Statement from Hunger-Striker 

My name is Broken-Feather. I am a representative of the Earth Community Alliance (ECA), an ecological service and social advocacy group based on the Earth Charter Initiative. As we are nearing the end of the first ten days of the hunger-strike on NW Natural Gas Company, I would like to elucidate why we are doing this.
 
First, we are deeply concerned about the environment, including Oregon's Coastal Zone, the Columbia and other Rivers and Streams, Salmon Populations, Wildlife Habitat, Oregon Forests, Wilderness Areas, and Agricultural Zones.
 
We are asking for NW Natural (part owner of Palomar and Northern Star Gas Transmission Systems) to honor the demands of the Oregon public, and cease any further development of new LNG Terminals and Pipelines in Oregon. We propose instead that NW Natural begins using domestic gas to bridge the current fossil-fuel based energy infrastructure to one that is based on the alternatives outlined by the State of Oregon (per recommendations of the Oregon Department of Energy and the Governor's Group for Climate Change Integration), including wind, geothermal, tidal, solar, and many others, which have proven capacity to supply Oregon's energy needs.

We also propose that NW Natural representatives council regularly with the State of Oregon and its people, to actualize a vision of Oregon's energy future that is agreeable to all.
 
Most importantly, we are asking that all workers are allowed the right to free association. Many people are not aware that most (if not all) workers associated with the LNG system are under strict orders not to speak to the public about any aspect of the operation. Workers are required to carry special cards that detail specifically what is to be said if any person or party (private, public, or otherwise) inquire about any aspect of the operation. These cards offer minimal information, referring all inquiries to highly trained spokes people and agents representing the interests of Palomar. Thus, any meaningful engagement with the public is effectively preempted, defeating the most important precedents of freedom of information.

This is only one example of how free speech and regular contact with the public has been compromised. There are many others.

This leads me to the story of how I came to be here fasting today. I do not claim to be an expert on energy development. What I am an expert on is humanity's relationship with our natural resources. I have served as a professional archaeological research technician for almost ten years, specializing in what I call, "environmental archeology." My duties are mainly to collect field data and analyze the ways our ancestors related to the world around them. In particular, archaeologists focus on how people used natural resources and on behavioral and environmental changes that occurred over time. Ultimately, this affords a very broad and profound view of human evolution. I would like to share this perspective with you as it relates to NW Natural and the Palomar Gas Transmission System.  
 
It so happened that the firm I was working for contracted with Palomar to survey the pipeline corridor for cultural resources, as mandated by Section 106 of the Environmental Protection Act. Immediately, this contract led to a conflict of interests. The conflict is as follows: Oregon is standing at a crossroad and must choose the future of energy for itself. Will the people continue to depend on the destructive and corrupt practices of the fossil fuel industry to solve its needs, or will it advance to a level of greater responsibility (taking the lead for the whole world) and determine its energy independence in a way that is truly clean, green, renewable, and sustainable?

It is plainly evident that society and the global environment suffer grievously for reasons directly related to US dependency on foreign oil and irresponsible treatment of the environment. Now profiteers are preparing to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in a system that only serves to increase dependency on volatile nations, including Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Russia. It is apparent that the US will be using force to extract resources from these defenseless people, intensifying the nightmare of the warfare we are experiencing.

The crude oil would  be processed into liquefied natural gas overseas and transported on massive super-tankers up the Columbia River Channel. To accomplish this, the Columbia River would be dredged. This would cause severe direct impacts to crucial salmon territory and release heavy metals and toxins from the bottom of the riverbed (which have been accruing for millenia) - contaminates such as lead and mercury would go directly into the water stream. Holistically speaking, this would be very bad for our natural resources and for the people they support. The salmon population is a particular concern. We all know how precious and important the salmon are, and how they are responsible for fertilizing the great forests of the Northwest. We also know how stressed their populations are these days. Who in their right-mind could have such disregard for such an important species? To disregard them in this way is to betray the spirit of life itself.

And for what purpose would these people do such a horrible thing to our beloved? For private interests. That is all. For them, the bottom line is money. The reason they are planning on using LNG is because it is the cheapest. Apparently, NW Natural is willing to risk the environmental health of the whole Northwest in order to make a private profit. Will Oregon really be taken advantage of in this way? These rivers, these mountains, these fields, these skies, we are all a part of these, and we all have a responsibility to care for them. No one company should be allowed to profit by destroying the resources that we all love and depend on.

It should be noted that most (if not all) of the LNG carried by these ships is destined for power plants in California. California, however, refused to allow these massive tankers on its coast, due to the environmental and safety hazards these tankers pose. Eventually, prospectors from New York and Texas proposed plans for two massive pipelines, which would route LNG from two terminals along the Columbia, through over 600 miles of Oregon lands, including forests, wilderness, wildlife habitat, agricultural fields, small farms,  and cross over 250 rivers and streams. Needless to say, if allowed to happen, these pipelines would cause tremendous environmental damage. This is well documented by a host of environmental advocacy groups and agencies. This damage to environment is not necessary.

What is proposed undoubtedly jeopardizes the ecological integrity of Oregon. If Oregon allows these profiteers to continue slicing apart Oregon like this, the natural resources that care for us would eventually reach carrying capacity and the ecological system would eventually collapse. Money is no replacement for what is at stake.

Some people claim that the new LNG system will create jobs, but in actuality, most jobs along the pipeline and terminals are temporary and highly unstable. Developers rely heavily on contracting agents, many from out of state. Those who completed the civil survey for the pipeline were from Oklahoma and Texas. The cultural survey staff consisted of a handful of people who lived in Oregon, but most technicians were called in from out of state. Furthermore, the amount of work available for these people was highly irregular. Many people on the cultural survey crew moved from out of state expecting a solid year of work. Two months later, the whole project was put on hold and an estimated 70% of the field staff was laid off, leaving some people with no work, no home, and no where to go. This is the reality of the jobs promised by LNG.
 
Furthermore, there are far more jobs to be found in the budding alternative energy industries. Energy independence for Oregon can be accomplished by diversifying the energy industry, and by focusing on locally available resources. Exact figures are not available, but imagine if Oregon began investing simultaneously in tidal, geothermal, and solar energy? These three fields alone could easily triple the number of jobs directly available to Oregonians promised by Palomar. Hence, the position that the LNG system would create jobs is like a paper-man in the wind - it doesn't stand. We are asking for local industries to come forward and prove to the public that energy independence is possible for Oregon, and that it can be accomplished using clean, green, renewable alternatives.

Finally, I would like to bring attention to an instance that occurred during the winter of 2007, while preparing to scout for archaeological materials in the traditional huckleberry-gathering territory of the ancestral peoples of Wyeth (Mt. Hood). I was specifically told by my crew leader (acting on the orders NRG Energy, Inc., an overseeing auxiliary agency responsible for preparing permit proposals for the FERC) not to speak to any Warm Springs Indians, especially not about the pipeline. In the field of anthropology, failure to disclose information to any member of the public (especially those with ancestral ties to identified cultural properties) is a serious breech of core ethics and completely contradicts the good intentions behind the science. It may also be illegal. As for me, I obviously could not continue working on the project. In addition to the obvious disregard for Oregon's people and environment this project represents, I left because I was asked to do something which contradicted the core ethics of my field.
   
I left my job so that I could be here today to inform the Oregon public about what is really happening. During this hunger-strike, most NW Natural workers have been silent. But I have secretly received encouragement from certain NW Natural employees who will remain anonymous. They seem to be deeply upset about the companies behaviors and have intimate knowledge about how corrupt this company can be. They have not been able to speak with me at length, however, because of the orders imposed upon them by the company. I will just say that I've received an especially tremendous amount of encouragement from these bound-and-gagged insiders.
 
I've been reassured over and over again that this hunger-strike is the right thing to do. The truth needs to be told and Oregon needs to choose its energy future wisely. We are asking for Kulongoski to take the lead, and deny permits for the proposed pipeline. The people of Oregon want clean green renewable alternatives and energy independence. The whole world has its eyes on Oregon, and it is time for us to set an example and choose wisely at this crossroads.

The end of the first ten days of the strike will be celebrated with a peace offering for NW Natural Employees on June 10th. Following this, the honors of fasting will be carried on quietly by another representative of the ECA. The strike rolls on.

Long live the great spirit of nature and the free people of Oregon.

Sincerely,
Broken-Feather

Earth-Community Alliance
Cultural Coordinator

info@earthcommunityalliance.org
broken-feather@live.com