Oregon Public Broadcasting

A citizens advisory committee for Yamhill County toured private and public land Tuesday that’s proposed as routes for two liquefied natural gas pipelines.  Pete Springer reports.

The two pipelines would carry natural gas from proposed LNG facilities on the Columbia River to a bigger pipeline on the east side of the Cascades.

That pipeline mostly serves California.

Under the proposal, nearly 50 miles of natural gas pipeline would cross Yamhill County.

Steve Wick is a member of the Yamhill County Liquid Natural Gas Citizen Advisory Committee.

He says the installation of the pipelines would require a construction easement of at least a hundred feet.

Steve Wick “One of the vineyards they are going to go through, the grapes were planted 34 years ago.  These are some of the oldest grapes in Oregon.  One pipeline goes through their property, it will take out 120 feet of their grapes.”

Opponents are also concerned that the pipelines might damage streams, riparian areas, and even the Willamette River.

Supporters say they’ll safeguard against that.