Some ranchers and farmers in Oregon

recently noticed a full-page, color ad in

the Oregonian – our largest circulation

newspaper – purchased by the Western

States and Tribal Nations Natural Gas

Initiative. It was signed by a number of

supporters, including the Sublette County

Commissioners.

The purpose of this $12,000, or more, ad

was an attempt to convince our Gov. Kate

Brown that the Jordan Cove LNG project

would be the best thing to happen to Oregon.

The ad shamefully even used the COVID-

19 pandemic’s devastating effects on us to

attempt to further glorify the project. But it

was very evident that the reason for the ad

was to help solve your Wyoming problem

of “stranded gas” as you call it, and

provide you the opportunity to ship your

gas ultimately across Oregon through the

proposed Pacific Connector Gas pipeline

for export to Asia. Let us be clear: There are

more than 90 Oregon landowners along the

route of that pipeline that are opposed for

many reasons to it crossing their property.

For some, the pipeline will affect their

domestic water supply; for others it will

affect their livestock operations. There

landowners are opposed to the pipeline, but

one that we all agree on is to protect our

private property rights.

Oregon landowners, like many rural

folks in the West, are largely a conservative

group. The idea that a Canadian company

(Pembina) has received authorization

from our federal government to take these

properties through eminent domain to

transport Canadian gas across our state,

without one BTU consumed in Oregon,

just seems un-American to us. Many of

these affected Oregon landowners are

ranchers or own family farms, like many

of the rural residents in Sublette County.

These landowners, farmers and ranchers

are mostly elderly – 75 percent are over 65

years of age, 95 percent are over 55 and are

dead set against their property being taken.

I mean they’re fightin’ mad, probably like

landowners around the beautiful Pinedale

area would be if the government gave

authority to a foreign company to “take”

their land. We can’t help but think that there

is some seminal hypocrisy in your support

of this proposal – Commissioners David

Burnett, Joel Bousman, Tom Noble, Mack

Rawhouser and Doug Vickrey. You don’t

want your land in Wyoming taken for private

profit, but it’s okay if it happens in Oregon.

We appeal to those in Sublette County that

may disagree with your commissioneers

and are against this project. We ask you

to stand with us Oregon landowners and

help us fight the Jordan Cove project. Help

us protect our properties and our beloved

salmon and forests.

are dozens of varying reasons that Oregon