This may the most significant document yet filed with the FERC regarding environmental impacts of the Bradwood project. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) appropriately recommends 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-channel aquatic habitat and the 100-year floodplain, modification and chronic disturbance 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 Marine Conservation Council, as well as statements by others including Columbia Riverkeeper and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. This is yet another example of the myopic manner in which four of the commissioners disregarded significant public testimony, and failed to dig deeper into the harm that this project would bring to the salmon of the Columbia River and the businesses that depend on 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. Perhaps in the end it will be a federal agency that acts to protect the environment and sustainable economic development of the estuary. Four of five Clatsop County Commissioners sure showed no inclination to serve their constituents. Instead they showed reckless disregard for our safety, our jobs and the quality of our life. I know that I'm being harsh, but these people have earned our disrespect.
Bravo NMFS!
Eventually during the federal permitting process NMFS would be consulted concerning the endangered species under the agency jurisdiction, including 16 threatened or endangered species for which the area Northern Star would degrade is considered critical habitat. If NMFS stays the course they could well declare that this action would jeopardize the continued existence of one or more of these species, stopping the project.
My guess is that NoStar will call this a technical matter and then proceed to paper over the substantive concerns of the fishery service.
Peter Huhtala
(posted on Friday)
Subject: Government Agency Submittal submitted in FERC CP06-365-000,et al. by NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE
On 1/18/2008, the following Filing was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (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 notice dated 10/18/07 re an application by Bradwood Landing LLC to constsruct a liquefied 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
Sunday, January 20, 2008
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