In April, the Port of Coos Bay famously published a paid advertisement in local media selling the benefits of converting the proposed Jordan Cove LNG import facility to an export or “dual use” facility.

In a recent story in the World (3/17/2011) concerning the Jordan Cove Energy Project, Bob Braddock’s comments were frankly disappointing given the catastrophic events in Japan and the serious challenges Japan faces in meeting its critical energy needs. Braddock expressed his opinion that exporting natural gas was “… a stupid idea.”

Mr. Braddock’s position is incredibly short-sighted when considering the state of the U.S. economy, and in light of the positive benefits that could accrue for Oregon’s south coast if Jordan Cove were to convert its proposed terminal to a dual-use facility. It is apparent that natural gas markets worldwide are changing rapidly and for very legitimate reasons.

The devastation in northeast Japan from the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami is heart wrenching, and those events, combined with the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plan have wreaked havoc on the region’s residents, and on Japan’s economy.

Well, it seems that Jordan Cove’s Bob Braddock isn’t the only one who thinks exporting natural gas is a “stupid” idea. Several luminaries in the energy field share the same opinion, including T Boone Pickens.

Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens, an advocate of natural gas, told the paper that exporting large amounts of natural gas overseas would not only be a mistake, but a security issue that would mean “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.

Exports are expected to raise the domestic price of natural gas by almost 12%. As more terminal operators apply to FERC for export permits more experts in the field added their voice to the list of export opponents –

Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., who represents a western Pennsylvania district with Marcellus gas resources and co-chairs the congressional Natural Gas Caucus, questioned the department’s decision.

“Sending natural gas overseas is the medical equivalent of bleeding a patient in order to cure him,” Murphy said. “I fear what this would do to prices.”…

The Tribune-Review said its analysis indicated if Sempra and Dominion Resources were allowed to export the average of the amount of natural gas requested by Sabine and the two pending applicants, that would mean 13.9 percent of U.S. annual natural gas production could be exported, based on 2010 figures.

Paul Cicio, president of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America, which represents U.S. manufacturers, called the prospect of four or more exporting facilities “absolutely frightening” in terms of its effect on manufacturers.

David Schryver, executive vice president of the American Public Gas Association, which represents 700 public gas companies in 36 states, told the paper he thought it would be “bad policy.”