Several months ago it was reported here that while Northern Star Natural Gas has maintained a very high profile in Clatsop County, Oregon LNG has not. This may lead one to believe that the Bradwood LNG terminal project is the only one left standing. That's not the case.
The Oregon LNG project on the Skipanon in Warrenton is very much alive and moving forward rapidly.
While there are those who oppose the construction of either project the question for the rest of us may become which truly brings the greatest benefit in terms of jobs over the considerable construction phase? The number of workers that would be employed has been estimated between 400 to 500. If they come to work on a project 20 miles away from Astoria would they be likely to bring those paychecks into stores here or more likely to do their shopping in Longview? Would they be likely to inject that much needed cash into Oregon businesses or would it go to Washington state? On the other hand, if the construction takes place in Warrenton doesn't it seem logical to assume that those workers would live, work and spend in Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside? Keep in mind that when the terminal is completed and under operation that means 60-65 full time good paying jobs that stay here.
Oregon needs one of these projects to get built. We have little control on which one makes it to the finish line. Both have great financial advantage to the county. Bradwood has been a good partner in the community by providing considerable support for local non-profits amongst other things. Oregon LNG has no community support track record to speak of and a very low profile.
Which would you support?
Those 4 to 500 jobs Tom, as some, most, do not factor in are intermittent, phased, union jobs, not full time for the length of the project as some actually believe without correction from the players and will go to transient, alien workers more than likely and as history seems to reflect, only 20% menial jobs will go to locals.
ReplyDeleteNow, Palomar, one of the key players now, in collusion with N.W. Natural Gas says that one west coast LNG Terminal or one pipeline from the Rockies east to the TranCanada pipeline will take care of our natural gas needs for many years to come and until we find marketable answers to sustainable and renewable energy sources.
Get that?
One or the other, not both and only one.
Ironically, "The Sunstone Pipeline" is pretty much ready to go in 2011, outpacing Palomar, coming out of Wyoming, 585 miles, using existing rights of way wherever possible, to a terminus in Stanfield, Oregon and will tie into the TransCanada and Williams pipelines to serve, as they say, "The West Coast Market".
That being the case, we don't need NSNG/Bradwood, Oregon LNG/Skipanon, The Coos Bay LNG project and all accompanying proposed Palomar pipelines and all that goes with thwem do we?
Seems to jme we should look to our future and the potential and destructive loss of our lifeblood, "River Commerce", and how to keep our river buisness alive by staeting to think seriously this time about a Lower Columbia Super Port and transfer fleet, railway enhancement and unification of all Lower Columbia River ports to ensure our future and the many, many jobs and spin-off opportunites that will come with it as opposed to a continued reliance and infrastructure upheaval of a depleting fossil fuel.
Speaking of LNG Speculators in our midst and actually trying to determine the least upheaval in "Life Quality" and "Infrastructure", the most practical and most logical project that should be approved, if at all, would be Oregon LNG's Skipanon Terminal over Bradwood Landing but, I'm guessing niether will be approved ultimately with that Stanfield pipeline tying into already existing NG distribution infrastructure as the most common sense answer to our NG needs for the foreseeable future and until we employ marketable alternative fuel resources.
ReplyDelete