Earlier this month, I thoroughly dismantled the underlying premise of a chamber luncheon presentation by Al Pettit, that poverty and unemployment are somehow linked to Oregon’s unofficial status as an unfriendly business state. More than a year ago, I began reporting on some of the very same statistics about teen pregnancy, poverty and unemployment as presented by Pettit and even through in some data about local foreclosures. Mr Pettit is right to bring these statistic before the chamber and anywhere else but if he has a path to a solution, i.e. be more business friendly, he is yet to back his assumption with any logical or empirical data.
Pettit’s cited statistics are not the issue but rather the logical disconnect between equating high numbers of unwed teens to environmental protections and a regulated business climate. Let me repeat that “attempts to reduce the very complex problems facing our nation and our region down to simplistic cause and effect is childish, ill thought and irresponsible. Serious critical thinking is required with much more than a ‘build it and they will come’ attitude to make this community self sufficient”. (Remember how the county was sold on the 12″ pipeline. Build it and there will be 2,900 jobs….)
Statistically, I could prove that deregulation and failure to protect against rampant exploitation of finite resources and “friendly” corporate tax cuts has lead to more poverty, unwed gestating teens, underfunded schools and higher unemployment rates than any number of LNG opponents. In Oregon, more revenue is received from lottery funds than corporate income taxes.
Apparently, Mr Pettit was upset enough that I was concerned enough by his disjointed and irrational reasoning to explain what was wrong with his argument on this blog, to tell the Port how mean I am. At Thursday’s Port meeting Pettit complains that he was ‘crucified’ on a local blog and he would like to respond, (not on the blog), but during citizen comment at the Port meeting. While I am not sure whether my opinion of Mr Pettit’s reasoning skills are important enough for public comment he did produce a marvelous demonstration of the precise logical disconnect I was expressing in my original piece.
To begin, Pettit deflects away from the factual argument made against him by instead focusing on the matter of “ladies” daring to challenge his claims. Quoting from a comment on this blog by “JM”, whom Pettit calls “anti-leader”, JM says that he should do his “homework” before he speaks (about LNG). Pettit then snorts, “…ironic that the following week after these comments another bank was robbed at gunpoint and Coos County schools announced they were going to a four day week”. So in one breath he deflects criticism about his research on LNG by shifting to armed bank robberies and shortened school weeks. This is sort of like the “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon” defense, a game based upon the theory that everyone or everything is connected by only six degrees of separation, except he doesn’t define the degrees.
Pettit makes a couple more interesting logic leaps but concludes with an obvious oversight. After declaring the importance of LNG to this area and listing many statistics he points out how the City of Astoria has enjoyed a nice economic recovery and rebuilt its downtown. What he doesn’t mention is that Astoria fought hard against and won to keep Bradwood Landing LNG out of their area. Like Pettit says, if Astoria can work together to be successful (without LNG) so can Coos Bay.
It’s nothing personal Mr Pettit, but if you can’t take the heat of debate perhaps you should reconsider entering the arena.
Watch the entire video Coos Media.
In debate if you concede an argument it becomes true, at least for purposes of the debate. Mr Pettit could not disprove my argument that there is no correlation between business friendliness and socio-economic statistics and he didn’t even try. He has conceded and then lashed out at Jody and myself and will probably keep giving his presentations and wrongly implying pro-business legislation will magically fix everything.
There are a lot more than two ladies opposed to this fool Port and their flim-flam schemes. These business developers, the Port, CCD and South Coast have presided over one failure after another. The only jobs they have helped are their own. If this was “run like a business” they would have been handed a cardboard box for their personal effects decades ago. Mr. Petit means well but he will see a lot more Harley customers in a tourist based economy than he ever will with an LNG terminal. One of the reasons Coos Bay is on its ass economically is that no legitimate business wants to do business in this snakes pit of deceit. That leaves outfits like Jordan Cove lieing their way to billions by exporting LNG just like the critics have said from the begining. One thing I have learned is that Jody McCaffree usually has the documentation to prove her assertions before she makes them. That is why she is always attacked personally.
OMYGAWD !!! I go out of town for a few days and what do I come home to?
Bank robbers.
Flaming Schools
Oysters
unwed pregnant teen girls.
And they call ME Cassandra?
Poor Alan, perhaps you can tell me why you ran to tattle to the Port of Coos Bay? What does the Port have to do with Flaming Schools and Bank Robbers? Or do you just feel more comfortable surrounded by testosterone instead of those big bad awful “ladies” on a local blog that in your mind insulted you? Why not just come on here and let us all discuss your issues? I don’t understand your choice of venue, unless you are assured your voice will be heard and none of them scary females will challenge you?
Po thang. We promise to be fair and balanced.
Obviously the facts are getting under some peoples skin I see.
I do agree that it’s going to take a different kind of leadership and a different vision to get us out of continuing to go down the same wrong road. It is time to stop repeating the same mistakes of the past. Remember Port Director Frank Martin and all his grandiose schemes? We see just how far that got us.
It is promising that the current Port Executive Director and Commissioner McKeown are visiting Germany. Hopefully they will learn and glean from their renewable energy programs which have revolutionized that country and created thousands of jobs in the process. The same thing could be happening here and let’s hope they come to that understanding.
The City of Freiburg is internationally well known for its environmental approach and its extensive use of solar energy and other renewable sources. Freiburg Green City can share experiences gained over many years and showcase a multitude of effective technical and organizational solutions related to sustainable energy management. See;
http://www.fwtm.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1182949_l2/index.html
The empirical unbiased data, if one bothers to really look, clearly shows the Jordan Cove LNG project would actually be of no real benefit to the area as just as many jobs would be lost as gained, not to mention all the risk and hazard & exclusion zones our area would be subjected to. These studies are all on file with FERC. The problem is not what the real facts are but that the Port banked all their development schemes on the LNG development.
It would have been nice if our elected and paid leaders had listened to their constituents and done their homework first before they took all that money from Jordan Cove. Now they are obligated to say exactly what they are saying and even when truth comes out, they are still in denial. Amazing! Other areas across the country actually have leaders who have done the right thing in spite of industry hype….. Lucky for them.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/06/13/general-ma-fall-river-lng_8514651.html
Hess scraps plan for LNG terminal in Mass.
Associated Press, 06.13.11
“…FALL RIVER, Mass. — Hess LNG on Monday withdrew its bitterly contested plan to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in southeastern Massachusetts, citing “unfavorable economics” for LNG in New England.
The decision was immediately applauded by members of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island congressional delegations and other officials who had opposed the Weaver’s Cove project. They said the terminal proposed for Fall River would have posed unacceptable risks to the heavily populated area…”
“…U.S. Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown of Massachusetts and U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed of Rhode Island also hailed the decision by Hess.
“This is a victory for common sense and public safety and people up and down the Taunton River will be sleeping more soundly tonight knowing that this long fight has been won,” Kerry said.
“From a safety, economic, and environmental standpoint, siting this LNG terminal in a densely populated, environmentally-sensitive area never made sense,” Reed said…”
“…The city spent millions to fight the proposed terminal, which officials said was discouraging development along the city’s waterfront. Fall River has struggled with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state…”
(Read more at link above)
And yes I realize the economic realities are going to be a hard pill for some people in this area to swallow…… But like I have said, the truth needs to be told even if some people don’t want to hear it……
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_741745.html
Natural gas prices set to jump with exports
By Lou Kilzer
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, June 12, 2011
“…Legendary Texas oilman, corporate raider and natural gas advocate T. Boone Pickens told the Tribune-Review that exporting large amounts of natural gas overseas is a mistake — and a national security issue.
If we do it, Pickens said, “we’re truly going to go down as the dumbest generation.”
“It’s bad public policy to export natural gas — a cleaner, cheaper domestic resource — and import more expensive, dirtier OPEC oil,” he said….”
“….No one knows for sure how much exporting will increase domestic prices for natural gas, which will also affect costs to heat American homes, fuel electric power, run manufacturing plants and even food. The amount of supply and exports affects that.
However, citing a consultant’s report submitted with Cheniere’s permit application, the DOE stated that natural gas prices in the United States will increase up to 11.6 percent when the Sabine terminal begins exports in 2015.
Republican Congressman Tim Murphy, who represents the Marcellus-rich 18th Congressional District in Western Pennsylvania and co-chairs the Congressional Natural Gas Caucus, questions the DOE decision.
“Sending natural gas overseas is the medical equivalent of bleeding a patient in order to cure him,” said Murphy of Upper St. Clair. “I fear what this would do to prices.”….”
“….Paul Cicio, president of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America, which represents American manufacturers with annual sales of $800 billion and 750,000 employees, said the DOE did not address the potential “cumulative effect” on U.S. supply and prices from allowing four or more exporting facilities.
Cicio called that impact “absolutely frightening” to American manufacturing.
“This is bad policy,” agreed David Schryver, executive vice president of the American Public Gas Association, which represents 700 public gas companies in 36 states.
He said the association is aware of proposed exporters-in-waiting and intends to oppose their DOE applications….”
(Read more at link above)
So who REALLY is uninformed and buried in denial on this issue…?
Oh, good grief! Alan, wrongly accusing me of denial does not prove your erroneous premise and no one crucified you, you are doing a fine job of that yourself. Look at what you write! – “It took leadership and a lot of years to get us into this mess”… You call that leadership? We can agree on one thing, it will take different leadership to get us out of this “mess” so it is a wonder you support the same old paradigm, thinking and so called leadership that created it.
If your sole purpose in commenting here is to assuage your bruised ego, there are several other board and council meetings with public comment periods where you can go to air your grievances. Don’t waste my or my reader’s time.
Alan, you must mean by “most people I’ve presented to “get it” ” that they didn’t disagree with you. So far, the only name calling I have heard is from you. Been reading this blog for a long time and never heard the term “bottom feeders” from the blog owner, ever.
Ms. Geddry,
Please be clear about this: I was not upset by your “editorials” but rather amused that you spent most of your weekend trying to “debunk” the Chamber presentations. I have no idea why you’re so bitter and angry with everyone and everything in this town, but it serves no good purpose to demean and name-call everyone from here to Salem and back who are trying to make a difference. Just because they don’t see eye-to-eye with you and Ms. McCaffree does not make them stupid, a “bottom-feeder” or uninformed. I’d be happy to drown you in “logical or empirical data”, but most people I’ve presented to “get it” and don’t require a mound of data. I have it, mind you, but most people aren’t buried that deep in denial. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that this community has serious problems that are getting worse, not better, and that saying “no” to everything has only hastened its demise. You’re obviously skilled at criticizing, but believe me on this: actually creating jobs and putting people to work is a lot harder than it looks. Changing course is hard. It took leadership and a lot of years to get us into this mess and it’s going to take a different kind of leadership and time to get us out. If you think you can best serve this community by complaining about everything and everybody, then carry on. But I assure you, there are a lot of people who understand that our window for saving this community is closing, and we’re determined to not let that happen. I look forward to meeting you in in the near future. – Alan Pettit
Thank you, Gene, I also very much appreciate your contributions to the public dialog – this is what it is all about.
One thing I would say is that I never called Pettit any names, yet he childishly referred to JM as ‘anti-leader’, All MGx did was disprove his underlying premise, in other words, disagreed with him… that is what public debate is all about
Mary wrote:
Apparently, Mr Pettit was upset enough that I was concerned enough by his disjointed and irrational reasoning to explain what was wrong with his argument on this blog, to tell the Port how mean I am. At Thursday’s Port meeting Pettit complains that he was ‘crucified’ on a local blog and he would like to respond, (not on the blog), but during citizen comment at the Port meeting.
Well it sounds like he was feeling the way myself and others felt, when we used to post at theworldlink. The vicious attacks by everyman,( probably Barton or Callery) and the rest of the pro LNG crowd, calling anyone against this project names like cave people, hippies, old people, nimbys, ect. ect. It worked, we stopped posting at that rag.( another SCDC member).
Thanks Mary, you are providing a valuable community service.
They say don’t worry, Neither LPG or LNG form a “poisonous” cloud. Both are considered asphyxiants; however, they are not poisonous.
An asphyxiant gas is a non-toxic or minimally toxic gas which dilutes or displaces the oxygen-containing atmosphere, leading to death by asphyxiation (suffocation) if breathed long enough
Watched the whole Harley guy exchange as well as your video. In both cases I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes.
Next Pettit will be telling us the “ladies” should be seen and not heard.
Wow, Gene, you are right! This part is a good indicator – “people that are opposed to this project talk about the “quality of life” in the area, but in reality unless a person has a reasonable income they don’t have the opportunity or means to really enjoy the many benefits that make living on the Oregon coast so attractive and appealing.
You are apparently still focused on perceived risks, rather than the extremely effective risk management practices that have been and continue to be one of the guiding principals of the LNG industry. The safety record of the modern LNG industry speaks for itsel” –
First, we are only talking 39 post construction jobs and there hasn’t been an economic impact analysis that deals with the jobs that will be lost to timber and fishing and tourism as a result of the terminal and pipeline.
That type of reasoning being presented as an argument for Industrial development made me go back and look at some old e-mails, I would like to share the following correspondence I had with the port. There’s some of that in there as well.
To
Martin Callery
Director of Communications & Freight Mobility
Oregon International Port of Coos Bay
P.O. Box 1215 – Coos Bay, OR 97420-0311
Phone: 541 267-7678 / Fax: 541 269-1475
http://www.portofcoosbay.com
——————————————————————————–
From: Gene Jennings
Subject: Fw: Residents evacuated following huge LNG spill
I thought these things don’t happen. But when they do who will be held responsible? Maybe the salesmen for the industry. Their masters will surely be exempt.
Gene Jennings
Residents evacuated following huge LNG spill
(Xinhua News agency, China)
SHENYANG — Hundreds of residents were evacuated after a huge spill of
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Fushun City in northeast China’s
Liaoning Province.
Workers from 15 nearby factories were told to vacate the premises, and
two primary schools had to interrupt classes, local government sources
said on Tuesday.
The accident occurred around 6:30 a.m. Monday when about 100 tons of
LNG leaked from a tank belonging to Fushun LNG Company Ltd. in Dongzhou
District, according to Jiang Yonghe, director of the Fushun City Fire
Fighting Bureau.
The people evacuated have now gone back home and school classes resumed
on Tuesday, an emergency official with Fushun City government told
Xinhua.
The Fushun LNG company has been ordered to halt production for safety
concerns, the official said.
No serious casualties were reported in the accident, but a company
worker suffered frostbite in the leg while attempting to cap the
leakage in the bitterly cold weather, according to the company.
Initial investigation showed that an operator on duty failed to shut
off a tank valve which had been opened for dehydration and had frozen
in the cold weather.
More than 300 firefighters and policemen were called to help control
the leakage and evacuate residents.
“The LNG combined with the air to form a 30,000-cubic-meter cloud of
poisonous white fumes shrouding the area,” said Jiang, adding that the
evacuation began immediately after the leak.
All the surrounding buildings would be flattened in case of an
explosion, according to a firefighter.
All rail services nearby were stopped and roads closed off to prevent a
possible blast, said Xu Bo, head of Dongzhou District.
The leaking valve was closed around 8:00 a.m Monday.
Power and heating supplies, which were cut off in nearby factories and
households due to the accident, also returned to normal on Tuesday.
—————————————————————————————
Martin Callery:
This story was erroneously reported as an LNG spill, when in reality it was an LPG spill resulting from a faulty/frozen valve. The LPG facility in Fushon City, Liaoning Province, vaporizes LPG and supplies gas to propane users throughout the city. People were evacuated as a safety precaution and all industrial operations were shut down to prevent ignition of the gas. No damage was reported in the original story and none has been reported since then. The International Herald-Tribune Asia-Pacific Edition corrected the original story on December 5, 2006. Neither LPG or LNG form a “poisonous” cloud. Both are considered asphyxiants; however, they are not poisonous.
—————————————————————————————
From: Gene Jennings
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 3:50 PM
To: Martin Callery
Subject: Re: Residents evacuated following huge LNG spill
So you corrected the errors, about the type of gas. That does not make a LNG plant any safer for OUR community. So you want this thing here and I have to wonder what’s in it for you personally. Every person I hear in favor of this albatross seems to be connected to the big oil companies, are you?
Gene Jennings
————————————————-
Martin Callery: I have no connections at all with any energy companies, other than paying my utility bills for electric service and propane. I do not own any stock in firms involved in the energy industry, nor do I receive any income or direct benefit from any firm involved in the energy industry.
My personal dedication to this project is that it can create meaningful job opportunities for local residents, help revitalize maritime commerce and marine industry jobs in the harbor and eventually attract new industry that can utilize the cleaner energy provided by natural gas. This will consequently create more jobs for the region.
I find it interesting that so many people that are opposed to this project talk about the “quality of life” in the area, but in reality unless a person has a reasonable income they don’t have the opportunity or means to really enjoy the many benefits that make living on the Oregon coast so attractive and appealing.
You are apparently still focused on perceived risks, rather than the extremely effective risk management practices that have been and continue to be one of the guiding principals of the LNG industry. The safety record of the modern LNG industry speaks for itself.
—————————————————————————————
From: Gene Jennings
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 5:10 PM
To: Martin Callery
Subject: Re: Residents evacuated following huge LNG spill
So you don’t think there are any better ways to provide jobs for the area and the inherent risk is worthwhile for our community. If you people at the port cant come up with any better ideas than this than you should resign your position and give someone else an opportunity to come up with fresh ideas that will benefit the local job market.
Gene Jennings
—————————————————————————————————————————————-
Martin Callery: There are a variety of organizations in the south coast region focused on improving the economy of our communities and creating job opportunities for residents. All welcome constructive input from anyone who believes they have creative ideas to help accomplish these tasks. Just about every city and town in the region either has an economic development specialist (or a staff member assigned that task) or they participate in organizations such as the South Coast Development Council, the Lower Umpqua Economic Development Forum, the CCD Business Development Corp. and others. Additionally, other entities such as CEDCO (Coquille Economic Development Corp. — the business development unit of the Coquille Indian Tribe), the Confederated Tribes, private-sector organizations and businesses, and port districts are also directly and indirectly involved in economic development and job creation. If you have ideas you would like to share with any of these entities, I’m sure they would appreciate hearing from you.
We have seen some growth in specific sectors of the south coast economy; tourism/recreation, retirement, health care, the service sector, professional services and retail/commercial activities. Job opportunities are increasing, but they are limited in terms of meaningful family-wage employment. Senior managers, business owners and, in limited cases, start-up entrepreneurs may make enough to support a family and enjoy the benefits of living in the region. However there continues to be weakness in the industrial/manufacturing/ transportation sector, due primarily to declines in forestry and forest products manufacturing, commercial fishing and transportation services related to the movement of forest products, wood fiber and a variety of other commodities. Without revitalization of this important sector, the region lacks the ability to create significant numbers of family-wage jobs. A healthy, balanced economy depends on this sector (often referred to as “blue collar” or middle income) for producing demand for affordable family housing, support for school districts, and, through employment benefits usually included as a component of a good job, support for health care providers, hospitals and clinics and other family services. Conversely, it is usually this “blue collar”/middle income segment that is impacted most by increased substance abuse, family-unit disruptions and lack of quality health care when jobs are not available.
The Coos Bay harbor is an asset that must be better utilized for the overall benefit of the community, the region and the state. The proposed Jordan Cove LNG project is a viable industrial use of the federal navigation channel that can serve as a catalyst for a variety of marine and industrial development. The port district – Oregon International Port of Coos – is a public agency dedicated to promoting optimal use of the harbor and enhancement of the regional economy. Our current involvement in the Jordan Cove project is based on efforts to site the facility at a location that provides increased security for other marine uses of the harbor and waterway and greater safety for the community. The port district is not a regulatory agency. We are fully aware of the thorough permitting processing that Jordan Cove and the proposed Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline must complete prior to receiving a final decision – yes or no – from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, with participation by the State of Oregon. The final decision is not in the Port’s hands, nor should it be in this case. Port staff and the board of commissioners have all reviewed vast amounts of data regarding LNG, natural gas and related issues, and given the broad range of opinions from scientists, energy experts, shipping industry professionals and risk managers, it appears that the importation of LNG and the movement of natural gas through a state-of-the-art gas pipeline poses little if any risk to this community or the region, and that the overall benefits to the local area, the state and the Pacific Northwest can be and will be substantial.