One of two problematic liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal proposals in Oregon took a step backward when a newly constituted local county elected board voted 4-1 to rescind approval for a pipeline that would connect Oregon LNG’s proposed terminal along the Columbia River at Warrenton, OR, with the metropolitan Portland area.

With three new members, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners withdrew their predecessors’ approval and said they will reexamine land-use permit applications for the pipeline, which would be essential for the LNG terminal to get its cargoes to market.

Oregon LNG Project Manager Peter Hansen told NGI he would not comment on the county’s action at this time.

Clatsop commissioners had previously approved the pipeline, but their decision was appealed to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) by Columbia Riverkeeper, an environmental group that has opposed both Oregon LNG and a second, now-defunct LNG terminal proposal at Bradwood Landing (see Daily GPI, Oct. 27, 2010). LUBA has been involved in all of Oregon’s proposed LNG projects.

The state of Oregon requires a coastal zone consistency permit that Oregon LNG must obtain from each of the jurisdictions impacted by its proposed terminal and pipeline facilities — Warrenton and the counties of Tillamook and Clatsop.

Clatsop County has 90 days to look at the Oregon LNG pipeline application, and the board is considering reviewing the past decision at a public hearing March 9, according to local news media reports.

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