May 29, 2018
Breaking news! Last week, one key Oregon agency and two Federal launched formal comment periods on the combined Jordan Cove Energy Project & Pacific Connector Pipeline (together, JCPC). The fight against this abominable project - already defeated twice by most Oregonians - now gets real.
Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) must evaluate JCPC under the Clean Water Act 401, which gives states broad, definitive authority to assess the risk of unacceptable damage to water quality. If DEQ denies JCPC's application for the 401 permit, it cannot be built. Pacific Connector (PCGP) would cross almost 500 wetlands, waterways, streams, and rivers; Jordan Cove (JCEP) needs the largest dredging project for any coastal bay or estuary in Oregon's history. What could possibly go wrong with that?
The site of the proposed Jordan Cove fracked-gas export terminal on and in Coos Bay. Photo: Earthfix.
DEQ has struggled mightily in recent years, with undercutting by the Legislature and notable failures on air pollution especially. But it seems to be on a better path now...is it going to break under the pressure of the largest construction scheme of any kind in Oregon's history? -- or do its duty to fully protect Oregon's people, land, and water?
Simultaneously, working in rough tandem with DEQ, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with assessing potential water quality damage by JCPC from removal and fill operations during contruction, under the Clean Water Act 404. The Corps is known for its by-the-numbers rigidity, but occasionally being so "brittle" has shown benefits. Will they do the right thing?
Oregon activist Francis Eatherington participated in a protest fast at the FERC headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2015. Photo: Ted Gleichman
And in a timing coincidence, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) launched a review of its fracked gas pipeline approval procedures, as structured under the Natural Gas Act. The new FERC under the Trump Administration wants comments from the industry -- but fortunately, they also must accept comments from the millions of perople and thousands of communities being damaged by fracking, pipelines, and that industry's contribution to climate change.
While FERC has clearly been "broken" under Trump, the agency was deisgned to be inherently pro-industry and was only rarely helpful under prior presidents. We are focused on a long slog toward reform into making FERC serve our true needs for the just transition; how much impact can we have on it now?
Sierra Club has been working actively, both locally and nationally, against fracked-gas infrastructure for years.
You can join thousands in taking action NOW to help #FixFERC!
We have at least two months to send in comments to each of these agencies -- we'll stay in tough on how to get involved and write powerful comments that will stop this project.