump has proposed, he said.
"I don't even know all their policies, truthfully," France said. He said he likes Trump's "business approach" and his status as a Washington outsider. He also cited the electricity around the Trump campaign and a friendship with one of Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr., that dates back nearly two decades.
"I'm not supporting him for all of his views, or his immigration views," France said. "I happen to be very enamored by the excitement he's brought and the voter turnout that it is creating."
That excitement is what got driver Chase Elliott into a jam just two weeks into his new job at Hendrick Motorsports, where he's taking the place of retired superstar Jeff Gordon. The son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, the rookie has been cast as the sport's next superstar.
To the surprise of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, France was joined by Elliott at the Trump rally in Georgia where he offered his endorsement. At 20, Elliott has yet to vote in his first presidential election. Trump called Elliott to the microphone, and the young driver stumbled through a few remarks before sheepishly joining his father and the rest of the NASCAR contingent off to the side.
A person familiar with the situation told the AP that Elliott, intrigued by the election process, agreed to an invitation from NASCAR to fly on a NASCAR plane to the Trump event in Elliott's home state. It never occurred to him to give his team or sponsors a heads-up, the person said, and Elliott realized he was in over his head when he began receiving heavy criticism on social media.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity, because the person was not authorized to discuss the details of Elliott's involvement.
While France does not regret his own participation in the Trump rally, he does feel badly for Elliott. "You never want to see anybody get their true positions distorted in the way that has happened," France said.
France is also trying to protect his record on diversity. He said NASCAR has spent "tens of millions of dollars" on a program aimed at boosting the participation of minorities in the sport. That program includes Japanese-American driver Kyle Larson, who competes in the top-level Sprint Cup, and Darrell Wallace Jr., a driver in the second-tier Xfinity Series who is black and who came up through NASCAR's diversity program.
NASCAR has also invested heavily in developing Mexican driver Daniel Suarez, who has risen to the Xfinity Series and currently leads its standings. Some of Suarez's current corporate backing comes from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Domit, whose family's TV production company cut ties with Trump last year after the real estate mogul announced his signature plan to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.
Asked about France's endorsement last week, Suarez told reporters: "I think Brian can do everything he wants on his own, but NASCAR is different. I'm in NASCAR, I'm not in Brian France, whatever."
Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of Camping World, the longtime title sponsor of NASCAR's third-tier Truck Series, wrote an open letter to NASCAR last year saying his company would boycott the season-ending banquets if they returned to a Trump-owned property. After France's endorsement of Trump, the Lebanese-born Lemonis wrote on Twitter: "There is no place for politics/any political endorsements in any business. Your customers and employees should have their own mind. #period."
France's efforts to quell criticism over what he insists was a "personal and private" decision have also been complicated by Trump's continued mentioning of how he's received "NASCAR's endorsement."
On Monday, at a North Carolina campaign rally not far from Charlotte Motor Speedway and the headquarters of many top NASCAR teams, Trump was ebullient in describing his backing from the sport. "You know, I just had a visitor backstage. NASCAR endorsed Trump, can you believe that?" he told the crowd.
Except it wasn't NASCAR that made the endorsement. It was France.
"We talked to the campaign about the endorsement that I made, versus the sport, and it's hard to get that perfectly right all the time," France said.
Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump's campaign, said in a statement that he spoke broadly because the "endorsement is from the great Brian France, in addition to several NASCAR drivers."
In a company-wide email sent last week to all his employees, France reiterated that NASCAR has never had a policy prohibiting employees or competitors from participating in politics, but said that could change in the future.
He told the AP on Wednesday he understands that his endorsement can be viewed as one that comes from NASCAR itself.
"I understand that the family is closely linked with NASCAR. ... We've just always, you've seen politicians come to tracks, and it varies, some Democrats, some are Republicans, all have policies we do and don't agree with," he said.
___

Follow Jenna Fryer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/JennaFryer

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Trump University plaintiff seeks to withdraw from lawsuit

Trump University plaintiff seeks to withdraw from lawsuit

Associated Press 

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tarla Makaeff has had enough of Donald Trump after spending six years fighting him in court.

The Southern California yoga instructor wants to withdraw from a federal class-action lawsuit that says Trump University fleeced students with an empty promise to teach them real estate. Her lawyers said the Republican presidential front-runner and his team have put her "through the wringer" and made the prospect of a trial unbearable. A judge will consider the request Friday, four days before Florida and Ohio hold their primaries.

Trump's attorneys say the lawsuit should be dismissed if Makaeff is allowed to withdraw, arguing that their trial strategy centers on her. They deposed her four times and identify her as "the critical witness" in a court filing.

Makaeff's attorneys say Trump's argument that their client is indispensable to the billionaire's defense "is illogical to the point of being nearly incomprehensible." They note the judge allowed two plaintiffs to withdraw last year; three others would remain.

The tussle in one of three lawsuits against Trump University comes as the case nears trial, possibly this summer. A trial date has not been set, but a final pretrial conference is scheduled for May 6 and Trump appears on a list of defense witnesses who may testify at trial.

The lawsuit has figured prominently in the presidential campaign, fueled by legal filings and Trump's statements. In depositions that took place in December and January and were released last week, Trump acknowledged that he never met instructors whom his marketing described as hand-picked, and that some unqualified candidates had "slipped through the cracks."

The Better Business Bureau said Tuesday that it rated Trump University a D- in 2010, which improved to A+ by January 2015 as the business appeared to wind down and older complaints automatically rolled off its books.

Makaeff attended a three-day "Fast Track to Foreclosure" workshop for $1,495 in 2008 and later enrolled in the "Trump Gold Elite" program for $34,995, spending a total of about $60,000 on seminars in a year, her attorneys say. In April 2010, she sued in San Diego federal court.

Trump sued for defamation, seeking $1 million. Makaeff prevailed on appeal, and a judge last year ordered Trump to pay $798,779 in her legal fees.

Trump and his attorneys are trying to frame much of their case around Makaeff, saying she gave instructors high marks in surveys after the courses.

"The reason they want her out of the case is she is a horrible, horrible witness. She's got in writing that she loves it. And I could have settled it and when I saw her documentation ... Why would I give her money? Probably should have settled it, but I just can't do that. Mentally I can't do it. I'd rather spend a lot more money and fight it," Trump said at a rally in Arkansas last month, according to a transcript.

In last week's Republican debate, Trump said Makaeff wants to withdraw "because it's so bad for her."

"She simply did not put in the time, work, and perseverance necessary to achieve success," Trump's lawyers wrote the judge last month.

Makaeff's attorneys say the yoga instructor was unaware of Trump's "false advertising" when she filled out the surveys and didn't want to risk alienating anyone who might advance her career.

Makaeff didn't imagine she would be subjected to criticism under the glare of a presidential campaign, her attorneys say. She has been deposed for a total of nearly 16 hours and suffered anxiety about finances while Trump sued her for defamation.

"Understandably, Makaeff wants her life back without living in fear of being disparaged by Trump on national television," they wrote in a court filing last week.

Makaeff declined to comment through an attorney. In a statement to the court, she said she was grieving her mother's death.

"I am very concerned about the toll that the trial would take on my emotional and physical health and well-being," she wrote.

Trump has also addressed criticism of the lawsuit by pointing to the judge's ethnic background. Asked on "Fox News Sunday" last month what U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel's ethnicity has to do with the case, Trump replied: "I think it has to do perhaps with the fact that I'm very, very strong on the border, very, very strong at the border, and he has been extremely hostile to me."

Curiel, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and joined the bench in 2012, declined to comment on Trump's remarks.