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Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Campaign Contrasts Clinton & Obama Records On LNG Facilities In Oregon

April 08, 2008

Sen. Clinton has been strong & consistent opponent to feds making decisions on siting LNG terminals; Sen. Obama voted for it

"It is a little inconsistent, to say the least, for Senator Obama to tell the people of Oregon that he supports giving them the power to make these decisions when he voted to let the federal government decide where to site these facilities in the first place," said Clinton domestic policy director Catherine Brown.

Under the 2005 Bush-Cheney bill, the federal government – specifically the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) – gained control over these decisions. Under the new law, FERC does not even have to take into consideration how these decisions will impact local communities, and whether there is need for the gas in the surrounding area.

Senator Clinton spoke out against this provision when it was considered in the Senate. She co-sponsored an amendment to overrule it. And she's spoken out repeatedly against an LNG terminal in the Long Island Sound, called Broadwater. On Friday, Senator Clinton joined with Senator Wyden in introducing legislation to give the authority back to state and local communities.

Senator Obama, on the other hand, voted for the 2005 energy bill. Yesterday, his office put out a press release announcing he is joining Senator Clinton in co-sponsoring Senator Wyden's bill. His release said that he is proud to join Senator Wyden to ensure that local residents have a greater say in LNG terminal siting decisions. This new position is not the one he voted for in 2005.

Today, there are three separate LNG terminals being considered for siting in Oregon. Together, they would have a combined capacity of 3.3 billion cubic feet gas per day. But Oregon and Washington only use 1.33 BCF per day. FERC refuses to address the question of whether the proposed facilities are needed, whether there are better options, or what the impact would be on the environment or private property rights.

Oregonians deserve a president who was against giving the federal government authority in the first place to make such consequential decisions, and that is what they will have with Senator Clinton as president.

Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Campaign Contrasts Clinton & Obama Records On LNG Facilities In Oregon Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/292726

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