Feds OK disputed Oregon coast LNG pipeline, terminal
(Update: Adding Gov. Brown reaction statement)
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A U.S. regulatory agency on Thursday approved a controversial natural gas pipeline and marine export terminal project in Oregon, with one member saying the environmental impacts are acceptable, considering the public benefits the project will provide.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C., voted 2-1 in favor of the terminal. Commission Chairman Neil Chatterjee said it is now up to Pembina, the Canadian energy company behind the Jordan Cove project, to obtain all the necessary permits.
“This certificate does include a provision which requires Jordan Cove to file documentation that it has received all applicable authorizations for the LNG facility before construction begins,” Chatterjee said.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has already denied a water quality certification for the project.
Chatterjee said Jordan Cove is the first export terminal the commission has certificated on the West Coast in the lower 48 states and it would be capable of liquefying up to 1.04 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day for export to global markets.
The dissenting commissioner, Richard Glick, said the decision violates the requirements of the Natural Gas Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, fails to consider the impact greenhouse gas emissions will have on climate change and would significantly impact 20 threatened and endangered species.
Commissioner Bernard McNamee, who voted in favor of the project, said that while the commission considers local and state interests, it ultimately is required to consider the national interest in making a decision.
“After taking the necessary hard look at the project’s impacts on environmental and socioeconomic resources, the order finds that the project’s environmental impacts are acceptable considering the public benefits that will be provided by the project,” McNamee said.
The marine export terminal would be located at Coos Bay, with a 230-mile feeder pipeline crossing southern Oregon.
Last month, Oregon Department of State Lands Director Vicki Walker refused to grant another extension to Pembina to file documents in its application for a permit to dredge sediment out of Coos Bay and to construct the pipeline. Pembina reacted by withdrawing its application for the state permit.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its plans.
Read more at: https://apnews.com/36135dfa735cd508bf16f2d915ec9758
Wyden Statement on FERC Decision to Approve Jordan Cove Energy Project in Oregon
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., opposed today’s decision of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve the controversial and complex Jordan Cove energy project in Oregon over the objection of all three of Oregon state environmental regulatory agencies and while the Commission remains imbalanced and the country is in the midst of a public health crisis.
Wyden released the following statement:
"A few days ago, Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell stacked the decks when yet another Republican commissioner was confirmed to FERC, leaving the Commission unbalanced. This is despite current law that says the FERC should be an independent and bipartisan commission.
"Today, a stacked and incomplete FERC approved the controversial and complicated Jordan Cove project. There was no rush. A balanced and full FERC should have made the decision.
"If that's not bad enough, the Commission has decided to disregard local private property rights and environmental concerns identified by Oregonians. Both shortcomings and additional ones have been documented in the strong objections to the Jordan Cove project by three Oregon state regulatory agencies. All this adds up to a clearly rigged process designed to advance Trump-McConnell corporate interests over Oregonians.
All these violations are contrary to everything the Oregon Way stands for – fairness, transparency and accountability. I now have to oppose this project.”
Wyden, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in January called for Donald Trump to appoint a full and bipartisan commission before the Commission rules on complex projects, such as the Jordan Cove Energy Project in Oregon.
Governor Kate Brown Statement on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Decision
(Portland, OR) — Governor Brown today released the following statement about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) approval of the Jordan Cove and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline and marine export terminal project, which has not completed its state permitting processes:
“Given a national and state emergency, in which the federal government and its agencies are unable to fulfill their basic responsibility to keep citizens safe, it is stunning that the FERC moved forward on this decision today, approving the Jordan Cove project and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline.
“I’ve long been clear that my position as Governor has been to ensure the neutrality and fairness of state permitting processes as part of my commitment to uphold the requirements of Oregon law. I’ve received enormous criticism for this position, but I want to be clear: defending these processes defends everyone’s right to be heard, from a tradesperson hoping to work on the project, to a landholder along the pipeline route, to citizens concerned about the ramifications of this project on our climate or in the event of an earthquake or tsunami on the coast.
“As the FERC Chair stated earlier today, it is now incumbent on the company to secure all state permits. Currently, this project does not have a green light from state agencies: they were denied a clean water permit by the Department of Environmental Quality; they withdrew their permit applications to the Department of State Lands; and they received an objection from DLCD stating their project is inconsistent with the Coastal Zone Management Act. Currently, several key permits do not have active applications.
“I want to reiterate that I will not stand for any attempt to ignore Oregon’s authority to protect public safety, health, and the environment. I have asked the state’s lawyers to consider all appropriate legal action to assure that Oregon permitting processes will be followed. And let me be clear to the concerned citizens of Southwest Oregon: until this project has received every single required permit from state and local agencies, I will use every available tool to prevent the company from taking early action on condemning private property or clearing land.”
