Feds to conduct joint review of Oregon LNG terminal and Washington pipeline expansion

Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 1:55 PM     Updated: Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 4:36 PM

By Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian

The OregonianThe site of a proposed LNG export terminal in Warrenton, across from Astoria.

Federal regulators will conduct a cumulative environmental review, rather than separate reviews, of a proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal in Warrenton, near the mouth of the Columbia River, and a pipeline expansion in Washington designed to serve the terminal.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sent a letter to Oregon LNG and Williams Northwest Pipeline this week informing them of the decision to evaluate the terminal and pipe expansion as one project.

The companies filed initial applications to get the ball moving at FERC earlier this month. They will file full-blown applications early next year, which the feds now plan to consider together.

Opponents of the LNG terminals, who are regrouping to battle projects that have morphed from import to export proposals, applauded FERC's decision. They say it will preclude the kind of divide-and-conquer strategy that they accuse the backers of the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal and Palomar pipeline of employing to minimize the environmental impact of their

proposals and expedite approvals.

To read the entire article go to: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/07/feds_to_conduct_joint_review_o.html

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