The Eugene Register-Guard has a good article (and sidebar) today on the proposal to build a liquified natural gas port at Coos Bay, Oregon. Liquified natural gas is safe and clean, except in the very unlikely but not impossible event of a well-planned and executed attack. Then, it becomes a massive threat. Each average-sized marine LNG tanker holds as much energy as 50 Hiroshima-sized bombs.
We discuss the issue in Cascadia Scorecard 2005 (1 Mb pdf, see page 32 and associated citations). Two other proposals for Cascadian LNG ports mentioned in CS05 are on the lower Columbia River. Three additional proposals, not mentioned in the book are at Humboldt Bay in northern California, at Kitimat in northern British Columbia, and at Cowichan on Vancouver Island. (Tip of the hat to Guy Dauncey for information on the latter two.)
