Looking Back:Citizens For Clatsop County Charter Integrity?

Got this list from a citizen just looking back and spurred by the accusations of Conspiracy by The Daily "A", CCFOG and others against Richard Lee.

Interesting! A Sitting County Commissioner, one that actually authored the resolution that triggered the referendum itself, contributed Approx. $1400.00? $1100.00 or so posted a day after the vote?

Filer/Committee
Contributor/Payee
Sub Type
Amount
137040
11/09/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$30.00
137048
11/09/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Bernard E Bjork
Cash Contribution
$101.00
137039
11/07/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Jeff S Hazen
In-Kind Contribution
$1,131.16
137038
11/06/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Hipfish Monthly
Account Payable
$160.00
137037
11/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
New Northwest Broadcasting
Account Payable
$100.00
132930
10/28/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$200.00
132931
10/23/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Tamara Broadmore
Account Payable
$395.00
120262
10/22/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$150.00
120261
10/17/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Witham & Dickey
Account Payable
$3,581.97
132929
10/17/2007
Amended
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Michael Moore
Cash Contribution
$500.00
120260
10/17/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$200.00
114572
10/10/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Lynda M Lee
Cash Contribution
$150.00
114571
10/08/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$25.00
114570
10/06/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$99.00
114563
10/06/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Carrie L Bartoldus
In-Kind Contribution
$350.00
114564
10/06/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$100.00
109839
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$50.00
109836
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$25.00
109834
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$99.00
109835
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$25.00
109837
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$50.00
109838
10/05/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$70.00
115835
10/03/2007
Amended
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Action Sign Works
Cash Expenditure
$400.00
109831
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$100.00
109830
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$50.00
109829
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$100.00
109826
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Sign-One Signcrafters
Cash Expenditure
$835.00
109832
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$99.00
109833
10/03/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Contributions $100 and under
Cash Contribution
$99.00
132932
09/27/2007
Amended
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Sign-One Signcrafters
Account Payable
$1,685.00
109828
09/27/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Sign-One Signcrafters
Cash Expenditure
$850.00
104705
09/27/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Action Sign Works
Cash Expenditure
$400.00
104706
09/27/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Action Sign Works
Account Payable
$400.00
107051
09/24/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Miscellaneous Cash Expenditures $100 and under
Cash Expenditure
$53.20
104702
09/21/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Jeff S Hazen
Cash Contribution
$250.00
104701
09/21/2007
Original
Citizens for Clatsop County Charter Integrity
Nancy E Harbour
Cash Contribution
$4,000.00

LNG:Martha Neuringer's Report On LNG Rally In Salem

Martha Neuringer of Washington County sent out this RALLY REPORT - it captures a lot of the energy and momentum we experienced. It was soooo heartening to see so many NO LNGers, including several state legislators in the crowd, the 10 of us from Clatsop County, and about 8 people that I know of from Washington State.Enjoy! (and then come to the state agencies meeting at the Holiday Inn Express on Weds. starting at 4!).....Laurie Caplan

RALLY REPORT: The Capitol steps were filled with at least 300 of us, including buses and vans from Astoria, Coos Bay and Klamath Falls (they had to leave at 7 AM). Five tractors were lined up across the street, plus a trailer with three huge round hay bales wrapped in white plastic with NoLNG signs.

The big highlight was a speech by Sec. of State Bill Bradbury, who made a very powerful statement against LNG, its perpetuation of our dependence on foreign fossil fuel and impact on global warming.

A choice quote: "I do not think Oregon should be the pusher, enabling California's dependence on fossil fuels." Jeff Merkley, US Senate candidate, gave a real stemwinder speech, asking the crowd if the terminals and pipelines would provide any of a long series of benefits for Oregon and getting a loud chorus of NO! after each one.

Steve Novick, also running for US Senate, gave a thoughtful speech about the impacts and dangers of LNG.

A statement was read by an aide for Jon Kroger, candidate for Attorney General. Several other officials spoke, together with several of our fellow activists from Astoria, Coos Bay, California, U. of Oregon, etc.

In a nice touch, a peregrine falcon flew overhead (it has a nest on the Capitol building).

The rally got good press coverage. Nick Christensen did a nice front page headliner story with a big photo of Jeff Merkley speaking and Hillsboro state rep. Chuck Riley listening with his NoLNG button on, in a sea of NoLNG signs.
The Oregonian played up the split between Bradbury and Kulongoski, and quoted Paul Sansone about how we are feeling "railroaded".

There was a long story about the rally on KPTV news Wed. evening, complete with a clip of Bradbury's "pushers" line, video of exploding gas canisters and photos of LNG supertankers.

It ended with the reporter reading a final "here's the other side" canned sentence from Peter Hansen parroting Kulongoski's "bridge" line which gave the impression that "the company made us do this".

I heard that there also was good coverage on Ch. 8 and on KPOJ radio.

A reporter from the AP spoke to several folks at the rally and said he will do a longer background story.

Entertainment was provided by the Raging Grannies, a group of spunky women from Corvallis with feather boas and hats adorned with flowers and NoLNG buttons, who sang a whole bunch of great anti-LNG songs. (They are actually part of an international network of Grannies.)

An equally important part of the event was lobbying before and after the rally. Many of us met with legislators, some of whom were not informed on the issue but got a quick course--and now know that this is a do-or-die issue for many Oregonians.

The Capitol Building hallways were filled all day with antiLNG protesters, easily spotted by our buttons and red armbands, going to and from meetings with Senators and Representatives from many districts.

Betsy Johnson and Debbie Boone held a meeting with about 20 of us in the Capitol cafeteria, and agreed to talk with the Governor's key aides the next day.

Keith even got the cashier in the Capitol cafeteria to wear a NoLNG button.

Our issue is now definitely on the map and in the news! Thanks and congratulations to everyone who came and/or worked on the rally.

Kings Of Our Own Worlds

Fella walks into a bar, orders a stiff one from Charlie the bartender.

Charlie says, "Hey Mack you look a little stressed, what's up?"

Mack says, "Had another tiff with the wife last night. It was a rough one but it ended up with her crawling to me on her hands and knees after it was all over though."

"Really?" says Charlie. "Well, what did she say after that?"

"COME OUT FROM UNDER THE BED YOU LITTLE CHICKEN SHIT SO I CAN GET A BETTER SHOT AT YOU!"

From The Daily "A": Portland Attorney Weighs In On Lee's Actions

Lawyer says Lee abused his position as Clatsop County Board Chairman

"County staff bent over backwards to be fair attorney says; in return, one may have been called a ‘witch’ or a ‘bitch’"

By JOE GAMM - The Daily Astorian

Clatsop County Commissioner Richard Lee's wife, Lynda, demanded staff be terminated for upholding county and state law.

That's a no-no.

So said Jill Goldsmith, a Portland attorney, in her report of an investigation into Commissioner Richard Lee's dealings with the county's own planning department released Friday.

Details of Goldsmith's report were released after the county commissioners held a meeting in executive session Friday morning.

Details of what happened in the executive session are not allowed to be reported. Lee was not present at the meeting because he was asked not to attend.

For The Full Story Click On Link Below:

http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=48996&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398

"It's A Vendetta." Richard Lee Says!!

May I ask, by who?

I invite Commissioner Lee to respond to this, on this site with a thorough explanation as to his belief.

We still have an open invitation for Commissioner Lee to post his position on this site should he or his agents choose to do so.

From The Daily "A" Lee's Breech With County Goes Deep

Lee's shenanigans pile up

By JOE GAMM -The Daily Astorian

Clatsop County Commissioner Richard Lee finds himself in murky water today.

He's the focus of a petition for a recall election, and last week he filed a tort claim against the county - in essence, threatening to sue.

And, as the recall comes closer to fruition, other details have emerged about the way his business practices and government rules have clashed.

No fewer than five men have accepted the role of director of the county's home inspectors over the past few years ... and soon left.

Many are frustrated that Lee has not followed the rules, especially by not getting conditional use permits, known among planners as "CUPs."

As 2007 came to a close, a county employee filed a complaint against him.

In the complaint, Jennifer Bunch said that if the developer were anyone other than Lee, the county would not have allowed situations involved with his developments to "become such a mess, and would have put a stop to it long ago.

We would have demanded final design plans for each development (as required by both conditional use permits) and then, if any changes were made, we would have required that new conditional use permits be submitted.

"Lee and his wife, Lynda, operate a nursery, RV park and golf course in the Lewis and Clark area.

The complaint said that a problem exists when employees have concerns that their jobs are in jeopardy if they require a developer to adhere to the conditions of permits.

It asked for support requiring the couple to provide official and final design plans for their RV park and golf course.

The county has asked for those plans since Lee began developing the golf course - in 2001.

In 2003, Veronica Smith, who was Clatsop County's senior planner (and now works for NorthernStar Natural Gas Co.), refunded $2,300 of $3,150 Lee had paid for rezoning and a goal exception.

She instead allowed him to proceed with his development under a conditional use permit.

The goal exception would normally be required because the property is within three miles of an urban growth zone.But even then, she asked that he provide "a good site plan map to scale."Although time has passed, little seems to have changed.

On Oct. 17, 2007, Clatsop County sent Lee a letter stating that he must follow the state laws and county building codes, policies and procedures which are in place.

Click Here For Full Story:
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=48878

Democrats Differ Over LNG In Oregon

From The Oregonian


By JULIA SILVERMAN The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A clear divide is emerging among Oregon Democrats in the fight over whether to build three liquefied natural gas terminals in Oregon, along with hundreds of miles of buried pipelines to ship the gas to West Coast markets.
At a rally Wednesday in Salem, Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley, who is hoping to be his party's U.S. Senate candidate in November, came out against the proposed terminals, which would turn imported hyper-cooled fuel into natural gas. He is the second high-profile Democrat in the last week to publicly oppose the plan, joining Secretary of State Bill Bradbury.

Read Full Story
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1202347173129930.xml&storylist=orlocal

CCFOG: The Signatures Are In, Now The Elections Gauntlet

Better dot every "i" and cross every "t" and make damned sure they got more than enough legal names.

UPDATE!!

C l a t s o p C i t i z e n s F o r O p e n G o v e r n m e n t
P. O. B o x 1 8 6 , Wa r re n t o n , O re g o n 9 7 1 4 6
February 4, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CCFOG FILES COMPLETED PETITION TO RECALL RICHARD LEE

Astoria, Oregon. Eleven days was all the time required for Clatsop Citizens for Open
Government to collect sufficient signatures to trigger a recall of Richard Lee, commissioner
for Clatsop County District 3. An energized band of volunteers began collecting signatures on
January 25, and discovered a very determined and supportive electorate willing to sign the
petitions.
The Clatsop County Elections Office has ten days in which to verify the signatures. After the
petition has been certified, Richard Lee will have five days in which to either resign or
respond with a Statement of Justification, explaining his record in office. The Clatsop
County Elections office is attempting to utilize March 18, a previously scheduled date for
special elections, as the date for the recall. If this occurs, ballots would arrive the week of
February 25.
“If a vacancy arises, our expectation is that the remaining county commissioners will
conduct an open process for identifying a replacement, including a call for applications and
a hearing with public commentary” states Scott Reuter, CCFOG volunteer coordinator. "This
is only the first, most immediate, step in the Group's strategy to help bring fairness back to
county government."
For more information about CCFOG and the recall effort, go to the website
at ccFog.org. The mailing address is PO Box 186, Warrenton, 97146.

So, I Hear Some Of Warrenton's Leaders Have Visited A Boston LNG Facility...Will Debrief February 12, 2008

One can only.....uhum!..... guess at the outcome of that visit.

Hmmm, comparing The Boston area to the Lower Columbia River.

How close can one get?

Don't Challenge A Woman's Ego...Ever!

THREE WOMEN, TWO YOUNGER, AND ONE SENIOR CITIZEN, WERE SITTING NAKED IN A SAUNA. SUDDENLY THERE WAS A BEEPING SOUND. THE YOUNG WOMAN PRESSED HER FOREARM AND THE BEEP STOPPED. THE OTHERS LOOKED AT HER QUESTIONINGLY. "THAT WAS MY PAGER ,SHE SAID. I HAVE A MICROCHIP UNDER THE SKIN OF MY ARM."

A FEW MINUTES LATER, A PHONE RANG. THE SECOND YOUNG WOMAN LIFTED HER PALM TO HER EAR. WHEN SHE FINISHED,SHE EXPLAINED, "THAT WAS MY MOBILE PHONE ,I HAVE A MICROCHIP IN MY HAND."

THE OLDER WOMAN FELT VERY LOW-TECH. NOT TO BE OUT DONE, SHE DECIDED SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING JUST AS IMPRESSIVE. SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE SAUNA AND WENT TO THE BATHROOM. SHE RETURNED WITH A PIECE OF TOILET PAPER HANGING FROM HER REAR END. THE OTHERS RAISED THEIR EYEBROWS AND STARED AT HER. THE OLDER WOMAN FINALLY SAID......... " WELL, WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT... I'M GETTING A FAX " !!

From Seattle Times: David Wu And Those Pesky "Earmarks"

Update: WU STATEMENT FOLLOWING STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman David Wu released the following statement after the president's final State of the Union address tonight:
"The president and I have differed on many foreign and domestic policy issues, but tonight I am gratified to work together with him to pass a timely economic stimulus package to prevent Wall Street from dragging our Main Street economy into recession.
"An economic shot in the arm: cash rebates for most Americans, tax incentives for small business and addressing part of the national mortgage crisis is common sense and the right thing to do.
"What the American people and Wall Street want to see is not just an economic package, but a government in Washington that works.
"I hope that the president's decision to work with Congress on this economic stimulus package indicates that we will also do those things we should always be doing to ensure America's long-term economic health.
"We always need to enhance education, from kindergarten to community colleges and universities; work with employers to improve job training programs; invest in research and development; foster partnerships between government and the private sector to bring new technologies and products to store shelves; and craft trade agreements that take care of American jobs first.
"These are the fundamental challenges we need to address. I hope to find a willing partner in the White House.”"



Doug Hoschek sells the Army's elite Special Forces a T-shirt that resists burning — a feature that can save the lives of soldiers under fire.

He wanted to sell his creation to the Marines, as well.

Working out of his Sammamish home, the seasoned garment maker toiled for months preparing to bid but, Hoschek was stunned to learn recently that another company, InSport International, snagged the T-shirt contracts without having to compete.

InSport had lobbied members of Congress for an "earmark" — federal dollars lawmakers direct to favor seekers, often campaign donors. Company executives also donated nearly $9,000 to the re-election effort of Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., who sponsored three earmarks for InSport.

"Earmarks", he said, "cheat businesses that play by the rules. They not only deprive the military of getting the best price, he said, but can saddle soldiers with inferior products that politicians handpick."

It's not supposed to work that way.

Federal law requires that all military contracts, even earmarks, be offered through competitive bidding. Exceptions are allowed in those few cases in which the military has an urgent need or the product is unique.But in case after case, The Seattle Times found, earmark contracts were awarded without competition.

From The November 19, 2007 Special Hearings On Bradwood: A Blatant Lie Or Selective Blindness?

"Hazen asked for clarification of the pipelines and said the Palomar pipeline is separate and that Bradwood is using the pipeline going to Kelso;

Coppedge said that is correct.

Hazen asked if Bradwood would consider using the Palomar pipeline down the road if it was feasible.

Coppedge said they are not developing the Palomar pipeline and the current plan is to transport
gas through the Bradwood Landing pipeline.

Hazen asked what the reason was for the Palomar pipeline and referred to a statement in the Bradwood materials.

Paul Soanes, Bradwood Landing President, Houston, Texas, said the statement is a direct FERC quote and FERC would be the best source for an answer to the commissioner’s question."

And now, coincidentally, we know that Bradwood is indeed abandoning the pipeline crossing "The River" that goes to the "Williams Pipeline" in favor of "The Palomar Pipeline" along, obviously, with Oregon LNG/Pipeline and Northwest Natural Gas, going south and east, then connecting to Trans Canand Pipeline east of Maupin, Oregon.

To me this appears to be a blatant non-truth by Northern Star Natural Gas and not a peep out of Hazen, Lee, Samuelson, Roberts, Patrick regarding this breech.

And of Course new Commission President Roberts tells NNB's Michael Desmond it can all be undone it if all issues are not mitigated properly?

Well, Patricia what the heck are you and yours going to do about this flagrant misdirection by Northern Star?

You have been lied to right out the box and, yet, you sit there, not a peep?

I ask Hazen: Why did you not speak up when you caught the news that NSNG is working with consultants doing feasability for NSNG's use of 'The Palomar" pipeline.

No flags were raised at all?

From The Oregonian On Clatsop County Commission. Is This The Perception We Want To Convey?

Is This The Image We Want To Convey?

Clatsop County Commission needs the "Kindgerten Cop"
by The Oregonian
Thursday January 24, 2008, 12:55 PM

"Arnold, please return to Astoria and use that whistle the get these kids in order. I would love to be the beat reporter at the Daily Astorian that gets to cover these folks and write stories like this. Actually, that's the beauty of it. These stories write themselves. You can't make this up.
Turmoil amid the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners boiled over again Wednesday.
Chairwoman Patricia Roberts scolded a fellow member of the board for flipping other commissioners "the bird" during Tuesday's goal-setting workshop.
Roberts told fellow commissioner Sam Patrick she was stunned and shocked by his conduct."

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/clatsop_county_commission_need.html

Grass Roots Straw Poll On Recall

73% Yes
26% No

Samuelson Sells Astoria Plumbing And Tile! - Just More Perception Reinforcement of "Them Against "Us" You think? Read This!

From KAST Coastwatch Blog

Nasty People
Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson is selling her business. She was on her way toclose the deal today when she called to tell me why she was doing this. Ann told me she is entirely committed to her job as a commissioner and decided it was time to get out of the plumbing contracting business because the people that work for her were being targeted by those who don't like some of the decisions she has made as an elected official.

Yes, I've seen the list of CCFOG members who are seeking to dismantle county government.

Those who would "agree" to have their names made public.

I've decided some research is in order. It will take some time so please be patient.

The personal attack on me this morning by the group spokesman Rodger Rocka, followed closely by a call from a commissioner telling me she was giving up her family business to protect her employees from these kind of attacks tells me that regardless of what this group may say about their intentions their actionsspeak volumes.

I certainly don't wish to see anyone from this group affecting public policy orattempting a run for office at this point.Neither should you.

Commissioner Sells Business -From Ann Samuelson Explaining Her Reason

The following is the text of an email I recieved from Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson which clarifies her position.

Hi Tom, I appreciated talking with you the yesterday morning regarding my sale of the plumbing business.

I just want to clarify what I wanted to convey.

I am concerned that my employees "would have been impacted" by how I am treated as an elected official, i.e. their income etc. This was one of the reasons on my list of why I needed to sell at this point in my life.

I have made a commitment to Clatsop County and I have three years left in that commitment.

You can talk to past Commissioners who have businesses of any type and many will tell you they experience a negative effect on their businesses.

Because what I did pay a living wage and benefits on an hourly basis, I was becoming very concerned over the last year about the impact this group behavior in the community would have on others in my life, thus the solution was to sell, and this was part of the reason for that decision.

Further, to protect that as best I could most of our work was not done in Clatsop County, and that had become exhausting as well, I did that because I wanted to limit mine and my employees exposure to the behavior we are seeing from this group.

That is proving to be a real concern, in that I have been turned in to the Secretary of State for laundering money for a campaign, by a fellow Commissioner, and the head of the democratic party in Clatsop County (a false allegation, thrown out by the Secretary of State).

Note that I hold a non-partisan seat as a Commissioner, but I am the only democrat on the BOCC. Currently a Freedom of Information Act request has been submitted to the county building codes department by former Commissioner Helen Westbrook regarding any dealings I have had with them regarding permitting.

The bullying tactics being used here against Mr. Lee, and that I have experienced, are certainly unpleasant but I know and hear daily from supporters of the work we are doing, so it doesn't have the impact I think they hope for.

This is apparently the political climate of our community, it is a climate that is exhausting, time consuming, and very negative, making it challenging to run a business under these circumstances. Know that I will continue to do the work I was elected to do.Thanks so much for the work you do to keep folks informed.Ann
Posted

"The Finger" - An Update.

Now, Clatsop County Commissioner Sam Patrick freely admits he displayed the hand jesture of displaying a raised middle finger in session at a recent meeting but, he qualified it as a clarification of a representation of what another fellow commissioner or was it county manager had portrayed on a piece of paper representing Commission's sentiment towards the constituents.

Anybody know what the real story behind this is?

Update From Patricks Explanation: "The second event occurred when we had broken into smaller groups, discussed several topics and were asked to report on what we'd come up with. One of the groups had drawn a picture describing how the commission felt about the community. I asked "if it looked like this," extended my arm, curled my fingers and extended my middle finger. Yes, this comment and the previous statement are inexcusable and I shall maintain my composure in the future and refrain from such boorish behavior."

Commissioner Hazen Weighs In On Commissioner Patrick

From Clatsop County Commissioner Jeff Hazen's Blog

January 24, 2008

Sam Patricks behavior

As you may have heard, The goal setting meeting wasn't without drama.

During a brief time that I was out of the room, Sam gave his opinion on the discussion with sign language.

Yes, he flipped the bird. I am astounded that he would choose to do this during a meeting where we were attempting to shape our goals for the year and to find common ground in order to work better together. Clearly, he has no desire to work with the rest of the commission and I don't understand why he continues to serve as a commissioner. I guess that I am not surprised by his actions.

I remember when the budget committee met last year and I brought up the district attorney's stipend issue. After the meeting, Sam came up to me and told me that I "f***ed up".

We all know what the fallout was after the decision was made to cut the stipend.

Clearly Sam has made his mission to tear down county government.

He personally filed a complaint against the rest of the commission accusing us of money laundering.

The complaint was baseless and tossed out by the state. He used an old campaign ploy to try and drum up controversy as the citizens were about to vote. He chose to go on the attack about the county and the disaster mitigation plan and give the local newspaper misinformation about who was responsible for the plan.

This plan lies under the auspices of the Sheriff's office and they are working diligently on the plan.

Fortunately, this commission has 4 people committed to working together for the betterment of the county. While the 4 of us may not agree on certain things as they come up, we won't create personal vendettas against each other.

We will move on to the next topic and continue the work we were elected to do. We won't get bogged down in the sewer that Sam has chosen to be in.

GRP Invites Commissioner Lee To Clariify His Statement........

and how, in his leadership in the Clatsop County citizen's Trust, he has prospered that philosophy.

Richard Lee's statement to NCO and KAST -“As a lifelong resident of Clatsop County I truly believe I represent the silent majority of constituents who want and deserve economic growth, affordable housing, and family wage jobs, along with a fiscally responsible government in a livable and friendly community that your children, my children and our grand-children can continue to live in and enjoy. I am committed to this philosophy.”

From Daily Astorian: Clatsop County Commissioner Richard Lee Faces Recall!

One petitioner said; Lee has made a series of incredibly bad decisions.

"It doesn't seem to be getting any better. Every indication is that it's going to get worse," Auerbach said.

The petition was filed today with the Clatsop County Clerk by a new group called Clatsop Citizens for Open Government (CCFOG).

Members list the reasons for recall as:"By his actions as a Clatsop County Commissioner, Richard Lee has harmed the future of Clatsop County and its residents through:
"• Squandering public funds by choosing to hire planning and management consultants and expensive attorneys but disregarding their professional advice and findings; "
• Undermining common values, adopted plans, established policies and regulations of the county; "
• Failing to be open and transparent in decision-making and development of policy, violating the spirit of public meetings law; "• Ignoring and failing to respond to the advice and concerns of paid staff, volunteer committees, and the public; "
• Jeopardizing the justice system through threats of underfunding support staff; "• Manipulating the membership of the Planning Commission to control the Planning Commission's decisions and actions; "
• Endangering the public and disregarding public safety by failing to require funding guarantees for emergency services and personnel from major industrial proposals; "
• Creating a divisive environment that is acrimonious and counterproductive in doing the public's business

."If the petition is approved by the County Clerk, recall supporters will have up to 90 days to collect about 500 signatures necessary to force an election.

When the signed petitions are submitted, the county will have 10 days to verify the signatures and Lee will have five days to either resign or respond.

If he does not resign a recall election must be held within 35 days.

Members of Clatsop Citizens for Open Government will be collecting signatures from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday in front of the Astoria Post Office, outside the Liberty Theater and at the Cannery Pier Hotel.

Only registered voters who live in Lee's district are eligible to sign petitions.

Clatsop County officials say District 3 encompasses the area of Astoria east of Fifth Street, southeasterly of Denver Avenue and south of platted West Niagara Avenue, as well as the communities of Miles Crossing, Jeffers Gardens, Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark, Youngs River, Olney, Green Mountain and part of Walluski. These areas are Precincts 4, 5, 6, 21, 31, 36. and part of 3.

For the entire article click below:
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=48535

MLK Memorial Sculpture Controversy

Controversy Erupts Over Selection of Chinese Sculptor for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

From the Associated Press

The selection of a Chinese sculptor to carve a three-story monument to Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall is raising questions about what part of his legacy should be celebrated.King promoted peace and understanding among all people. His primary fight, however, was to win particular opportunities for blacks in the United States by juxtaposing the plight of an oppressed people against a message of freedom and democracy.A loose-knit but growing group of critics says a black artist — or at least an American — should have been chosen to create the King memorial between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials in the nation's capital. They have been joined by human rights advocates who say King would have abhorred the Chinese government's record on religious and civil liberty."They keep saying King was for everyone. I keep telling people, 'No, King wasn't for everyone. King was for fairness and justice,"' said Gilbert Young, a black painter from Atlanta who has started a Web site and a petition drive to try to change the project."I believe that black artists have the right to interpret ourselves first," Young said. "If nobody steps up to the plate to do that, then certainly pass it along to someone else."The memorial foundation directing the project seems surprised at the criticism. Ten of the 12 people on the committee that chose the sculptor, Lei Yixin, are black. Lei is working closely on the design with two black sculptors in the U.S., organizers said, and the overall project is being directed by a black-owned architecture firm.The foundation also points to King's preaching — in a quote that will be incorporated into the monument — that to achieve peace, humans must "transcend race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.""The bottom line is Dr. King's message that we should judge a person not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character," said Harry Johnson, the foundation's president and chief executive. "In this situation, we're talking about the artistic character."Lei, designated a master sculptor by the Chinese government, is one of nine artists in the field who are considered national treasures in China. He has carved monuments to many of the country's national figures, including Mao Zedong, father of communist China.In a telephone interview Friday from Hunan province in central China, Lei said he was honored to have been chosen and was aware of the controversy."I deeply understand because Martin Luther King is a hero for black Americans," he said.But, he added, "Martin Luther King hoped that everyone would be brothers and sisters no matter the color of their skin or their social status, that they would all enjoy the same opportunities and rights. ... I want my sculpture to show that Martin Luther King fought for democracy."Ann Lau, a Chinese native who lives in Los Angeles, bristles at the suggestion of democracy in her home country and said King would never condone Beijing's policies. The granite used for the statue probably will be mined by workers laboring in unsafe and unfair conditions, the human rights activist said.Lau, Young and others plan to present their online petition to lawmakers in Washington next month in an effort to force the foundation to reconsider the project. Although the $100 million project is financed with private donations, they said citizens should have a say because the monument is being built on public land."The whole thing is wrong," Lau said. "We are going to be permanently connecting Dr. King with someone whose ideology is totally opposed to Dr. King's ideology."But Johnson, the foundation president, asked why the foundation should hold Lei accountable for his government."I think you have to take this away from the government," he said. "We didn't question Lei about his politics or his ideology. We questioned him about whether he could do the work."The King monument is scheduled to be completed in 2009.

N.M.F.S. FERC Document Pushes For Denial of Bradwood

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has appropriately recommended that the US Army Corps of Engineers deny Northern Star's application. NMFS describes likely adverse impacts on page four which include "extensive dredging, filling of off-channelaquatic habitat and the 100-year floodplain, modification and chronicdisturbance of nearshore habitat, and alteration of riparian and estuarine habitat."

NMFS provides numerous reasons for the Corps to deny the permits needed to construct the terminal and pipelines. For example, on page seven the fisheries service notes that "recent consultations have been founded on improvement of estuary habitat and stated that remaining salmonid habitat should be protected and enhanced. This includes the very habitat proposed for loss or modification by the subject project."

These findings support the testimony that I gave to the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners on behalf of Pacific MarineConservation Council, as well as statements by others including ColumbiaRiverkeeper and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. This isyet another example of the myopic manner in which four of the commissionersdisregarded significant public testimony, how they failed to dig deeper intothe harm that this project would bring to the salmon of the Columbia River andthe businesses that depend upon these fish.

NMFS connects the interdependent actions such as the pipelines(including Palomar) and moorage of tugs. NMFS also understates the fact that "The need for this volume of natural gas to service the Pacific Northwest has not been convincingly demonstrated."

This is a good read and a useful document(see link below). Perhaps in the end it will be a federal agency thatacts to protect the environment and sustainable economic development of theestuary. Four of five Clatsop County Commissioners sure showed noinclination to serve their constituents. Instead they exhibited recklessdisregard for our safety, our jobs and the quality of our life.

Bravo NMFS!

Peter Huhtala

Subject: Government Agency Submittal submitted in FERC CP06-365-000,et al.by NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

On1/18/2008, the following Filing was submitted to the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC), Washington D.C.:


Filer: NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

Docket(s): CP06-365-000
CP06-366-000
Filing Type: Government Agency Submittal
Comment on Filing
Description: National Marine Fisheries Service comments on the public noticedated 10/18/07 re an application by Bradwood Landing LLC to constsruct aliquefied natural gas import terminal etc under CP06-365 et al.

To view the document for this Filing, click here
http://elibrary.FERC.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20080118-0297

What Is A National Heritage Area?

From: National Parks Service

A "National Heritage Area" is a place designated by the United States Congress where natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally-distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. These areas tell nationally important stories about our nation and are representative of the national experience through both the physical features that remain and the traditions that have evolved within them.
How is it different from a national park?A National Heritage Area is not a unit of the National Park Service, nor is any land owned or managed by the National Park Service. Instead, a National Heritage Area is a locally-managed designation that focuses heritage-centered interpretation, conservation and development projects over a complex matrix of public and private land. National Heritage Area initiatives are coordinated by a local entity in partnership with varied stakeholders that work collaboratively on projects that meet the area's stated management plan goals. In addition, while a National Heritage Area designation is permanent, the NPS relationship with and commitments to a NHA vary over time.
How do communities benefit from the National Heritage Area designation? The designation has both tangible and intangible benefits. Heritage conservation efforts are grounded in a community's pride in its history and traditions, and in residents' interest and involvement in retaining and interpreting the landscape for future generations. Preserving the integrity of the cultural landscape and local stories means that future generations will be able to understand their relationship to the land. Heritage areas provide educational and inspirational opportunities which encourage residents and visitors to stay in a place, but they also offer a collaborative approach to conservation that does not compromise traditional local control over and use of the landscape.
In addition to enhancing local pride and retaining residents, designation comes with limited technical and financial assistance from the National Park Service. NPS primarily provides planning and interpretation assistance and expertise, but also connects regions with other Federal agencies. Federal financial assistance provides valuable "seed" money that covers basic expenses such as staffing, and leverages other money from state, local and private sources. The region also benefits from national recognition due to its association with the National Park Service through the use of the NPS arrowhead symbol as a branding strategy.
Why utilize the heritage areas strategy? Nature, ecology, and topography shape the culture of a community, which in turn determines how land will be used and consequently what values it will provide to society. This human imprint on the land creates what is called a "cultural landscape," a setting comprised of natural, cultural, social, and economic components that reflect a complex and continuous interrelationship between people and the land.
Many of our nation's unique cultural landscapes now face irrevocable alteration through development or neglect. The heritage area concept offers an innovative method for citizens, in partnership with local, state, and Federal government, and nonprofit and private sector interests, to shape the long-term future of their environment. Heritage areas work across jurisdictional and demographic boundaries by identifying multiple cultural landscapes that are linked thematically, historically, or geographically. Constituents utilize shared concerns about these landscapes to collaboratively shape a plan and implementation strategy that focuses on maintaining the distinct qualities that integrate the region and make it special.
Becoming a heritage area does not require prior state or Federal designation or approval. Five states (Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Utah, and New York) currently have heritage area programs, and there are hundreds of locally defined grassroots heritage area initiatives. Federal designation depends upon Congressional support, whether the region's resources are nationally important and the degree to which the public is engaged in and supportive of designation.
What are the benefits of a partnership approach to heritage development? The partnership approach creates the opportunity for a diverse range of constituents to come together to voice the range of visions and perspectives that exist in any community that has strong connections and interests in the place in which it lives and works. Resident participation in the collaborative exercise of idea sharing and planning encourages the dialog that needs to occur to reveal the goals and visions that members of a community have in common. Basing regional planning upon the shared goals of its constituent communities, and pursuing and encouraging cooperation regardless of other perceived differences can unite the energies and resources of multiple voices in a common goal to preserve and enhance the qualities of the place in which they live. Partnering also encourages the leveraging of financial and in-kind resources and reduces the possibility of duplicating efforts and wasting scarce resources.
How are National Heritage Areas managed?The management entity, outlined in designation legislation, may be a State or local agency, a Federal commission, or a private nonprofit corporation. The management entity is empowered to create a management plan for the heritage area, and is authorized to receive Federal funds on the area's behalf. The authority to implement the management plan is local--it rests in the hands of willing local officials and the actions of local organizations and individuals. Designation legislation does not provide the management entity or any Federal agency with the authority to regulate land. The management entity is also prohibited from using the Federal funds it receives through enabling legislation to acquire real property.
The management plan, required in the designation legislation, describes the ways the management entity and its partners can work together toward the fulfillment of their common vision. Short and long-term actions listed in a management plan might include developing and implementing an interpretation plan, assisting in the rehabilitation of a number of historic sites, working with partners to open regional visitors' centers, or creating a network of recreational trails. The management entity and its partners have three years following designation during which to develop a plan and receive approval by the Secretary of the Interior.
What is the role of the National Park Service? After a heritage area is designated by Congress, National Park Service staff are enlisted as partners with local community activists in planning and implementing heritage area activities. NPS enters into a cooperative agreement with the local parties. The compact is a statement of assent to mutually shared goals, and also serves as the legal vehicle through which Federal funds can be passed to non-governmental management entities. National Park Service involvement is always advisory in nature; it neither makes nor carries out management decisions.
Why is the National Park Service involved? Since 1916, the National Park Service has been the Federal agency responsible for preserving nationally significant natural and historic resources for present and future generations. Heritage Areas allow the Park Service to fulfill this mission without having to acquire or manage more land. Instead, NPS assists citizens who express the initiative to protect their nationally important resources. Fostering local stewardship of distinct and largely intact historic and cultural landscapes allows the National Park Service to work more directly with the public in the direct preservation and protection of important landscapes which have helped define a distinctly American identity.
What kinds of activities does a National Heritage Area offer to outside visitors?Geography, history, resources and maturity all shape what a National Heritage Area can offer visitors. Most National Heritage Areas offer a range of activities for all ages and interests, from recreation (biking, boating) and cultural events (food festivals, art circuits) to history and culture activities (walking tours, museums and historic buildings). Because heritage areas link resources and stories, they provide unique opportunities to understand the larger context of the region's stories, landscapes and people. Many areas provide volunteering, group tour or multiple-day excursions. Others provide combined events that highlight unusual combinations of the region's natural, historical and cultural assets, combining bike tours with Bed and Breakfast stays, for example. You can also combine your trip to a National Heritage Areas with a nearby National Park Service site or trail.

Should America Follw This Man's Lead?

Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians'.

'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'. 'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'

'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'
'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'

LNG: Report Says LNG/Oil Tankers Vulnerable - Coast Guard Protection Inadequate

By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer Wed Jan 9, 7:17 PM ET

The Coast Guard lacks the resources to adequately protect tankers carrying liquefied petroleum or crude oil from a possible terrorist attack, congressional auditors reported Wednesday.
The report by the Government Accountability Office said the Coast Guard is stretched too thin in some cases "to meet its own self-imposed security standards such as escorting ships carrying liquefied natural gas."
Also, said the report, some ports visited by the government auditors did not have the resources needed to promptly respond to a terrorist attack on a crude oil or LNG tanker, including a shortage of fire boats and inadequately trained people.
The GAO report said past incidents overseas have shown that fuel-carrying tankers are significant terrorist targets, with the biggest concern being a suicide attack. The report noted the 2002 suicide boat attack on a tanker off the coast or Yemen, for example.
While the GAO cited no specific terrorist threat to a vessel or U.S. port, the report said "the threat of seaboard terrorist attacks on maritime energy tankers and infrastructure is likely to persist," with the greatest risks at shipping chokepoints far from U.S. shores.
But it also said the United States "has limitations" in its ability to head off a terrorist plot overseas and that actions taken in U.S waters and ports "carry increased importance."
The Coast Guard has the primary responsibility for maritime security. It monitors arriving ships, boards vessels before they reach port and conducts escort patrols of incoming LNG tankers.
But the GAO auditors said Coast Guard documents show that at some ports a lack of resources has hindered some Coast Guard units from meeting their security duties, including vessel escorts and boarding. It said the Coast Guard has sought to prioritize its security activities to focus on the most risky shipments such as LNG, but that may have reduced security involving other commodities such as crude oil.
"We know that terrorists are looking for the weakest link in our security efforts, and this GAO report is a timely reminder that LNG and oil tankers are serious targets," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who long has been concerned about security for LNG tankers going into Boston harbor.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he would support more money for the Coast Guard for these security activities.
"If there is an attack on an energy tanker or terminal in a U.S. port there could be significant economic environmental and public safety consequences," Dingell said.
Tankers carrying liquefied petroleum now account for 3 percent of U.S. natural gas supplies and that is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. LNG imports now are equal to two large tankers arriving at a U.S. port every three days. There are four onshore LNG terminals operating, but federal regulators have approved construction of at least 11 new facilities, and dozens more have been proposed.
Fire from a terrorism attack against a tanker ship carrying LNG could ignite so fiercely it would burn people one mile away, according to various government studies.
A report by the GAO in March concluded that further research is needed to understand the consequences of an LNG inferno. But it also examined six unclassified studies about the effects of a major spill and fire aboard a double-hulled LNG tanker, concluding that fierce heat from the intense fire — not explosions — would be the biggest threat to the public.
LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to minus 260 degrees, so that it becomes a liquid that can be transported in a tanker. Once brought ashore it is warmed so that it again becomes natural gas.
The GAO report was requested by Dingell, Markey and Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.
Barton said in a statement that most LNG safety experts surveyed by the GAO said the protection zones required for LNG tankers and terminals will protect the public.
"Who can disagree that in an age of suicide bombers and America-haters, the vessels which deliver energy to Americans warrant protection," Barton said. "We'll need to protect the tankers, but we'll require far fewer of them if we can summon the political will to produce our own energy from our own reserve."
Barton has been a strong advocate for opening more offshore waters for natural gas exploration and drilling and more domestic oil and gas production.

From Willamette Week: Three Sources Say State Senator Betsy Johnson Under FBI Investigation!

Three Sources: State Sen. Betsy Johnson Under FBI Investigation

January 8th 2008 3:17pm
BY: Nigel Jaquiss - Willamette Week

(Click Jaquiss's name for full story)

Oregon On Track To Add Seat In Congress

U.S. House - The state's growth positions it to gain a sixth representative after the 2010 Census
Friday, January 04, 2008
CHARLES POPE - The Oregonian
WASHINGTON -- If power in Congress is a measure of numbers, Oregon is likely to become a wee bit stronger after the 2010 Census.
Political demographers say Oregon is growing large enough and consistently enough to make it a strong candidate for adding a sixth House seat after the next census.
It would be the first addition to the Oregon delegation in 30 years.
"Earlier in the decade, we didn't see Oregon gaining a seat, but Oregon is now showing a strong potential," said Kimball W. Brace, president of Election Data Services, a Washington-based consulting firm that specializes in redistricting.
Brace's analysis, based on new census estimates, shows Northwest states booming, along with those in the Southeast and Southwest. The projections show population draining from the Northeast and Midwest.
Oregon's population is estimated to increase from 3.4 million in 2000, to 3.9 million by 2010, according to Census estimates.
Texas is likely to add four seats while Arizona and Florida would gain two each. Others likely to add at least one member of Congress are Georgia, Nevada and Utah. Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania are projected to lose seats.
The projection of seats, which translates into winners and losers, is an intense parlor game played out every 10 years in state capitals and in Washington, D.C. Under federal law, legislative and congressional districts must be redrawn after each census to preserve one-person, one-vote equality. With the census completed by the end of 2010, the job will fall to a new governor and Legislature to remake Oregon's political map.
By law, the president is required to report the census results to the U.S. House early in the year. Within 15 days, the clerk of the House must tell all the governors how many seats their states get.
In Oregon, as in most states, the lines are drawn by the state Legislature, which means the party in power shapes districts to maximize its prospects. If the Legislature can't agree, the secretary of state intervenes to decide state legislative districts and a federal judge decides congressional lines.
It can get messy.
"It's usually the case that the Legislature can agree on congressional districts," said Norman Turrill, first vice president for the League of Women Voters of Oregon, who helped write a 2007 study on redistricting in Oregon. "They don't usually have a conflict of interest like they do when they draw their own boundaries."
Even so, if Oregon adds another House district, some difficult questions will have to be answered: Should the new seat be used to shrink the sprawling 2nd District in eastern Oregon that is rich with Republican voters? Should the lines around Portland be redrawn to consolidate it into a single district rather than divide the city and its suburbs among three lawmakers? Should the oddly-shaped 5th District, which runs from Clackamas County to the coast, be adjusted?
Whatever decisions are made, the districts will have to conform to unforgiving math; they will each have about 700,000 residents.
Here's more math: The number of House seats is capped at 435, which means a gain by one state causes another state to lose. Congress could change the number, though it seldom has. There were only 105 members after the first census in 1790. In 1910, Congress set the number at 435, where it has remained ever since.
Even the census itself is under scrutiny. State populations are derived by counting everybody -- citizens and non-citizens alike.
In March, Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., introduced legislation directing the Census Bureau to count only U.S. citizens. The bill quickly stalled.
"It's one thing if we lose seats simply because of population loss, but it's another thing if we lose this seat because of illegal immigration, and that's exactly what is happening," she said at the time.
All of this for an outcome that will barely move the needle on the power index. Even with six seats, Oregon will remain one of the smaller delegations, a far cry from California with 53 and still trailing Washington's nine. With six House members, Oregon will have parity with Kentucky and South Carolina.
"We'll have a little more clout in Washington, D.C.," Turrill says, "but not significantly more."
Charles Pope: 202 383-7819; charles.pope@newhouse.com
©2008 The Oregonian

Oregon Democrat Law Makers List Their Priorities For Upcoming Legislative Session

Of Course Not a Word On LNG Speculation And Siting!

Issue priorities for Senate and House Democrats, who are the majorities in both chambers of the Oregon Legislature, which will meet Feb. 4-29 in a test drive for annual sessions. Issues are listed in no particular order, and some are subject to money available in the 2007-09 budget:
STATE POLICE: Potential additional hiring of troopers to restore around-the-clock patrol coverage on major state highways. The 2007 session set aside money for 100, short of the 139 estimated to be needed.
CHILDREN: Potential additional hiring of protective workers to ensure the safety of foster children and others under state supervision.
SENIORS: Unspecified additional money for Oregon Project Independence and other alternatives to nursing home care for seniors.
FORECLOSURES: New legal protections for homeowners caught up in the national mortgage-lending crisis. A bill passed the Senate but died in the House in the 2007 session.
NATURAL RESOURCES: Potential additional money for a state task force reviewing Oregon's land-use laws; the 2007 session reduced but did not end support. Expansion of water drawn from the Columbia River for Eastern Oregon communities and farming; the House passed but the Senate shelved a similar bill in the 2007 session.
PERFORMANCE: Lawmakers are wrestling with how to enhance their oversight of state agency operations.

Natural Resource Group: Just More Appearance Of Bradwood Collusion To Ram LNG Down OUR Throats

State hints of conflict in firm's 2 LNG studies
Posted by The Oregonian January 05, 2008 08:47AM
Categories: Breaking News, Business, Clackamas County, Environment, Washington County
Oregon is skeptical of federal assurances that the terminal and pipeline reports were independently doneState officials aren't satisfied with federal regulators' steps to deal with a potential conflict of interest posed by the same environmental consulting firm working on two projects: a Columbia River terminal for liquefied natural gas and a pipeline that would ferry the imported gas to market.
They also are concerned that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's environmental analysis of the LNG terminal, Bradwood Landing, doesn't cover the pipeline proposal.
If both projects receive approval, the Palomar gas pipeline would carry gas from the LNG import terminal near the mouth of the Columbia River to a distribution hub south of Portland and from there on to an interstate pipeline in central Oregon.
FERC hired the consultant, Natural Resource Group, in 2005 to help prepare regulators' environmental evaluation of the terminal project -- a crucial part of the federal licensing process.
The next year, NRG went to work for financial backers of the pipeline, which now include TransCanada Corp. and Northwest Natural Gas Co., to help secure regulatory approval for the Palomar pipeline. At the time, NRG says, the Palomar proposal only connected Northwest Natural's distribution hub in Molalla to TransCanada's interstate pipeline near Madras.
The pipeline proposal, however, has since expanded to include a second section extending from the Willamette Valley to the LNG terminal, if the terminal is built.
The conflict-of-interest concern turns on whether, for regulatory purposes, the pipeline project and LNG terminal are considered related. The state of Oregon believes they are, and it wants FERC not only to eliminate any potential conflict with its third party contractor, but also consider the environmental impact of the pipeline in its analysis of the terminal.
"If these projects are related to each other, they both should have been covered," said Michael Grainey, director of the Oregon Department of Energy.
Backers of the LNG terminal and pipeline continue to argue that the projects are unrelated.
Bradwood could ship its gas to market over a shorter pipeline proposed to link it with the Williams Northwest Pipeline near Kelso, said Henry Morse, project manager for the Palomar pipeline. Similarly, the eastern section of Palomar, connecting Molalla and TransCanada's pipeline north of Madras, is still a viable project even if Bradwood is never built, he said.
"Neither one relies on the other for their existence," Morse said.
For licensing purposes, FERC is treating the projects as unrelated. In fact, Palomar's backers haven't even filed an application yet. But the agency acknowledges a potential relationship between the two. In late December, it sent a letter to NRG to express ethical concerns about its work on both projects.
"NRG's work on the Palomar pipeline could appear to provide it with a financial interest in seeing that Bradwood Landing LNG project gets approved," said the letter from Richard Hoffman, the director of FERC's Division of Gas.
Hoffman directed NRG to eliminate the potential conflict by separating staff and supervisors on the projects and segregating documentation on them.
Mary O'Driscoll, a spokeswoman for FERC, said such "Chinese walls" are common practice in corporate America.
"This is a longstanding practice in corporate circles and here at FERC," O'Driscoll said. "These are professionals. They have a blend of experience, and we know them from their past work."
Moreover, she said, FERC staff closely review every element of its environmental reviews. "Nothing goes out of here that is not signed and approved by FERC," she added.
U.S. agency critical, too
FERC issued its 600-page draft environmental analysis of Bradwood Landing, much of which NRG compiled, in August. Since then, Oregon state natural resource agencies have criticized the document as flawed and inadequate. The National Marine Fisheries Service, also critical, said FERC should include anticipated effects of the second section of the Palomar project in its analysis.
Douglas Lake, a vice president or NRG, defended the firm's work on the Bradwood Landing analysis and said no conflict existed.
"We've done work for FERC on many, many projects," he said. "We know what they want in terms of the level of detail. That's why they hire us again and again."
Lake said only one staff member from NRG, a soils expert, had worked on both Bradwood and Palomar. Meanwhile, he said, NRG had complied with FERC's request to separate project staff and documentation. The firm has even rented new space in Minneapolis so that staff working on the two projects won't interact.
State still worries
Mike Carrier, Gov. Ted Kulongoski's natural resource policy director, said the state is still concerned that NRG has the potential to be less than objective and separating the staff doesn't solve the issue.
"It's not sufficient," Carrier said. "Just a physical separation of the staff and work doesn't clearly resolve whether there's a material benefit for NRG to be working on both projects."
Depending on FERC's reaction to NRG's actions, Carrier said, the state might initiate a legal review of the situation. He wouldn't say whether the state was prepared to take any other steps.
In the meantime, the state is hoping FERC will substantially beef up its environmental analysis of the project.
"We have every indication that FERC is approaching this with a fairly light touch," Carrier said. "We'd like to see a more robust approach."
-- Ted Sickinger; tedsickinger@news.oregonian.com

LNG - Shifting To LNG Just Trades The Devil For A Witch, Energy Expert Says

Business
Saturday Reader - Arizona Star Newspaper

By Cecil Johnson
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

In energy industry parlance, LNG is short for liquefied natural gas. In the view of electricity production and delivery expert Jason Makansi, those letters should stand for "let's not go" there.
Makansi opines unequivocally in "Lights Out," his illuminating new book on the energy availability challenges confronting the U.S. and the world in the 21st century, that importing large amounts of LNG for bulk electricity generation is a bad idea whose time should not come.
"What we absolutely, positively do not want is to be dependent on imported LNG, as we are on imported petroleum today and into the foreseeable future," he writes.
"That should be painfully obvious. Threatening LNG imports could be helpful in tempering gas prices, but I wouldn't rely on them for anything else."
Makansi, an electricity-industry consultant, entrepreneur and author of two previous books on the industry, espies major problems with LNG. He says he considers LNG tankers "floating bombs" that are vulnerable to accidents and sabotage by terrorists.
But the overriding reason for curtailing or limiting LNG imports is the geopolitical factor, he says, noting that the largest reserves of it are in the Middle East and Russia.
If we must depend heavily on natural gas for electricity production, he argues, we should exploit our own substantial reserves. Environmentalists, however, object to extracting it from areas in the Rocky Mountains and Alaska, he reminds readers.
"At some point, people have to make a choice, in this case between national security and greater energy independence or retaining in a pristine condition the acreage where vast domestic sources of natural gas are located," Makansi writes.
That assertion, however, does not mean Makansi is environmentally tone-deaf. In fact, Mankansi shows as much concern about pollution and global warming as former President Al Gore does in his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."
But Makansi is a realist on electricity who embraces such unavoidable truths as the need to reach compromises and find "smart" solutions to the environmental problems attached to coal-fired and nuclear power plants.
"Lights Out" is a highly readable, well-written tome, laced with wit and practical wisdom.
It should be read and digested by politicians, business leaders and everyone else who has a stake in keeping the lights on and keeping the cost of doing so from ascending through the ozone layer.

The "Dark Ironies" At Carruthers Park/Tansy Point

Tansy Point, we all know the name.

Sits right next to Carruthers Park, between Warrenton and Hammond right?

Noted today for being a Log Storage yard, leased from the City of Warrenton by the "Nygaard Family Empire" right?

Not many, if one were to visit it now, associate Tansy Point with the fact that it, along with the property Carruthers Park sits on, was a part of the lands donated by the Carruthers Family to the citizens of Warrenton/Hammond for their benefit and pleasure.

It seems somewhat inappropriate that a "Log Yard" would be the current use for Tansy Point and add to that the prospect that it could, if manipulations go to someone's benefit, be sold?

Become another prospective site for another LNG Termunal?

Quite a dark future, in my view and below look at its bleak past. "Land Takings" all in the interest of greed and profit and displacement of people........

The Anson Dart Treaties

(From Chinook Nation WebSite)

"The first of the treaties were called the Anson Dart Treaties in 1851, and there was a whole series of them written with the different tribes. Each of the five groups that now make up the lower Chinook Indian nation, signed a treaty, and the United States Senate never acted on, or signed or ratified those treaties " (Gary Johnson interview: 2002).

Anson Dart negotiates 19 treaties in August of 1851, on treaty grounds at Tansy Point, on the south shore of the Columbia at the mouth of Lewis & Clark River (see map below). Treaties are drawn up with the Clatsop, Wau-ki-kum, Konnaacc, Kathlamet, Klatskania, Wheelappa, and Lower Chinook bands of the Chinook peoples, as well as the Tillamook and other bands. None of these is ratified by the Senate. (Beckham 1987:7)

Section of 1887 Army Corps ofEngineers map showing location ofTansy Point, 1851 treaty grounds.University of Washington Archives#UW128. -- University of Washington Library Archives Website, 2002

Adapted from portion of 1881 Symonsmap to show approximate boundary ofLower Chinook territory cession,as described in Anson Darttreaty at Tansey Point in 1851.
The geographical area described in the treaty for the cession of the Lower Band of the Chinook Tribe to the United States was as follows:

“Beginning at the mouth of a certain stream entering Gray’s Bay on the north side of the Columbia River which stream forms the western boundary of lands ceded to the United states by the Waukikum band of Chinooks, running thence northeroly on said western boundary to lands of the Wheelappa and of Indians thence westerly along said lands of the Wheelappa band to the Shoalwater Bay, thence southerly and easterly following the Coast of the Pacific Ocean band the northern shore of the Columbia to the place of beginning, the above description is intended to embrace all the lands owned or claimed by said Lower Band of Chinook Indians. [See Chinook Tribe and Bands of Indians v. United States, 6 Ind. Cl. Comm. 177, 184 (1958))]. (Bureau of Indian Affairs 1851: 32-35, Ex. 9). (Beckham 1987:8)

Port Of Astoria Still Floundering In Its Own Sewage Of Dysfunction!

Port fines build tension. Commissioners split on doing a detailed report on all expenses incurred from 2005 violation

If there were ever a call for any of our local "Public Agencies" to submit to a mandatory "Financial and Performance Audit" from the Oregon Secretary of State's Office, this agency, The Port of Astoria, is a prime candidate and immediately so if we want to save this important part of our community's fabric.

Many months after an altered Port Commission takes its seat, nothing but more infighting and continued deterioration, much less a vision of exactly where this facility is headed in its/our future...McGee



By CASSANDRA PROFITA - The Daily Astorian

http://www.dailyastorian.com/Main.asp?SectionID=2&ArticleID=47709



A rift over how to close the book on the Port of Astoria's 2005 dredging violations illustrated a growing divide among Port commissioners Tuesday.At the end of a fairly peaceful board meeting, Commissioner Kathy Sanders raised a new business item that sparked disagreement.Sanders proposed the board direct staff to prepare a detailed written report of all legal expenses and fines incurred as a result of the agency's Clean Water Act violation in 2005. She asked that all charges be categorized and all fees to lawyers be carefully labeled "so it's easily readable."After some debate, the proposal split the board in a 3-2 vote with Commissioners Dan Hess and Bernie Bjork voting no and Commissioners Sanders, Bill Hunsinger and Larry Pfund in support.Sanders said she wants to know how much money the Port has spent and how much the agency owes on what she surmised is a half-million dollars in costs from the violation in addition to the $200,000 fine from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the Port still hasn't paid.A year ago, former Port Executive Director Peter Gearin said the Port had spent about $300,000 on legal and consulting costs as a result of the violation."I want to start the new year with this done and behind us," Sanders said."It doesn't sound like it," said Commission President Hess."It seems like this dredge violation is the dredge violation that will never go away," said Bjork. "It'll come up every time somebody wants to give the Port a black eye.""I think we're duplicating (our efforts)," said Hess. "I don't know what this is going to accomplish."Sanders said she's noticed an extra $22,500 in violation-related costs since the commission received its last update from staff."I know, Bernie, it seems like this is the thing that will never go away," said Pfund. "But we keep opening up our checkbook and writing more checks. That's the part that doesn't go away, and that's what bothers me."Sanders also requested a report on the Port's proposed supplemental environmental project, which was started in the hopes of reducing the $200,000 fine but hasn't come together. This fall, Port Interim Executive Director Ron Larsen advised the commission to abandon the environmental project because of the unknown costs of following strict Corps regulations on how it would need to be completed. Sanders said she wanted the board to have a written update from staff on the status of the project. The board voted 4-1 to request the report with Bjork voting no. The new commission has been "completely hamstrung for lack of funds" since its inception in July, Sanders said. If the board had money to spend, she said, it would have been able to search nationwide for a new executive director and hire a consultant to begin a strategic planning process.She said she was led to believe the Port had $300,000 in the bank before she was elected, but within a week of being sworn in, she learned the agency "is completely broke.""We spent half a million dollars on legal fees (for the dredging violation), and I feel the public has a right to know," she said.Earlier in the meeting, the board agreed to meet with a Bornstein Seafoods representative in a workshop session to review the company's lease agreement with the Port and look at possible parking arrangements for the company's proposed tourist attraction, the Bornstein Fish Factory.In a letter to the Port dated Dec. 10, the Oregon Department of Justice raised a red flag on a change to the lease that was made in March 2006, saying it doesn't comply with the rules set forward by the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, which supplied the loan for Bornstein's to build a new fish processing plant at the Port.Later, Sanders criticized Hess and Larsen for signing paperwork related to the Bornstein project on Nov. 28 without consulting the rest of the commission.In other business, the board:• Approved a resolution urging the Oregon Department of Transportation to put a higher priority on the Astoria Bypass and Warrenton Parkway project.• Approved a lease reassignment to Englund-Astoria LLC, the new business name for Englund Marine Supply Co.• Heard a presentation on salmon recovery from John Veenendaal, who explained the role of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board in improving salmon habitat.

Commisioner Ann Samuelson - No Way! - Transporting And Storing Billions Of Cubic Feet Of LNG Will Cause An Explosion

Clatsop County approves NorthernStar LNG project
Filed from Houston - Energy Current - 12/18/2007 5:32:52 PM GMT
USA: Clatsop County (Oregon) Commissioners tentatively approved in a 4-1 vote last week the land-use changes that would allow Houston-based NorthernStar Natural Gas to construct its proposed Bradwood liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria, Ore., according to media reports.
To meet the Clatsop County code, commissioners listed the project as a small- to medium-size facility. The commissioners also voted to allow NorthernStar to dredge part of the river to make way for LNG tankers. A final decision is expected in January.
Earlier this fall, the Clatsop County Planning Commission approved the land-use changes that the facility needs to meet local zoning rules, despite the county staff and an outside consultant advising against it.
Bradwood Landing still needs approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has final say in the project's construction, as well as water and air quality permits from Oregon and Washington.
Under the proposed plan, NorthernStar would build two LNG storage tankers, each 168 feet (51 m) high, across the river from Puget Island. The company also would construct a new pipeline to transport gas from the terminal to markets in the Pacific Northwest.
The company's pipeline would cross Clatsop, Columbia and Cowlitz counties in Oregon and connect with the Williams pipeline near Interstate 5 northeast of Kelso. An additional pipeline, proposed separately, would plug the terminal into gas lines throughout Oregon.
Opponents of the facility have threatened to appeal the county's decision, accusing commissioners of ignoring their constituents' concerns about safety hazards, damage to fish habitat and impact on shipping traffic the terminal would create.
Commissioner Richard Lee said he voted for the proposal because the terminal "fit the bill" for the riverside site, a long-abandoned sawmill, The Daily News reports.

Un-Freaking-Believeable!!!
Commissioner Ann Samuelson said NorthernStar still must comply with a number of the board's conditions, including offsetting environmental impacts and fixing up a road leading to the site.
However, Samuelson said NorthernStar's executives appear to be open and transparent. "I haven't felt like they were steamrolling us at any point in time. I haven't felt that they were being dishonest."
Samuelson also dismissed claims that transporting and storing billions of cubic feet of superchilled gas could cause an explosion.

The Columbia River Clean Energy Coalition, which opposes the terminal, accused the commissioners of glossing over the public's safety concerns, noting that the county had ignored the advice of its staff, which had recommended against approving the project.
"We are convinced that this decision is incorrect, that no rational agency could believe that this project is safe or beneficial to our community," said Laurie Caplan, an LNG opponent in Astoria.
Opponents also contend that Oregon does not need the gas and is being used as a backdoor to ship gas to California, where several proposed LNG projects have been blocked.
Bradwood Landing is one of three LNG terminals proposed for construction in Oregon, including two near the mouth of the Columbia River and another in Coos Bay.

December 11, 2007 - County Planning Staff Recommendations On Bradwood

County Planning Staff Recommendations On Bradwood

STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OCTOBER 15, 2007 The staff recommends that the county board of commissioners take the following three actions:

And, Obviously, To Hell With A Professional Planning Staff's Wisdom 3-4 Times In A Row, We'll Show These Peons Who's In Charge Here!....Sniff!...What's That Smell?

Excerpted from The Daily Astorian - December 13, 2007

"By a vote of 3-2, with commissioners Patricia Roberts and Sam Patrick against, the board agreed that the Bradwood LNG project, proposed for a site 20 miles east of Astoria on the Columbia River, is "small- to medium-scale" as required by county land-use laws.

With Patrick dissenting, the board voted 4-1 to approve a request to change 46 acres in Clifton Channel from an Aquatic Conservation zone to Aquatic Development.

The board voted unanimously to approve changing 5.35 acres of wetlands at the proposed project site from an Aquatic Natural zone to Marine Industrial.

Roberts added a condition of approval requiring NorthernStar to swap an equivalent area of Marine Industrial zone land on the northwest corner of the site to Aquatic Natural to mitigate the impact to wetlands."


1. Based on the findings in our staff reports of June 28, 2007, and August 23, 2007, and in this report, Deny requests from Bradwood Landing to:
 Issue a conditional use permit for dredging in the Aquatic Conservation 2 (AC-2) Zone in accordance with LWDUO2 3.788(9);
 Re-zone 46.1 acres from AC-2 to Aquatic Development, amend the plan so as to change that area's designation under Goal 16 from “Conservation” to “Development,” and then allow dredging outright per LWDUO 3.744(10);
 Re-zone 5.35 acres of wetlands from Aquatic Natural (AN) to Marine Industrial (MI)), and amend the plan so as to change that area's designation under Goal 16 from “Natural” to “Development”;
 Find the proposed marine industrial development at Bradwood to be a small- to medium-sized development consistent with provisions in the Northeast Community Plan and the Bradwood Subarea Plan to limit the scale of development at Bradwood.
 Amend the Northeast Community Plan and the Bradwood Subarea Plan to delete text specifying that industrial development at Bradwood is limited to small- to medium-sized marine industrial plants.
 Find that the application complies with Statewide Planning Goal 16, Estuarine Resources.
 Find that the application satisfies all applicable standards from the LWDUO and the Clatsop County Standards Document.

2. Accept Bradwood Landing’s request to withdraw elements of the consolidated application requesting permits for soil disposal on-site.

3. Based on the findings adopted by the planning commission on September 28, 2007, approve all elements of the consolidated application from Bradwood not mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2 above, subject to all conditions recommended in the September 28 findings.

Saw It Coming And Still Took It For Granted!!!

Stupid!, Stupid!, Stupid!

Looking at the ominous satellite photo, from The Oregonian, at left and assuming, as usual, a couple hours of inconvenience?

Stupid!, Stupid!, Stupid!

Disabled Ship's 24-Hour Stay At LNG Terminal Raises Security Questions

Published on SavannahNow.com (http://savannahnow.com)
Disabled ship's 24-hour stay at LNG terminal raises security questions
By Mary Landers
Created 2007-12-08 00:30
When a crippled container ship was allowed to dock last week at the liquid natural gas facility on Elba Island, officials there said they were being good neighbors to the river community.
Savannah-based security consultant Chuck Watson offers a different take on it.
"I think in principle, it's a bad idea because it's a secure facility," said Watson, a Savannah-based professional hazards planner who generates security analyses on government and private facilities.
At about 1 a.m. Tuesday, the 796-foot MSC Korea lost power as it was leaving Savannah. The Panamanian-flagged vessel dropped anchor and drifted aground just upstream of Elba Island. The closest berth for the disabled ship was the one where it eventually was towed at the Southern LNG's import terminal on the island.
Watson argues it was too risky to allow the ship to dock so near to the storage of up to 7.3 billion cubic feet of liquid natural gas.
It offered a remote but real risk of a deliberate assault, he said.
"They call it a Trojan horse attack," Watson said. "If somebody wanted to do damage, this is what they would do."
U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. David Murk, the captain of the port, oversaw the decision-making around the MSC Korea last week. He was awakened at his home and informed of the mishap shortly after it occurred.
He did not have specific concerns about keeping the LNG facility secure, he said.
"It didn't cross my mind that it was an intentional act," Murk said.
Murk's confidence stemmed from security measures to which the ship already had been subjected. It had passed through the Coast Guard's routine security screening procedures on its inbound journey from Freeport, Bahamas.
It also had been inspected by U.S. Customs officials before it discharged 151 containers. Most of those were empty but others contained cotton towels, granite, frozen fruit, sweeteners and tires. It loaded 254 containers, including some with paper, clay and bulk chemicals, at Garden City terminal and set a course for Norfolk.
Nor did anything about the crew's behavior after the ship lost power arouse Murk's suspicions.
"The pilot was prudent and did what he had to do to keep from going hard aground," he said.
The MSC Korea's proximity to the LNG facility was a coincidence, Murk said, and one that he used in getting the disabled vessel clear of the river as quickly as possible so other ships could pass. The other option was to tow the dead ship back to an available berth at Ocean Terminal - a trip that would have entailed first turning it around, then towing it past downtown Savannah and under the Talmadge Bridge.
"It can be done, and it is done. But from a safety aspect, this was the best situation to put the ship," Murk said.
More traffic
Some port watchers say incidents such as the Korea's breakdown are more likely to occur in the future as the port grows and a new Jasper port is built.
"With busy container traffic, more and more things could happen," said Judy Jennings, a Savannahian active with the Sierra Club. "Anything carrying anything can idle up to a facility and quit running, 'accidentally.' "
No LNG ship was discharging when the MSC Korea lost power, but there could have been. And that raises the risk of a fuel spill or a deliberate ramming of an LNG ship. Elba is one of only four U.S. onshore facilities that import LNG, the chilled and compressed form of methane. It was built in the 1970s, then mothballed until 2001.
Recent expansions nearly doubled its storage capacity, and plans call for it to be doubled again by 2012. But it's situated in an area the LNG industry itself would not recommend now, Jennings said.
"The industry's rulebook for siting says avoid siting where there is other harbor traffic," Jennings said. "Back when they built that thing, Savannah was a sleepy little port."
A busier port doesn't worry Murk, who said the safeguards built into the running of the LNG facility and into the ships themselves, such as their double tanks, reduce the risk to a level he's happy with.
"Increased traffic does not concern me from an LNG perspective," he said.
Elba has been criticized for perceived security and safety breaches in the past, including a March 2006 incident when a surge from a passing vessel pulled the LNG tanker Golar Freeze 15 feet from its dock as it discharged its load. Just three months later, a sailboat cruised into one of the interior slips at the facility and dropped anchor.
Murk says LNG is safe, and the problem is largely perception.
"Unfortunately, outreach and education to the public isn't there yet on all these aspects," he said.
Extra security
When the MSC Korea finally docked at Southern LNG's facility about 12 hours after it lost power, two Coast Guard personnel already had boarded it. The container ship's crew was not allowed to leave the vessel.
Mechanics and others who needed to board were escorted to the ship by tug after they were screened. The facility's security measures, such as surveillance cameras, also were double-checked.
The precautions taken were good ones, Watson said, but ultimately, docking there posed an unnecessary risk.
"It would only take one or two people sneaking out with C-4 (plastic explosive) and blowing open the tanks and you'd have a big mess," he said.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which licenses LNG facilities, expects an accident or attack on Elba could result in a fire that "may cost more than $650 million and include severe damage to shore-side facilities; potential total loss of the LNG vessel and cargo; fatalities; and closure of the port for up to 14 days."
Others, including Watson, suggest FERC's estimate is overly optimistic.
DaWayne Penberthy, the marine operations principal at Southern LNG, said it was important to get the MSC Korea off the river so the port could start operating again, but his company was able to accommodate the ship without compromising the plant's security.
Risk cannot be eliminated, he said.
"There's always some probability, however slim," he said. "There are concerns over containers. There's nothing we can do about it."
Watson said there's one thing they could have done: refuse to allow the ship to dock there.
"Either it's a secure facility and you take reasonable measures to protect it, or you're not protecting it," he said. "I'd argue they did not.
"It's a low-probability scenario. But we know al-Qaida and related groups have talked about LNG and hitting ports. It's not a zero probability."
Source URL:http://savannahnow.com//node/412102