In contrast, a previous Coast Guard report for a competing project called for a full-time, all-weather camera and radar surveillance system covering 38 miles of the Columbia river.
The competing project is located 30 miles upriver of Oregon LNG.
The Oregon LNG project has fewer impacts and would be much less intrusive because of its location near the mouth of the river, according to Peter Hansen, chief executive officer of Oregon LNG. In addition, the proposed location in Warrenton will allow the LNG tankers to have short, low-congestion transit to the proposed terminal.
“Our approach from the beginning has been to start with what’s best for Oregon,” said Peter Hansen, chief executive officer of Oregon LNG. “We spent considerable time and resources in finding the project site that will have the least impact on river traffic and urban waterfronts. The Coast Guard’s report clearly demonstrates the benefit of putting local concerns first.”
The Coast Guard’s letter also states that Oregon LNG’s location could be suitable for the type of marine traffic that has been proposed. This confirms that Oregon LNG has the flexibility to accommodate all tanker sizes up to and including the new 266,000 cubic-meter QMax Class tankers. This is another comparative advantage, since it could mean fewer tanker trips compared to upriver locations. Oregon LNG will be the only US West Coast terminal with the flexibility to accommodate the larger, more modern and efficient tanker, according to Hansen.
The Coast Guard’s Letter of Recommendation represents a major milestone as Oregon LNG proceeds on schedule toward permit approval. Oregon LNG is the only LNG project in Oregon that has already received local land-use approvals and successfully completed all appeals. The company is currently proceeding with state approvals and anticipates approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in early 2010. Construction of the import facility and the associated pipeline is anticipated to begin by late 2010. The project is expected to begin serving customers in 2014.
