Oregon Public Broadcasting

Developers hoping to build a liquefied natural gas shipping terminal near Astoria responded Wednesday to a letter from Democratic Senator Ron Wyden. Wyden's letter, sent Monday, asks federal energy regulators to delay their LNG decision. Ethan Lindsey reports.

NorthernStar Natural Gas is quick to point out that Senator Wyden has never publicly rejected the proposed LNG terminal at Bradwood Landing.

But in his letter, Wyden expressed “concern” about the permitting process, and asked for a delay and more public hearings.

Wyden's office says he released the letter because of concerns the Federal Energy Regulator Commission, or FERC, will approve the project at its next meeting.

Joe Desmond is a spokesman for NorthernStar Natural Gas.

Joe Desmond: “So, FERC is nearing the end of its role, and then the conditions require that other agencies continue their review and their role. And unless we satisfy all of those requirements, then the project can't move forward.”

Also, Desmond says many of the questions in Wyden's letter have already been answered in thousands of pages of public documents.