Oregon Public Broadcasting

The company that wants to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Columbia River has asked to re-start its process to obtain the needed clean water permits.

Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality has authority over the permits. DEQ was set to respond to the old application for Bradwood Landing by mid-October.

But Alexandra Cyril, with DEQ, says the gas company, Northern Star, has not submitted information her agency requested last May.

She says starting a new application slows down the process, but avoids an imminent rejection. 

Alexandra Cyril: “We still have a public process that we intend, another public meeting, and another opportunity for public comment, which is several months in the offing. So, they would’ve gotten a denial, due to lack of information, had they pressed us on the one-year deadline.”

In a letter to DEQ, Northern Star has asked for a decision within three months.

LNG opponent, Columbia River Keeper, notes that DEQ could take as long as a year, under federal law.

DEQ officials say they can’t say how long a response will take, until they’ve seen the environmental data they’ve requested.