Meeting gathers pipeline opinions

Opponents of gas pipeline plan pose questions to officials

By PAUL FATTIG

Mail Tribune

A dozen people stood outside holding protest signs Thursday night before the start of an informational meeting in Medford for the proposed Pacific Connector Natural Gas Pipeline through Southwest Oregon .

"Eminent domain is the rape of our land," declared one held by Marcie Laudani, who lives near Trail.

"People don't yet understand or realize the ramifications of this project," said Laudani who, along with her husband, Alan, bought a 2.9-acre parcel six months ago and found gasline- route stakes on the property. "We are trying to get them educated about this."

Laudani and the other 70 or so people gathered inside the Red Lion Inn conference room listened attentively as representatives of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service explained the complex project still in the planning stage.

The 36-inch-diameter, 223-mile-long underground pipeline would start in Coos Bay , cross southern Douglas County , cut through the Upper Rogue corridor and end in Malin at the southern end of the Klamath Basin .

The proposal calls for a terminal to be built in Jordan Cove in Coos Bay where ships carrying liquefied natural gas would unload their cargo. The liquid would be turned into a pressurized gas to be pumped to Malin where it would connect to a major existing pipeline.

In addition to crossing private land, the pipeline would cross some 30 miles of national forestland and 40 miles of BLM land.

Williams Pacific Connector Gas Operator, a Salt Lake City firm, is proposing the project along with Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. and Fort Chicago Energy Partners. The companies are in the pre-filing phase of a draft environmental impact statement which is expected to be completed late this year.

The project would have to comply with the 1969 National well as other pertinent federal laws, said Paul Friedman, FERC's environmental project manager.

"FERC is not a project proponent," he said. "We are a neutral regulatory agency in charge of review."

The BLM intends to ensure that all environmental laws would be followed on public lands if the pipeline is built, said John Styduhar, a realty specialist with that agency.

"Paul has guaranteed that to us — we're going to hold him to it," he said.

During the question-and-answer period, participants were asked to restrict their questions to process, and not comment about the project.

"Is this EIS going to apply to the eminent domain 160 miles of (private) property as opposed to the federal land where a right of way would be granted?" asked Shady Cove-area resident LeRoy Hippe.

Absolutely, Friedman replied.

"In terms of eminent domain, we have asked Pacific Connector to negotiate in good faith with all land owners," Friedman added. "We hope that all of the land will be acquired through negotiation."

However, the 2005 Natural Gas Act passed by Congress does give the power of eminent domain to the companies if a FERC certificate is granted, he said.

Another local resident wondered who would do post-construction monitoring along the pipeline route. FERC would do seasonal inspections on public and private land until 80 percent of the vegetation returns to the 100-foot swath removed by the construction, Friedman said.

After numerous questions were aired, Shady Cove-area resident Ray Johnson said he had been listening carefully for one little word but hadn't heard it.

"The preposition 'if' doesn't seem to have come up here tonight," he said.

Before the meeting, Jody McCaffree, a founding member of Citizens Against LNG who was protesting outside, said one of her concerns is potential danger posed by the pipeline and the gas terminal in Coos Bay .

"At our end in Coos Bay , this 36-inch pipeline will be under pressure at 1,400 pounds per square inch — that is enormous," she said.

Moreover, she noted the gas is not for Oregonians.

"It isn't only the safety issue," she said. "This gas is going to California . We're not going to use it. But people down there don't want the hazard."

Both Williams and FERC have downplayed potential hazards.

Like McCaffree, Harvey Gagnon, a retired Trail resident, expressed concern about the potential danger posed by the pipeline whose route could cross his family's property.

"But we also don't want it because of the degradation to the landscape and the environment," he said.

Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline information is available at www.umpqua-watersheds.org, www.williams.com, citizensagainstlng.googlepages.com and www.pacificconnectorgp.com. The FERC website is www.ferc.gov.