Community Members Testify at Public Hearing to Tell Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to Deny Permit and Correct Flawed Analysis of Puget Sound Energy’s Fracked Gas Plans
TACOMA, WA - A huge turnout of local residents showed up at the Rialto Theatre in Tacoma on Tuesday to express their opposition to Puget Sound Energy’s Tacoma LNG facility and tell the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) to deny the facility a necessary permit. PSCAA issued a preliminary approval of the project in July based on deeply flawed analysis and out-dated science that failed to account for the project’s climate impacts. Members of health, environmental, immigrant justice, faith, and community groups showed up in solidarity with the Puyallup Tribe in asking PSCAA to correct its flawed environmental analysis of the project and consult with the Tribe as they are legally mandated to do. Leading up to the PSCAA public hearing, community members joined the Puyallup Water Warriors and Tribal Council for a march and rally outside of the Rialto Theatre to show their opposition to this enormous fracked gas terminal and make their voices heard.
“Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s preliminary determination is completely unacceptable,” said Stephanie Hillman, Co-Lead of the Power Past Fracked Gas coalition. “Construction of this facility violates the treat rights of the Puyallup Tribe, it disregards the fact that we are in the middle of a climate crisis, and it puts the citizens of Tacoma in harm’s way. PSCAA needs to reconsider their role in this and deny the permit.”
PSE’s LNG proposal is in direct conflict with PSCAA’s own strategic goals to reduce our region’s contribution to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. A comprehensive evaluation would demonstrate this project's unacceptable impact on the climate and community safety. Furthermore, PSCAA has failed to consult with the Puyallup Tribe as required by law.
Tacoma-area residents have called on PSCAA to consider the flaws in their analysis, address the lack of consultation with the Puyallup Tribe, and deny this permit. If completed, the plant would undermine years of work to clean up the Superfund site on Commencement Bay. Puget Sound Energy has begun construction on the project without receiving the necessary permits to build the facility. Governor Insleedeclared opposition to the facility in May 2019.
Power Past Fracked Gas is a growing coalition of Pacific Northwest health, environmental, faith, and community groups that believe in the power of clean energy and the value of clean water. We oppose new fracked gas infrastructure that locks our region into decades of continued reliance on dirty energy and harmful projects.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.