Natural Gas Attack Helicopter? The Winners In Cheap Natural Gas

By Christian A. DeHaemer - Energy & Capital - Friday, August 27th, 2010

We're now at the time of year when kids start dreading going back to school, moms dream of free time during the day, and granddads pick a weekend to winterize the boat or shutter the cabin.

Us resource guys, however, think about buying natural gas for the annual winter price boost.
But this year the markets aren’t buying it.

On Wednesday, the Energy Information Agency (EIA) came out with a bearish report.
Last week, the price of natural gas fell as much as $1.36 per million Btu; after the report, prices fell to $3.77 — dipping well below $4 for the first time since May.

The government report stated:
Natural gas in storage totaled 3,052 billion cubic feet (Bcf) as of August 20, about 6 percent above the 5-year (2005-2009) average.

The implied net injection for the week was 40 Bcf, significantly below historical injections for the week.

Read Full Article

Approved With Conditions!!!! - Oregon LNG/Pipeline Gets Hearings Officer Approval

And The Red On The Map? High Danger/No Pipeline Zone And OLNG/Pipeline Seems To Be All Over It!





Access The Complete Report For Your Own Review

Warrenton Wal-Mart: An Update

From: Jessica Hoch - Oregon Business - August 13, 2010

Residents of the small coastal town of Warrenton, roughly 4,500 people, found out a Wal-Mart would be coming to town when it was initially reported in the fall of 2009.

Just about a year later the process hasn’t moved at all, and Oregon Business still gets comments both positive and negative, curious as to the progress of the store.

People at Wal-Mart say the Warrenton store is coming; they’re just not sure when.“It’s hard to say which store will open next because it’s just hard to know in Oregon,” said Restivo.

Jessica Hoch is an online reporter for Oregon Business.

G.O.P. Ten Commandments Or...Regan's Unity Principle For Support Of Candidates?

GRP: So it is, you waver from this path, display any individuality from strict variance in compliance, you, as a candidate are just plain out of the game? Is this what all this hard-core Tea Party noise is about an all-out mandate to save "Reaganism"? Is that why we in the Republican Party are being presented with candidates that cause us to ask..."Is this the best we can do?"..."Newt Gingrich for God's sake?"... Have we not learned a damned thing?

Proposed RNC Resolution on Reagan’s Unity Principle for Support of Candidates

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee identifies ten (10) key public policy positions for the 2010 election cycle, which the Republican National Committee expects its public officials and candidates to support:
(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s "stimulus" bill;
(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) We support workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check; RNC RESOLUTION ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF CANDIDATES 2
(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
(7) We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;
(8) We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
(9) We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
(10) We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership; and be further
RESOLVED, that a candidate who disagrees with three or more of the above stated public policy position of the Republican National Committee, as identified by the voting record, public statements and/or signed questionnaire of the candidate, shall not be eligible for financial support and endorsement by the Republican National Committee; and be further
RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, as they become known, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.
Chief Sponsor:
James Bopp, Jr. NCM IN
Sponsors:
Donna Cain NCW OR
Cindy Costa NCW SC
Demetra Demonte NCW IL
Peggy Lambert NCW TN
Carolyn McLarty NCW OK
Pete Rickets NCM NE
Steve Scheffler NCM IA
Helen Van Etten NCW KA

America: Are We Getting What We Wished For?

The New Colossus
By Emma Lazarus, 1883
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles.

From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips.

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

From The Editor: Daily Astorian - Boat Mapping Will Become A Magnet

Stephen Forrester - The Daily Astorian
Saturday, August 07, 2010
8/2/2010 12:09:00 PM

Maritime Museum, Community College and Park Service build a new venture!!!

GRP:Boatwright (plural boatwrights)
A maker of boats, especially of traditional wooden construction.

Using technology to preserve "The Art Of A Craft"?

Hoorah!, Hoorah! Hoorah!

Now, how do we perpetuate "The Craft" of Wood Boat Building itself for our future?

How many are left in our community on the Lower Columbia with this unique skill that can pass it on to others?

How do we Pool those resources to teach this skill to others to save it?

Rolf Klep was a visionary. He founded the Columbia River Maritime Museum almost a half century ago. But Klep likely would be surprised at the technology behind the three-dimensional mapping of boats that's under way at the Maritime Museum. Katie Wilson reported that story last Tuesday.

Read Stephen Forrester's Editorial

Astoria: "22"

The number of empty storefronts counted from 8th Street to the empty Mini-Mart at Mill Pond Village on a recent early evening drive through downtown.

What Downtown Main Street Can Learn From "The Mall"

Steve Lagerfeld - The Atlantic Online.com

A guided tour with a landscape architect and retailing specialist who believes that shopping malls -- vilify them though we might -- can offer moribund cities what they desperately need: practical lessons in the psychology of commerce

Read Full Article

Andy Jordan? Port of Astoria Legal Counsel?

And this would be the same Andy Jordan we saw up on the Liberty Theater stage advising and doing the "Legal Guiding" of the, then, sitting Lee County Commission's initial hearings and deliberating of the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG Receiving Terminal and has been in on it since?

And now, here he and his firm are, the new, official, Legal Counsel f0r The Port of Astoria with Oregon LNG/Pipeline hearings and delibeations on the horizon with Clatsop County and City of Warrenton and we all know, contrary to how stupid the folks at PofA assume we are, that, that agency will not be immune from those discussions and with Jordan advising offers some concern in my view.

Wonder if Jordan's firm came up with the "Hearings Officer" concept for County and Warrenton to relieve the sitting members of both commissions the accountability of making another historic spontaneous and knowledgeable decision on what they were elected to do in the first place and then, who oversees the validity of the hearings officers decisions without the inevitable appeals and protracted battles especially when Clatsop County Planning Staff Recommends denial of the OLNG Pipeline project right off the top?

Astoria Ancestries

Ancestries: German (17.1%), Irish (13.9%), English (13.0%), United States (6.5%), Norwegian (5.9%), Scottish (5.8%).Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Astoria-Oregon.html#ixzz0unszh1Nw

Feds Paid "Dead" People's Electric Bills With Stimulus Money From Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program !!

Jul 1, 2010 1:31 pm US/Eastern

WASHINGTON DC - (CBS4)

It was designed to help poor families heat and cool their homes, but an audit of the federal program that provided more than $100 million went to pay electric bills of thousands of applicants who were dead, in prison or living in million-dollar mansions.

GRP: "The investigation found HHS paid thousands of dollars to people who were obviously ineligible for the program.
HHS paid $3.9 million to 11,000 applicants who used the identities of dead people.
HHS paid $370,000 to 725 applicants who were in prison.
HHS paid $671,000 to about 1,100 people who made more than the maximum income to qualify for the program. New Jersey paid $3,200 to a nursing home on behalf of eight patients after the home's director applied for assistance. The patients' nursing home care was already paid by Medicaid."
Can we even fathom the potential, once "The American Doctor" gets the gist of how to work "The System, of abuse of a "National Health Plan", once implemented?

Read Full Article

GOP Congressmen Not Rushing To Join Tea Party Caucus

New York News And Features
Daily Intel - Dan Amira - 07/20/2010 10:29AM

If the new House Tea Party Caucus held a meet-and-greet this afternoon, it would consist of Minnesota's Michele Bachmann and Indiana's Mike Pence drinking punch and making awkward small talk while frequently glancing at the door for more arrivals.

Read Full Article

New GRP Straw Poll: Should DUII Cases Be Tried In Astoria Municipal Court Or Circuit Court?

Vote on Poll in Left Sidebar

A Look At Pre-Northern Star Bradwood Landing!

"We take the following facts from the Court of Appeals' opinion and also from the record:
"Plaintiff is a construction and development company owned by Ken Leahy and his wife. Defendant is a ship-repair company based in Portland. Ken Leahy and two partners own a tract of land adjacent to the Columbia River known as the Bradwood property. The Bradwood property consists of 270 acres of forest land and 32 acres of marine industrial land."

GRP:Who is it linked Leahy with NSNG on the property and caused all this mass and coordinated blindness in Lower Columbia River community leadership to attempt to perpetrate this scheme against its citizens?

You Read It!
Then, There's The BRADWOOD PROJECT...Read This One!

Kitzhaber: Natural Gas, Not The LNG Process, Is Our Future

7/19/2010 11:38:00 AM

By PATRICK WEBB - The Daily Astorian

John Kitzhaber believes natural gas is a much-needed transition fuel while Oregon embraces other sources, but he is wary of liquefied natural gas.

Read And Watch Full Daily Astortian Report

LNG Opponents Appeal Oregon LNG Skipanon Lease To DSL

7/7/2010 11:50:00 AM

LNG opponents appeal Warrenton lease renewal
By CASSANDRA PROFITA-The Daily Astorian

Two conservation groups and Warrenton resident Jim Scheller have teamed up to appeal a lease renewal for the Oregon LNG liquefied natural gas project in Warrenton.

Read Full Daily Astorian report

10 Super Foods To Eat Now!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 7:44 AM
By Robin Berkowitz - NewsMaxHealth.com
Want to feel better? Look no further than the end of your fork. While the benefits of a varied, minimally processed diet are well-known, certain foods are especially potent in alleviating and even preventing numerous ailments that afflict modern society, including cancer, heart disease, and other age-related illnesses. Here are 10 “super foods” that can boost your immune system, your brain function, even give you a youthful glow. No prescription needed, and no pesky side effects – just dig in.

Read The Details

House Minority leader Boehner Takes A Video Shot At Obama!

From: NewsMax.com

The YouTube video, titled “What About the Country, Mr. President?” is in response to Obama's speech in Racine, Wis., on Wednesday in which he ripped into Boehner for telling a newspaper that a major banking overhaul bill is like "killing an ant with a nuclear weapon."

Read/Watch Full Report

Josh Marquis: July 4th!!

Sunday, July 04, 2010

July 4

Considering she is 234 years old today and accounting for all the wrinkles and scars, the United States of America is looking pretty good for her age.

Read Full Commentary

Sockeye Salmon Returning Past Bonneville In Record Numbers After A Decade!

by Keely Chalmers, KGW Staff
kgw.com
Posted on July 3, 2010 at 8:51 AM

PORTLAND, Ore. -- After more than a decade of dismal numbers, sockeye salmon are returning to the Columbia River in record numbers.
According to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers the number of sockeye passing the Bonneville Dam this year has already quadrupled the yearly average.
So far this year more than 300,000 sockeye have passed the dam. That's a pretty remarkable number considering back in the 90's only a handful made it up the river.
Now tens of thousands are passing through the dam on a daily basis.
"There was a remarkable day last week when more than 30 thousand sockeye came past Bonneville Dam and that’s never happened before," said Michael Milstein with the Bonneville Power Administration.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says the recovery is due to better ocean conditions, improved salmon habitat, and improvements made at the Columbia River dams.
The recreational sockeye salmon season on the Columbia opened June 26th and runs through July 31st.

Read And View Full KGW Report

Clatsop County Oregon LNG/Pipeline Hearings: Another 50% Of Unsatisfied Issues Maintain Planning Staff's Denial Of Project

June 24, 2010

Staff Report Addendum
Oregon Pipeline LLC Consolidated Application
Staff Resopnse To Oregon LNG/Pipeline's June 9, 2010 Memorandum And Supplemental Materials

Read Full report

Clatsop County Oregon LNG/Pipeline Hearings Close: Record Still Open For Public Input

Monday, June 28, 2010

From: Clatsop County Oregon

PIPELINE HEARING CLOSED; WRITTEN COMMENTS STILL ACCEPTED
The public hearing on the land-use application from Oregon Pipeline LLC concluded Friday, June 25, but written testimony will be accepted through the end of this week.
Hearings Officer Peter Livingston took testimony Friday in the second and final session of a public hearing that opened June 10.

GRP: See the "RED" on the map above? It means...."The Worst Possible Place For Major Transmission And Supply Pipelines!"

Read Full Release

Proposal To Ban Gillnetting Has Commercial Fishermen Up In Arms!

From the June 21, 2010 issue of High Country News - by Lee Van Der Loo
Updated 6/22/10
The heart of tiny Astoria, Ore., lies hidden behind the weather-beaten buildings of its gritty industrial waterfront. Docks line this lucky stretch of flat land at the base of the Coastal Range, hosting a lucrative fishing industry that reaches from Youngs Bay into the mouth of the Columbia River, several miles inland...... Read Full Article From High Country News

Hood River Juice Cites Government Misconduct In Prosecutiong Its Case?

Scott Learn, The Oregonian

The owner of Hood River Juice has asked a court to toss out pollution charges against him based on "government misconduct" in prosecuting the case, an allegation that turns in part on the role played by Brent Foster, a former top aide to Attorney General John Kroger.

Read Report

Pacific Seafoods Faces Class Action Lawsuit For Anti-Trust Violations

Jeff Manning, The Oregonian

In 26 years, Frank Dulcich has transformed Pacific Seafood Group from a minor fish distributor in Southeast Portland to perhaps the dominant seafood player in North America.

Read Full OregonLive Report

From: The Week.com: Can The Tea Party Survive 2010?

With infighting reportedly on the rise, many Tea Party candidates are going down in flames. Growing pains or the beginning of the end for the protest movement?
posted on June 14, 2010, at 12:08 PM

Read The Details

Ted Thomas's Call To Lame Duck Commissioners To Resign

Dear Friends,
The following is almost verbatim what I spoke to the first meeting of the Clatsop Count Board of Commissioners just after the election. The only point of interest is the fact that while I was presenting the argument below Laurie Caplan rose and departed the public meeting in a dramatic huff and said to others that day that she did not want to be associated with my words. Not the first act she has engaged in while I had my back turned towards her, I invite her to explain. Indeed I would go so far as to lay the blame for this, worst of all situations that we are now compelled to endure, with her and a few others. Their undemocratic sabotage of the recall efforts and de-facto engineering of the commission's ability to replace those successfully recalled by their own appointment of admitted, "Tea-party sympathizers," is what has gotten us in this dangerous and repugnant situation. What I am advocating for is that other's join me in calling for the long overdue resignation this oligarchy of lame ducks that cannot, or will not follow the mandate of the electorate. Although they nominally have the legal right to remain in office they are not wanted there. The alternative of waiting exposes the people to the rule of a commission that openly refutes the demonstrated will of the majority. What could be worse?
Ted Thomas

The Worst of all Situations

"The last time I spoke before the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners for my three minutes of civil rights I invoked that nobel feathered beast of the air and the swamps: The Duck. The French term fro duck, "Canard," has come to the english usage from the French expression "Vendre des canard ā maitié." literally translated it is to sell ducks by the half. The expression itself is drawn from the medieval witticism about two butchers involved in a price war over ducks. The established butcher when finally confronted with an impossible price from his competitor across the street of three franks for a duck erects a much larger sign boldly proclaiming "duck ... two franks" but in very small print at the bottom of the sign was "for half a duck." And so Canard came to mend anything paraded out in public that has the intent of being deliberately misleading.
When all our stream beds are overloaded with silts and thermal stress some might find the idea of promoting forest and aquatic health through reinstating the permission to clear cut the riparian zones up to the water's edge to be a preening Canard.
Still others might point out that feigning fiscal responsibility in cutting the District Attorneys Stipend or refusing to seek matching federal funding of the Healthy Start Program already allocated to our county at the same time that they spend tax money to fly out to Washington DC to lobby on behalf of their campaign contributers to be a big quacking Canard. And of course some would go so far as to identify the claim that the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG facility to be small to medium and protective of the fish to be a great big waddling, flapping, grand daddy of a Canard.
But I am not going to elaborate upon these dibbling downy, web footed, chicks. What I want to address is another kind of plumed foul altogether, that sad feathered, billed denizen of the swamps and water ways that cannot or will not keep up with its own flock.
The three hundred pound gorilla in the room is the fact that now and for the next 7 or so months the majority of the arguably politically wounded Commissioners are now no longer available to the voters in any subsequent election where they could be held to account for their ensuing conduct in office. Unburdened of what sense of fidelity they felt so lightly upon their shoulders already are we to understand that they now wield political office unrestrainedly for their own self interests and those interest of their confederates? Are we not right to dread 7 months of such unaccountable power? I fear this is indeed the worst of all situations that I have spoken about in private many times before.
To allay these legitimate concerns, to recover the confidence of the community and convey in certain terms a spirit of reconciliation and civil discourse in Government I humbly bring to the Commission's attention that there is no obligation currently preventing them from relinquishing office in a more timely manner. For example like the nominal duration of time that would pass between a November election and a January inauguration. Furthermore I wish to offer my sincerest invitation for those that did not prevail in the last election to resign gracefully in the interest of promoting social harmony. Seven month is a very long time to endure before following the expressed direction of the voters. What mandate do you intend to fulfill by staying when you have none from the public at all. The snow has lifted Spring is in the air it is time to move on."

17 Afghan Military Personel Go AWOL From Texas U.S. Air Force Base!

By: Jana Winter - Fox News
June 17, 2010

A nationwide alert has been issued for 17 members of the Afghan military who have gone AWOL from an Air Force base in Texas where foreign military officers who are training to become pilots are taught English, FoxNews.com has learned........

Read Full Article

Clatsop D.A. Marquis Wins Fourth Death Sentence For Double-Murderer Guzek. Next, Automatic Appeal

By Kelsey Watts, KTVZ.COM
POSTED: 5:06 pm PDT June 16, 2010
UPDATED: 4:05 pm PDT June 17, 2010

BEND, Ore. -- After only 4 1/2 hours of deliberation, a Bend jury imposed the death penalty for a fourth time Thursday afternoon against convicted double-murderer Randy Lee Guzek for his role in the brutal murders of a Terrebonne couple, after three earlier decisions were overturned on appeal over the past 23 years.
People were called back to the courtroom around 2 p.m., 5 1/2 hours after the jury got the case, following closing arguments and final jury instructions from a visiting Lane County judge.

Read And Watch Full Report

Clatsop Elections News Release:Election Filing Period Open For City Council Seats

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

From Clatsop County Elections:

The filing period is open for seats on several local city councils up for election in November.

GRP: Big questions...Is Astoria's Mayor Van Dusen going to meet a serious challenge this election and by Who? Will Warrenton's Gil Gramson be replaced? Will Astoria City Councilor Henningsgaard be unseated?

Prospective candidates have until Aug. 24 to file a declaration of candidacy for the positions, which will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

For candidates filing by petition, it is recommended that nominating petitions be submitted by Aug. 13 to ensure signature verification by the deadline.

Elections Filing Information

Oregon LNG/Oregon PipelineHearings: Clatsop County Planning Staff Report And A Truckload Of Non-Compliance

OK people, let's stay on top of this!!!!

GRP:Oregon LNG/Pipeline's attorney tries to "Pooh-Pooh" the non-compliance count as just really a couple of items overall and the actual number of items is just mis-leading but, wasn't it just a couple of niggling little items that kept coming back to sink Bradwood Landing eventually?

Here's The Complete Staff Report For Your Review And Input

FERC Report: OLNG Did Nothing Wrong

June 4, 2010

By Dennis Newman - From Natural Oregon

If LNG opponents were hoping for a new angle in their fight against Oregon LNG, this isn’t it.

A report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) clears the company of any serious wrongdoing in how it dealt with landowners along the route of its proposed pipeline in Northwest Oregon.

“No Misconduct”

Read Full Report

Westport to get Georgia-Pacific Penalty Money For Improvements

Read Full Article

Clatsop County Commissioner Hazen Speaks On Post-Election Resignation Request And The Daily "A"

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Laughable
At last week's commission meeting, Jay Kiddle and Ted Thomas asked for the resignation of the three of us that lost the election last month. Normally I don't respond to personal attacks during business from the public, but I was not going to sit by and not respond. I informed Ted that I was elected in 2006 to serve a 4 year term on the commission and that I was going to fulfill that obligation and have no intention of resigning........Read Full Comment

Business Oregon Offers Small Business Grants. Loans

Portland Business Journal
Thursday, June 3, 2010 - 8:28AM
Business Oregon, the state’s economic development department, has launched a new program to help small businesses access capital.
The program, called BOOST — Building Opportunities for Oregon Small Business Today — will loan money and award grants to Oregon businesses that create new, full-time jobs in the state.Read more: Business Oregon offers new loans, grants - Portland Business Journal

Read The Details

NWGA: Northwest Gas Association Gas Outlook 2010

NWGA 2010 Outlook Study Released

Produced annually, the Gas Outlook is a detailed look at the use and potential availability of natural gas in the Northwest through October 2019. The Outlook is unique as it represents a consensus view of the regional natural gas market developed by industry participants serving the region.

Read Full Article And Access Full NWGA Report

How Old Is Grandpa?

Read And See If You Can Guess!

Clatsop D.A. Marquis Prosecutes Fourth Randy Guzek Trial!

Fourth Jury Faces Choice: Life or Death for Guzek?
Opening Arguments Heard in Long and Costly Case

By Amy Easley - KTVZ.COM

POSTED: 6:44 pm PDT May 27, 2010

BEND, Ore. -- From the start Monday, jurors were told to be ready. The next three weeks would be difficult, and dark. And at the end, they'd have a tough choice: to either give convicted murderer Randy Lee Guzek a death sentence - his fourth - or life with the possibility of parole, but not for 60 years - of which he's already served 22, which would mean the now 41-year-old would be at least 78 - that is, if parole ever were granted.

.....After years of legal battles and preparation, a jury was seated and heard opening arguments in the case of Guzek, convicted for his role in the brutal shooting and stabbing deaths of a Terrebonne couple, Rod and Lois Houser, way back in 1987. Each death sentence was overturned on what any but legal experts would call technicalities.And again, prosecuting the case as he has all along, is Josh Marquis - now Clatsop County district attorney, then a Deschutes County deputy DA"...


Read And Watch Full Report

Tongue Point: Shipbreaking Again??

Does this crap never end and for the third attempt yet?

The Vessel Above? An 1850Ton Cargo Vessel. Click On This To Read Its Specs And You Will Find This Is Not Necessarily What Some Would Call A Small Boat?

A Look Back At An Earlier Piece On Shipbreaking

A Photo Essay On Shipbreaking

...."However, there are still are a few companies in the business in the United States. Though rules relating to the handling and disposal of the

toxic materials that are built into old ships, including residual hydrocarbons, lead paint, asbestos, and PCBs, make the business run differently here then in the wild East ("ship breaking” is a term that is slowly being replaced by “ship recycling”). The industry is subsidized by the fact that federal policy prevents government ships from being scrapped by other countries, for the most part. With hundreds of such ships floating around the country, and around the globe, the domestic ship breaking industry is likely to continue".....Shipbreaking In America, It All Comes Apart At The Bottom of The U.S.A.

Governor "K" Calls for 9% Budget Cuts Over Grim Outlook Report

May 26, 2010
KGW.com and AP Staff Report

State Economist Explains Budget Projection


SALEM, Ore. -- The Great Recession is "likely over" in Oregon -- but the state's top economist said not to expect to see signs things are getting any better anytime soon.

To add it all up, the outlook report released Tuesday showed the state is facing a $562 million shortfall for the current biennium which runs through next year.

Read Full KGW.com Report

Oregon A.G. Kroger's Reponse To Oregon Rep. Ferrioli

GRP: In what appears to be a vindictive "Witch Hunt" being concocted by, what appears again, Pro-Bradwood/Northen Star Natural Gas abettors in the hope that some of the accusations against Oregon Attorney General and Assistant Brent Foster and others may stick to legitimize the ramblings of one certain reporter at a local Clatsop County Message Board, Oregon AG Kroger has responded to a FOIA request by Oregon Rep Ferrioli.

You may read it below without the Editorializing and judge its legitimacy for yourself.

Read Complete Letter With No Editorializing

Chinook Observer:Moby Dick Can Mow Till 2012

By Cate Gable - ChinookObserver Columnist

5/18/2010 - 5:19PM

LONG BEACH - The Noxious Weed Control Board meeting Tuesday evening, May 11, encompassed strong emotions but concluded with a clear-cut decision on a topic that has roiled local communities in recent months.

Read Full Chinook Observer Article

34 Days And Still No Move By Obama To Assist In Oil Spill Stoppage

34 Days and Obama Still Lets Oil Giant Run Show

NewMax.com

Sunday, 23 May 2010 06:47 PM

VENICE, La/HOUSTON – The U.S. government threatened to remove BP from efforts to seal a blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico if it doesn't do enough to stop the leak, though it acknowledged only the company and the oil industry have the know-how to halt the deepwater spill.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Sunday Washington is frustrated and angry that BP Plc missed "deadline after deadline" in its efforts to seal the well more than a month after an oil rig explosion triggered the disaster......

Read Full Report

The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes:Will Defeat Of Three Clatsop County Commissioners End The Turmoil?

Politics and environment, local government

By Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian

May 21, 2010, 9:33AM

Clatsop County had a big election Tuesday night when three county commissioners were swept out by challengers who had opposed the effort to site a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Columbia River near Astoria.

Read The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes Full Article

CEDR(Clatsop Economic Development Resources): Just What Is It They Do These Days?

Their Website CEDR says nothing since November, 2009.

And this is the non-profit private machine that has chartered itself as the end-all, do-all consulting agency to help put us to work and foster Economic Development here on the Lower Columbia River?

Maybe I'm missing something here and I extend a sincere invitation to those involved with CEDR to come and give us a "No-Bullshit" update on exactly what they are doing to bring us good, clean, cohesive and compatible Industry and Jobs here as from all appearances they seem to be at a standstill.

GRP: CEDR Has A Pulse Afterall. Look For This CEDR Event @:
CEDR Spot Radio
Join us on the “CEDR Spot”, an examination of local business and economic development issues. We’ll focus on the challenging economic development issues facing the citizens of Clatsop County. We’ll also discuss the challenges and opportunities confronting local businesses.
When
Thu May 27 12:30pm – 1pm Pacific Time
Where
KAST 1370 AM - Repeats at 5:30 PM

Applications Filed To Send New Northwest Broadcasters To Receivers!

From: Radio Online

Apps Filed to Send New Northwest to Receiver Davis
Applications have been filed with the FCC to transfer the radio properties of New Northwest Broadcasters to Alan M. Davis' Revitalization Partners as receiver.

Read Full Release

Shorebank Cascadia's Role In Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area

...."SBEC proposes to work with local and regional partners to help our region be and remain resilient in the 21st century. We will weave community involvement into the development of the Management Plan. It is a goal that this heritage area reflects the people, places and economies that give our area its unique character"....

Read The Complete Outline Of Shorebank Cascadia's Involvement In CPNHA

Oregonian's Ted Sickenger November 16, 2007 - LNG Natural Gas Pipelines Tap Into Residents Fears

Friday, November 16, 2007

The Oregonian:LNG/Natural Gas Pipeline Taps Into Residents Fears

GRP: The argument is as fresh today as it was almost 3 years ago

Pipeline taps residents' fearsHundreds worry about a gas line's effect on their land and environment

Friday, November 16, 2007

TED SICKINGER - The Oregonian

A chorus of concerns rang out this week as landowners along the snaking route of a proposed natural gas pipeline showed signs of organizing to oppose the line and liquefied natural gas terminals along the lower Columbia River......

Revisit The Oregonian's Ted Sickinger's Article

FERC Tells Oregon LNG To Hold Open Season Or Withdraw Pipeline Project

GRP: Just What Does The Term "Open Season" Mean You May Ask?
FERC’s 1995 Policy Statement first endorsed the open season process in terms of mitigating rate increases on existing customers from rolled-in pricing. FERC sought to encourage capacity release from existing users prior to approving new construction. The open season process became the tool to check whether the project was the correct size.


By Robert Walton - SNL Financial

Monday, May 10, 2010 9:47 AM

If Oregon Pipeline Co. LLC wants FERC to continue reviewing its proposed system then the company must move ahead with an open season, commission staff said in a sternly worded May 14 letter

LNG Development Co. LLC d/b/a and Oregon Oregon LNG Pipeline Co. LLC are proposing to construct an LNG import terminal on the Skipanon Peninsula in Warrenton, Ore. A 120-mile pipeline would connect to a regional hub in Molalla, Ore. But according to FERC staff, the pipeline company has not yet held an open season, which is jeopardizing the review process.

Read Full Article

Oregon LNG Lease: Letters To The Port Of Astoria

Maybe You Can Find Some Words To Help Port Commission See The Common Sense In Denying OLNG's Lease

Be Forewarned - Will "The Port", In Light Of Its Current Troubles, Be Able To Withstand The Onslaught?

And here's one of the best points yet as to why "PofA" needs to stand firm and look for whatever tools are necessary to stop this bleeding and wrest that 90-plus acres of Skipanon Peninsula back from this "Energy Speculator, OLNG and put it to better use to "Our" benefit, not that of a holding company bolstered, from all appearances, private coporation that is essentially starting from dead zero on a scheme with no market and for potentially 60 years of control for $39,000 a year for God's sake?....."Cameron Horowitz, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said increased domestic supplies of natural gas have slashed prices, killing the demand for LNG imports. Two other companies trying to develop LNG facilities in Oregon would face "slim" prospects of success, he said."Every year for the past five years, there's been talk that this country would be flooded with LNG imports, but it has never come to fruition," he said from Houston. "Given the outlook for U.S. natural gas prices and the rest of the world, I don't see it coming to fruition at all over the next five years."Horowitz said LNG facilities on the Gulf of Mexico have been trying to win permission to ship LNG stockpiles back overseas.NorthernStar's bankruptcy filing listed assets of $165,930 and liabilities of about $129.5 million"..
Read Them Here If You Wish

From "The Stump":Bradwood Landing's Demise A Victory For Oregon Values

Badwood Landing's demise: A victory for Oregon's values
By Oregonlive Guest Columnists

May 11, 2010, 9:00AMBy Jack Marincovich, Ivan Maluski, Dave Cruickshank and Brett VandenHeuvel

Should Oregonians and our elected leaders sit by and watch Texas-based energy companies degrade our farmland, forests and salmon? Of course not........

Read Article

Steve Miller:Why The Public Sector Cannot Be Run Like A Business

The public sector can certainly benefit from the adoption of many business practices, from a focus on customer service to more efficient work flow, from TQM(Total Quality Management) to greater transparency. But no matter how important these practices may be, no matter how much the public sector can benefit from their use, there is a fundamental difference between the two sectors that will perpetually lead to differences.......

Read Full Opinion

GRP Clatsop County Commissioner Campaign Straw Poll Ends

There were a total of 76 voters that participated(Each voter could cast multiple votes) and here are the total votes per candidate. This is a Straw Poll only. The Poll question was: Who's your candidate for each Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners open district seat in the May 18, 2010 Primary?

Key question: Which of these candidates can set aside "Party Politics" and be the "Impartial Guardians" of the "Public's Trust" in the doing of our "Public Business"?

Peter Huhtala
59 (77%)
Versus
John Raichl
11 (14%)

Scott Lee
57 (75%)
Versus
Jeff Hazen
8 (10%)

Birkby
47 (61%)
Versus
Mushen
14 (18%)
Versus
Dunzer
3 (3%)

The Hazen Campaign: Now, Wait A minute!!!

Did I hear this morning, at the end of a Hazen Campaign message..."This Message Paid For By Committee For County Prosperity"?

Maybe I am missing something but, I don't see any campaign finance activity on ORESTAR for either Hazen's ORESTAR PAC Site(#13869) Or CFCP's ORESTAR Pac Site(#13954) that reflects any contributions or expenditures that reflect this expense.

Isn't this stuff supposed to be reported and posted within a fairly prompt amount of time?

Both these PACs were formed and registered back during the recall elections against Hazen and Ann Samuelson primarily, where again, there were many questions regarding certain contributions.

Now doesn't seem to be a very prudent time to be raising questions about certain conflicting ties to questionable campaign financing especially on Hazen's part does it.

Can anybody clue us in on this?

Jeff?

Update!

Orestar shows some recent transaction activity (To 05-10-2010) on both Hazen's PAC(#13869) and Committee For County Prosperity's PAC(#13954) for you to review should you so desire. Interestingly, North Coast Retail(Developers of the new Costco and other adjacent projects) shows another recent contribution to Committee For County Prosperity of $9,000.00 on 05-03-2010?

And now, to make things more curiouser, Clatsop County Board of Commissioners has amended Wednesday's, May 12, 2010 Agenda to include North Coast Retail LLC, which plans to ask the citizens of Clatsop County to extend a $4.5 Million Dollar Promisory Note due on North Coast Business Park property for a period of two years, is it, that is now due?

Now, we will not even go into the issue that Clatsop Commissioner Robert Mushen's PAC(#14467) Treasurer holds two key positions with CFCP which is also a contributor to Jeff Hazen's re-election campaign and I cannot truly say that any of this is illegal but, would it not be prudent for both candidates to look seriously at the impropriety of any deliberations at all on this issue at Wednesday's meeting in the interest of the citizens of Clatsop County whom they serve?

Go To ORESTAR And Type In The ORESTAR Committee ID Number

From KAST-AM: Recalled Clatsop Commissioner Ann Samuelson Weighs In On Bradwood Landing

Jeff Nelson - KAST-AM
Posted on May 06, 2010 06:00

....."Former Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson comments on Northern Star Natural Gas’ announcement Wednesday that it is suspending development of the proposed LNG facility at Bradwood Landing. Asked if it’s fair to characterize her as a supporter of this specific project, but not a blanket endorsement of LNG, Samuelson says: “I don’t even know if I want to say that. What I want to say is that I’m a supporter of good government".....

Read Full KAST-AM Report

Northern Star Natural Gas Files For Bankruptcy!

Bradwood LNG Developer Files For Bankruptcy

May 5, 2010

Dennis Newman - Natural Oregon

NorthernStar Natural Gas, the developer of the Bradwood Landing LNG project, has filed for bankruptcy.

In papers filed yesterday in Houston, the company says it’s unable to pay its debts and will liquidate under Chapter 7.

Company spokesman Charles Deister wouldn’t comment when asked about the filing. He referred me to yesterday’s announcement that the company is suspending work on Bradwood Landing.............

....."Cameron Horowitz, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said increased domestic supplies of natural gas have slashed prices, killing the demand for LNG imports. Two other companies trying to develop LNG facilities in Oregon would face "slim" prospects of success, he said.

"Every year for the past five years, there's been talk that this country would be flooded with LNG imports, but it has never come to fruition," he said from Houston. "Given the outlook for U.S. natural gas prices and the rest of the world, I don't see it coming to fruition at all over the next five years."

Horowitz said LNG facilities on the Gulf of Mexico have been trying to win permission to ship LNG stockpiles back overseas.

NorthernStar's bankruptcy filing listed assets of $165,930 and liabilities of about $129.5 million"...

Read CBS News - AP Report
Read The Natural Oregon Details

Oregonlive:Details Surface On Brent Foster Resignation

By Scott Learn, The Oregonian
May 04, 2010, 8:44PM

When a judge allowed state and federal agents to search Hood River Juice in October, handcuff and cart off owner David B. Ryan and file criminal charges, a big piece of incriminating evidence was a water sample from a puddle near the plant that showed extraordinarily high pollution levels.

Turns out, there were two problems with that evidence, new court records indicate: The sample collection, including unsterile bottles and no custody seal, was flawed.

Read Full Oregon Live Article

Northern Star Natural Gas Suspends Development Of Bradwood Landing Import Terminal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 4, 2010Contact: Charles Deister (503) 949-5762
NorthernStar Natural Gas suspends development of its Bradwood Landing LNG import terminal
PORTLAND, Ore. - NorthernStar Natural Gas has suspended development of its Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas import terminal near Astoria, Oregon. "The extended delays in the processing of state and federal permits for Bradwood Landing and the difficult investment environment have forced us to suspend development," said NorthernStar Natural Gas President Paul Soanes. "In particular, the challenging regulatory environment gives investors pause, especially considering that Bradwood Landing would have such a positive impact on the Northwest's economy and environment while supporting the region's transition to renewable energy by providing a new source of reliable and affordable natural gas." Since its inception, Bradwood has worked to ensure it will provide a significant and sustainable net benefit for the lower Columbia ecosystem, and serve as a model of sustainable development. Using best available science and recovery plans, the project included innovative measures to avoid and minimize impacts, robust mitigation, and a $59 million voluntary (but legally binding) Salmon Enhancement Initiative: the largest private investment of its kind ever proposed for the region. "While we're disappointed, we are truly grateful for the tremendous support the project received from citizens in Clatsop County and Oregon's business and labor communities," said Mr. Soanes. "Bradwood Landing is a great example of a project that business and labor came together to support. Not only would it have created hundreds of jobs, but it would have provided a needed new source of natural gas, which would have helped stabilize energy costs for thousands of businesses." Initial development work on Bradwood Landing began nearly six years ago. Bradwood is the site of the former Bradwood lumber mill, company town and has a natural deep-water port. Bradwood Landing received its FERC certificate order September 18, 2008 after an extensive scientific and technical review, which took three and a half years and included an official record in excess of 50,000 pages. On March 20, 2008, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners approved Bradwood's consolidated land use application on a 4-1 vote after a nine-month public process. Earlier this year, Bradwood reached a key milestone when formal consultation began under the Endangered Species Act with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Previously, the U.S. Coast Guard determined that the Columbia River could be made suitable for the LNG marine traffic associated in its record of decision dated April 24, 2009, provided full implementation of the risk mitigation measures detailed in the Waterway Suitability Report are accomplished. Those measures were included as conditions when FERC issued its Certificate Order for the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal in September 2008. Bradwood Landing's coalition of supporters included the Oregon AFL-CIO, the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council, the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, the Oregon Machinists Council, the Washington Machinists Council, Carpenters Local 1707, the International Longshore Workers' Union (Columbia River Oregon Area), and the Steamship Operators Association. Bradwood Landing and its associated 36.3-mile pipeline would have provided a new source of natural gas directly into the Oregon and Washington natural gas market. It would have created more than 450 jobs over three years of construction and 65 permanent jobs while contributing more than $7.8 million annually in taxes to Clatsop County. An analysis of the effects of increased natural gas supply by former University of Oregon economist Dr. Phil Romero, showed that Bradwood Landing could reduce the wholesale cost of natural gas by 13 percent. Dr. Romero's analysis showed this decrease in energy costs would help support the creation of between 5,100 and 20,300 jobs.
###
Charles H. Deister Director, Media and Government Relations NorthernStar Natural Gas (503) 949-5762 CDeister@NSNG.com

Hazen Breaks The Silence!!!

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Election time

First off, let me apologize for the length of time that has gone by since I last posted anything to my blog.

Time as been in short supply over the last several months and I will do better at updating this blog on a regular basis.

I want to take this opportunity to outline some of the happenings in regards to the county commission. I will also address some of the concerns that are out there.......

Hazen on "The Stipend": "Many other counties in the state do not provide a stipend. Obviously this caused a debate that still lingers today even though the commission reinstated the stipend later.".... GRP: Of The 36 counties in Oregon, my understanding is, 23 pay an annual stipend to their District Attoneys for services.

Read Hazen's Blog Post

Clatsop County News Release - No Special Meeting Scheduled On Bradwood LNG Appeal

Department News Release

Thursday, April 29, 2010

NO SPECIAL MEETING SCHEDULED ON BRADWOOD LNG APPEAL

The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners will not hold a special meeting to consider whether to join the developer of the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG project in an appeal over the company’s land-use application.

Bradwood Landing LLC/NorthernStar LLC is challenging a ruling by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals in the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Bradwood is appealing LUBA’s April 12 ruling that remanded two issues related to the developer’s consolidated application back to the county for further clarification.

The county had the option of joining Bradwood/NorthernStar as a party in the Court of Appeals challenge, or allowing the company to handle the appeal on its own.

Bradwood/NorthernStar proposes to build a liquefied natural gas receiving terminal and pipeline at Bradwood, approximately 25 miles east of Astoria.'

The company’s consolidated land-use application was approved by the county board of commissioners in March 2008 but appealed by project opponents to LUBA, which rejected most of the appellants’ points but remanded two issues back to the county – the question of whether the development met the definition of small to medium scale, and the definition of “protect” as it relates to fishing areas.

In July 2009 the board approved new findings to address the remand issues, which were in turn again appealed to LUBA. The state panel again remanded the two issues back to the county in its April 12 ruling.

The Class-Action Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart

The Class-Action Lawsuit against Wal-Mart

Carrie Lukas - The Corner - National Review Online

How do you know when someone has been the victim of discrimination? That’s the question at the heart of the class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart, which alleges that up to 1 million female employees suffered because of discriminatory employment practices. This week, the Ninth Circuit allowed the lawsuit to proceed.

Read Full Report

Columbia River Dredging Ends This Year To Mixed Views On The End Result

Columbia River dredging ends this year, benefits end mixed

By The Oregonian - Business News

April 23, 2010, 6:35PM

The last phase of work is being completed on the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project, 20 years in the making, which deepened 103 miles of the channel by three feet.

Twenty years ago, a massive dredging effort to deepen 103 miles of the mighty Columbia River held the promise of securing Oregon's connection to the rest of the world. At 43 feet, the channel -- otherwise too shallow to compete with deep-water ports -- could play host to today's larger vessels and more efficiently send Northwest wheat and steel to markets around the globe.


Read Complete Article

Bradbury Takes On Oregon LNG Siting In New Campaign Video

Bradbury takes on LNG terminal in new campaign ad

By Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian

April 22, 2010, 4:52PMFormer Secretary of State Bill Bradbury has made a lot of his staunch opposition to liquefied natural gas terminals in Oregon. Now, he's turned it into a new television commercial being launched by his campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Read Full Jeff Mapes Report

NSNG/Bradwood LNG Appeals LUBA Ruling

Bradwood Landing appeals Land Use Board decision
April 22, 2010

And then, all of a sudden NSNG/Bradwood's Press Release on their website announcing their plan to appeal this last LUBA Remand inexplicably diappears, can't be found nor the entire site accessed. Hmmmm! Interesting.

PORTLAND, Ore. – NorthernStar Natural Gas has filed an appeal with the Oregon Court of Appeals to an April 12, 2010 decision by Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).

That decision remanded two issues related to Bradwood Landing’s consolidated land use approval back to Clatsop County for further work.

Read Full Natural Oregon Release

Clatsop County Proposed Budget Holds No Creative Surprises

Thursday, April 22, 2010

PROPOSED 2010-11 BUDGET PRESERVES COUNTY SERVICES

Despite a still-sluggish economy and flat revenue, Clatsop County’s proposed 2010-11 fiscal year budget maintains almost all existing county services and programs.

Read Full County Release

Landowners Speak-Up To FERC On Oregon LNG Pipeline Conduct

April 22, 2010
10:46 AM

Cassandra Profita - The Daily Astorian

Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge Bobbie McCartney presided over an unusual court proceeding in Astoria Wednesday designed to collect testimony on Oregon LNG's treatment of landowners along its proposed 117-mile pipeline route.

About a dozen people, several who live along the pipeline route in Warrenton and Jewell, attended the event at the Judge Guy Boyington Building and testified about their negative experiences with the company.


Read Full Article

Brent Foster Resigns From Oregon AG's Office

Oregon environmental counsel resigns from attorney general's office
By Scott Learn, The Oregonian

April 20, 2010, 8:03PM

Brent Foster, the environmental activist hired by Oregon Attorney General John Kroger to lead Kroger's promised crackdown on polluters, resigned Tuesday after misrepresenting his involvement in a criminal environmental case, Kroger's office said late Tuesday.

Kroger said in a press release that he referred the matter to the Marion County district attorney's office for investigation, adding that "it is crucial that all members of the Department of Justice maintain the highest professional standards." His office declined to comment further.

Read Full Details

Clatsop Commissioner Jeff Hazen: Is He Confident Enough To Run A Stealth Campaign?

Is Jeff Hazen running a "Stealth" campaign for County Commissioner?

Those who lived here in 1992, many can remember it seemed to have worked for Julie Leonhardt when she beat Steve Gerttula for DA.

Hazen, who has a website that is on many blogrolls and was very vocal back during his own, Ann Samuelson and Patricia Ronerts recall elections, hasn't had a post since November 2009 when he mourned the loss of his pal Ann, and attempted to bolster support against Roberts recall declaring, "Make no mistake about it they are trying to take over our County Government"(They the assumption would infer would be his neighbors and constituents in Clatsop County) and aside from a few signs trying to tie him to Raichl "Support Our County, Vote Raichl and Hazen" and similar to the signs posted back during the recall campaigns, to the effect.."Support Our County, Say No To Recall", there simply is no campaign presence on the web or anywhere for Hazen.

For Hazen, it would appear back during the recalls, keeping his head down kept him from being recalled but the question now is: will it get him re-elected?

Maybe there will be a last minute campaign blitz to get him past a very viable candidate in Scott Lee(No relation to Richard Lee)?

In Hazen's three and a half years on CCBofC, what are some of Hazen's hallmarks in his tenure on that panel that seem to stand out most in the Public's perception?

1) Walking literally in lock step step with pals Lee and Samuelson until they were RECALLED?

2) Engineering the whole DA pay debacle and voting AGAINST restoring the DA county pay in March 2008 even when the other Board members voted for it?

3) LNG. How much divisiveness, how many 100,000s of dollars has to be paid before Hazen listens to 1) county staff and 2) LUBA?

4) Why does he keep flying to DC on our dollars? What exactly has the county gotten from the feds because of Jeff's "intervention"?

Mr. Hazen is most certainly invited to refute, enhance or add to this list any information he feels will help his campaign if he wishes to do so.

Continued Application Hearings On Bradwood Landing On Hold

From: Clatsop County Department News Release

Friday, April 16, 2010

REVIEW OF BRADWOOD APPLICATIONS ON HOLD
Clatsop County’s review of eight supplemental applications related to the proposed Bradwood Landing LNG project has been put on hold pending the outcome of challenges to the development.

On Friday, Land Use Hearings Officer Peter Livingston concluded an extended public hearing held regarding the eight applications, then announced that his review of and possible ruling on the applications will be continued to an unspecified future date to allow for possible appeals or other actions stemming from this week’s ruling from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals on the Bradwood project.

Read Full Release

Read Daily Astorian Story

Put The Onus Back On Northern Star

And maybe now it is simply time for Clatsop County Commission and Planning Commission, in support of its/our staff suck it up, get a spine and bring all this misery to a screeching halt by simply insisting that before any more review and approvals of NSNG's Bradwood Landing take place, that all requirements of County, State and Federal agencies be met to the letter of the law and those approvals be laid on the table for a final approval.

This is a project of such a magnitude that "Trust us, we will do the right thing" just should not even be brought into the equation.

With this last LUBA ruling the term "Action Talks, Bullshit Walks" is in full play here and to avoid any more talk or notions of "Recall" and the tearing apart the unity of this community's citizens, it is imperative we take the directorship of this mess out of the hands of Texas based Northern Star Natural Gas and put the onus back on them to satisfy us.

Online Clatsop County Voters Pamphlet Now Available

Read All The Candidates Information At Your Leisure

From Columbia Riverkeeper:Oregon LUBA Rejects Clatsop County's Approval Of Bradwood Landing Again!!!

For Immediate Release. April 12, 2010.

Contact: Brett VandenHeuvel, Director, Columbia Riverkeeper (503) 348-2436
Dan Serres, Conservation Director, Columbia Riverkeeper (503) 890-2441

Oregon Court Rejects Bradwood Landing LNG, Again

Read The Official LUBA Ruling Here

The Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) rejected Clatsop County’s approval of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the Columbia River.

LUBA found the LNG terminal violates state and county laws designed to protect endangered salmon and traditional fishing areas.

“This is a crushing defeat for Bradwood Landing. With the legal requirement to protect endangered salmon and traditional fishing areas, I can’t conceive of a way this LNG project moves forward,” stated Brett VandenHeuvel, Director of Columbia Riverkeeper, who argued the case to LUBA. “This is the second time we’ve won on these issues. Bradwood has run out of options.”

Long-time Columbia River commercial fisherman, Jack Marincovich stated, "No matter what Bradwood says, this project will harm salmon and set us back as fishermen. It's good to see the court stepping forward to protect salmon and fishermen."

“This is an important victory over LNG on the Columbia River. It not only makes the Bradwood project less viable, but it also sends a message to the other proposed LNG projects: destroying salmon habitat and the livelihoods that depend on them will be rejected,” stated Brian Pasko, Director of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club.

In a concurring opinion LUBA stated, “the county must ensure that any damage to those resources will be no more than de minimis. In other words, any such damage must be trivial.” Bradwood Landing’s proposal to dredge 46 acres of critical salmon habitat

In addition, LUBA rejected Clatsop County’s decision that the LNG terminal was “small to moderate” in scale, as required by county law to protect the Bradwood area of the estuary.

“The Commissioners made a mockery out of county law. The unprecedented damage caused by the LNG terminal is far beyond small to medium,” stated Astoria resident and retired school librarian, Cheryl Johnson. LUBA found that the county erred by failing to consider the dredging area and construction areas. The county lost on this same issue before LUBA in 2008.

Petitioners include Columbia Riverkeeper, Columbia River Business Alliance, Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Columbia River Clean Energy Coalition. After prevailing on the same claims in 2008, this is the second victory for petitioners. Houston-based NorthernStar Natural Gas proposed the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal, located 20 miles upstream from Astoria, Oregon, in 2005. Legal challenges and the inability to obtain needed state permits have significantly delayed the project.

Brett VandenHeuvel of Columbia Riverkeeper and Jan Wilson of the Western Environmental Law Center represented the successful petitioners.

The Ruby Pipeline - Rivalling Current Proposed LNG Terminal Projects - On Track For Spring Start

Ruby gas pipeline -- that would rival proposed LNG terminals in Oregon -- on track for spring work

From: Oregon Business News
By The Oregonian staff and wire reports

April 07, 2010, 7:37PM

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- El Paso Corp. said today that construction of the $3 billion Ruby gas pipeline from Wyoming to Oregon is on track to begin later this spring following Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of the project.

Read Full Oregonian Report

Bradwood Landing - The Next Round Of Hearings: You Want to Be Heard You Damned Well Better Be There Today At 1:00 P.M To Get Your Name On The List!!!.

....."Notice is hereby given that the Clatsop County Hearings Officer will conduct a public hearing, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 6, 2010, in the Judge Guy Boyington Building, located at 857 Commercial Street, Astoria, Oregon, to consider the following consolidated application:"....

You don't get your name on the list to present your view today, you won't get on at all so, don't think if the hearings continue to the next day or next week you can sign-up to speak that day!!

Staff Application Recommendations

Shoreline Monitoring Plan - Denied With Conditions

Dredged Material Disposal Plan - Approved With Conditions

Park And Ride Lot - Denied With Conditions

Mitigation Plan - Denied With Conditions

Bradwood Landing Erosion Control Plan - Approved With Conditions

Conditional Use Permit - Approved With Conditions

Decommission Plan - Denied With Conditions

Riparian Vegetation - Approved With Conditions

(Bottom Line...County Says Meet All County, State And Federal Requirements And We'll Talk. NSNG/Bradwood Implies..."Trust Us We'll Get To All That Stuff Later")

Go Here For All Staff Findings And Recommendations

Read Northern Star/Bradwood Landing's Spin

Debra Birkby Challenges Samuelson Replacement Mushen For District Five Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners Post

Visit Birkby's Site For More Background And Platform Information

Peter Huhtala Vies For John Raichl's Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Seat - District 3

Visit Huhtala's Campaign Site For More Voter Information And Background

Scott Lee Takes On Jeff Hazen For Clatsop County Commission - District One Seat

Read About Scott Lee For Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners - District One

Clatsop D.A. Marquis And Other State D.A.'s Say Suspended Measure 57 Numbers Inflated By State Law Makers

From: KATU.COM

PORTLAND, Ore. - A tough-on-crime measure passed by Oregon voters was suspended by state lawmakers because they said the state couldn’t afford it, but according to a preliminary report by district attorneys, legislators made their decision on bad data.

Measure 57 was passed by a strong majority of voters and called for cracking down on criminals habitually breaking into homes and stealing cars.

Read Full Article And Watch Video