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ASTORIA, Ore. – At a meeting last night, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to direct staff to bring before it revised land use findings for the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas import terminal for adoption. The revised findings correct two definitional issues remanded to the County by the state Land Use Board of Appeals on January 27.

“Today’s action by Clatsop County ensures its original approval of Bradwood’s land use application is consistent with both the County’s land use code and Oregon’s statewide planning goals,” said Joe Desmond, senior vice president of external affairs for NorthernStar Natural Gas, the developer of Bradwood Landing. “Bradwood Landing is one step closer to providing additional jobs and a much needed economic boost to Oregon while providing the additional supplies of clean, affordable energy the Northwest needs,” said Desmond.

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. In January, LUBA issued a decision that rejected 21 of 23 arguments raised by project opponents. Two items were remanded to the Clatsop County to be fixed and LUBA also upheld the County’s variance decision to allow access road improvements.

Following LUBA’s direction, Clatsop County directed staff to bring before it revised land use findings to: 1) refer to the statewide planning goal definition of the word “protect”; and 2) clarify that Bradwood Landing does indeed meet the County’s definition of “small or moderate” scale development.

On March 4, The Oregon Court of Appeals dismissed a challenge by opponents of Bradwood Landing to LUBA’s January decision. According to Court documents, opponents failed to provide proof of mailing as required by Oregon law. Oregon case law says there is no way to cure the problem if the appeal is not filed in a timely way, effectively ending further appeal of the issues already determined by LUBA. The Court’s dismissal was a major setback to opponents’ publicly stated strategy to challenge the Bradwood project through legal and procedural delays.

The Bradwood Landing LNG terminal and its associated 36.3 mile pipeline would provide a new source of natural gas directly into the Oregon and Washington natural gas market. It would create 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. In addition, the terminal will spend more than $30 million in annual maintenance and operations, much of that locally.

A regional analysis of the effects of increased natural gas supply from a Columbia River LNG terminal by University of Oregon economist Dr. Phil Romero, showed that Bradwood could reduce the wholesale cost of natural gas by 13 percent and support the creation of between 5,100 and 20,300 jobs.

NorthernStar has committed to meet all applicable local, state and federal standards related to the construction and operation of its Bradwood terminal, which received a FERC certificate order on September 18, 2008.

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