Communities across Oregon call for permit denial as Department of State Lands delays decision on Jordan Cove LNG

[SALEM, OR] The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) has delayed its decision on Jordan Cove LNG’s Removal-Fill permit to Friday, January 31 from the previous decision deadline of Friday, September 20. DSL’s extension will give the applicant more time to respond to substantive and technical comments generated by the public.

The permit under consideration by DSL would allow Pembina, a Canadian fossil fuel corporation, to excavate millions of cubic yards of materials from Oregon wetlands and waterways to export fracked gas overseas. Under Oregon law, DSL has the authority to deny permits for projects that are not consistent with the protection, conservation, or best use of Oregon’s waters and that unreasonably interfere with navigation, fishing, or public recreation.

“This project will negatively impact existing commercial and recreational fisheries, which are important uses of the bay for the south coast,” said Mike Graybill, bay resident and local scientist. “DSL has a duty to uphold the public trust and should deny the fill and removal permit once and for all.”

Last January, over 3,000 impacted landowners, tribal members, commercial fishermen, youth, and local business owners turned out in opposition to the proposed fracked gas export project at DSL hearings for this permit in southern Oregon. In February, over 50,000 comments were submitted to DSL by people opposing the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and fracked gas pipeline. These communities are calling on the Department of State Lands to deny Jordan Cove LNG as soon as possible.

“By the state continuing to push their decision back, we remain stuck under the threat of this pipeline crossing our land,” said Joan Dahlman, impacted landowner in Douglas County. “After 15 years, property owners like me need Oregon to assure us that this proposed Canadian gas export project will not last another month.”

In May, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) denied the 401 Clean Water Act permit for Jordan Cove LNG, finding that “DEQ does not have a reasonable assurance that the construction and authorization of the project will comply with applicable Oregon water quality standards.” With its denial, DEQ released 200 pages of detailed findings about how the project does not meet Oregon’s water quality standards.

“The Department of Environmental Quality’s denial this spring makes it clear that there is no way for Pembina to build this project without significant harm to Oregon’s waters,” said Stacey Detwiler of Rogue Riverkeeper. “DSL should use its authority to deny the removal-fill permit for this project, which is clearly not consistent with the protection, conservation, or best use of Oregon’s waters.”

The Jordan Cove LNG proposal would impact hundreds of rivers, streams, and wetlands, including the Coos, Coquille, Umpqua, Rogue, and Klamath rivers, while dredging activities in the Bay would destroy existing jobs in commercial fishing and crabbing.

The project in previous iterations was denied twice by federal agencies and deemed to not be in the public interest. Opposition to the project has been growing steadily and substantially during local, state, and federal reviews of the proposal.

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