An editorial in The World – Coos County, Oregon’s local newspaper – about their upcoming Community Rights ordinance on the county’s ballot on May 16, that would ban the proposed LNG pipeline and terminal.

Once again we in Coos County find ourselves facing a ballot issue that is more a political statement than legislative rule, and once again an impassioned debate has ensued.

This time it’s Measure 6-162, which its petitioners call “The Coos County Right to a Sustainable Energy Future Ordinance.” The measure calls for a ban on transportation of fossil fuels within the county as well as the development of any non-sustainable energy systems, particularly hydraulic and pneumatic fracturing.

The measure allows exceptions for the transportation of fossil fuels intended for residential, commercial, or industrial use — basically, you would still be allowed to get juice for the gas-guzzler of your choice.

This measure is clearly aimed at throwing another roadblock into the path of building a liquefied natural gas plant and associated pipeline for transporting product. The measure’s chief proponents (although not its only supporters, by far) are the usual suspects — community activists Pattie Gouveia and Mary Geddry.

The opponents are also the usual suspects — the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and various community leaders, including county Commissioner Melissa Cribbins and Coos Bay Mayor Joe Benetti. For the most part, the measure’s opponents believe in more traditional, more familiar economic pursuits that match more closely with their own personal world views of the ways in which things are supposed to work.

In our view, both sides have legitimate points they are trying to argue. MORE…