Oregon Public Broadcasting

Four leading Democratic senators, including Oregon senator Ron Wyden, have introduced a bill to give states the final say in whether or not to allow liquefied natural gas facilities. Rob Manning reports.

Voters on the Oregon Coast have recalled a county commissioner over LNG, and they may overturn zoning changes for a proposed site on the Columbia River. But activists say those steps won’t necessarily block the all-important federal go-ahead. At a campaign stop in Hillsboro, New York Senator – and presidential contender – Hillary Clinton blamed the Republican-backed energy bill for the frustration.

Clinton:  "What this bill did was to take all power and put it into the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is of course stacked with those who have the same mindset as George Bush and Dick Cheney."

Clinton is one of four co-sponsors of a bill to give final authority back to states for LNG terminals. Clinton's rival, Senator Barack Obama supports giving states more authority in energy decisions, but he is not - at this point - a co-sponsor.