The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

June 21, 2007

The Clatsop County Planning Commission will meet all day and into the night July 10 to accept public testimony on the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) marine terminal at Bradwood across the Columbia River from Puget Island.

The commission will hold a public hearing on Bradwood Landing LLC’s application for permits and land-use approvals in three sessions in the Astoria High School auditorium, 1001 W. Marine Drive. The hearing will run from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, resume at 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. and resume again at 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We understand that there are many people in our county and in other communities who are very interested in this application, and we are doing our best to give all who want the opportunity to express their opinions,” Clatsop Community Development Director Ed Wegner said. “By scheduling the hearing at different times of the day, we are hoping to accommodate people’s varying schedules, especially by offering an evening hearing for people who work during the day. The high school auditorium seats some 700 people, which is far more than the commission’s usual meeting site can accommodate.”

Wahkiakum County Commissioners George Trott, Dan Cothren and Tom Doumit said Tuesday they were interested in Clatsop's process and wanted to make comments.

The planning commission will be considering Bradwood Landing’s application for permits and land-use approvals to develop an LNG marine terminal, pipeline and related facilities at the former mill site on the Columbia River east of Astoria. Much of the site is planned and zoned for marine industrial uses. However, Bradwood Landing is seeking several amendments to the county’s comprehensive land use plan to enlarge the area zoned for marine industrial uses and to dredge areas of the river so large LNG carriers can dock and unload at the proposed storage and distribution facility. A proposed pipe from Bradwood would carry natural gas to the Williams Northwest interstate pipeline in Washington for distribution to users in the Pacific Northwest.

People can submit comments in writing at the hearing or before to the commission by e-mail to comdev@co.clatsop.or.us, by fax to (503) 338-3668 or by mail to Clatsop County Planning Commission, Community Development Department, 800 Exchange St., Ste. 100, Astoria, OR 97103. Written material must be received by 5 p.m. June 29 in order to be distributed to the Planning Commission before the hearing. The county asks that 10 copies of all written material be submitted for distribution to the planning commission and staff.