The federal agency in charge of reviewing impacts to endangered species has suggested its review of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas project may take longer than usual because the development is “large scale” and “high complexity.”

The ironic choice of words used by the National Marine Fisheries Service in a recent letter to the federal energy regulators has touched a nerve among LNG opponents, who argued repeatedly before the Clatsop County Commission that the Bradwood project is too big for the proposed site 20 miles east of Astoria on the Columbia River.

Local land-use laws limit developments at the Bradwood site to those that are “small to moderate in scale.” Clatsop County’s conclusion that the?Bradwood LNG project fit that definition not only sparked controversy during public hearings but was also flagged by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and remanded back to the county for reconsideration. Last month, the County Commission once again determined that the project is not large and, thus, is appropriate for the Bradwood site.

That’s why some were surprised to see a letter sent July 24 from the National Marine Fisheries Service – the agency in charge of assessing the impact of LNG projects on threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead, among other species – telling federal energy regulators overseeing the LNG approval process that because of the size of the Bradwood project, more time is needed to consider just how many species could be adversely affected.

Bradwood project developer NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc. of Houston and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have agreed that NMFS should review 16 species that are likely to be adversely affected by the LNG development.

NMFS will ultimately determine whether the Bradwood project puts species listed under the Endangered Species Act in jeopardy; its determination on salmon and steelhead will be key to Bradwood’s success.

But FERC determined that 11 threatened and endangered species were not likely to be adversely affected by the?Bradwood project.

Kim Kratz, director of NMFS Oregon State Habitat Office, wrote to FERC in the July 24 letter that his agency disagrees with that finding and needs more than the regular 30-day time period to determine whether a formal review is needed for all 27 species under NMFS jurisdiction.

“Due to the scope and scale of the project and the amount of information provided for review, 30 days is insufficient time to allow the agency to make a definitive determination,”?Kratz wrote.

The agency plans to decide by Aug. 23 whether to begin its endangered species consultation or ask for more information. Kratz wrote NMFS might also request an extension of time to do the review itself given the “large scale, high complexity and elevated sensitivity”?of the Bradwood project.