Author: magix

There was a lot of rejoicing last week amongst anti-gas activists when the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) upheld a Clatsop County decision to deny a pipeline construction permit to Oregon LNG on five points, including public safety. Providing for the health and safety of its citizens is, after all, a primary duty of government. Unfortunately, LUBA’s finding bolstered the myth that we live in a democracy where we have the authority and the inalienable right to govern ourselves within our own community. No doubt frustrated that after ten years Oregon LNG had lost its campaign to...

The community rights discussion hosted by the Coos Commons Protection Council appears to have helped rally more troops to the cause of asserting local self governance. The community room at the Coos Bay Fire Hall was full to capacity and except for four pro-gas boosters everyone wanted to stop the Jordan Cove LNG project. Reasons for not wanting Jordan Cove are myriad, ranging from safety to environmental issues as well as fear of having their land taken for the pipeline via eminent domain. A story published in The World illustrates the other very real worry of depending too heavily...