The commission wants more time to study the permit denials for the Jordan Cove LNG Project from state regulators in Oregon before taking a final decision
The Jordan Cove Energy Project is being proposed to be built in Coos County. (Credit: Freeimages/Carlon San)
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted 2-1 against taking a final decision on the proposed Jordan Cove LNG Project and its associated pipeline in Oregon.
The commission said that it is seeking more time to study the permit denials for the project from state regulators in Oregon.
Jordan Cove Energy Project, a subsidiary of Pembina, has been seeking approvals from multiple federal and state authorities for moving ahead with the proposed midstream project at Port of Coos Bay.
FERC Commissioner Bernard McNamee said that the panel voted against granting a certificate of public convenience and necessity for construction and operation of the LNG export terminal and the 369km long Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline.
Bernard McNamee said: “My vote today not to issue an order on the Jordan Cove Project is without prejudice regarding the Commission’s pending action on the Project. This morning, it came to my attention that yesterday the State of Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development made certain determinations about the Project and I want to have time to carefully consider those determinations.
“As a Commission, we are required to make substantive decisions under the Natural Gas Act and NEPA while balancing our procedural obligation under FAST-41 to act in a timely manner. I will act on the Project application as quickly as I can, noting my responsibility to fully consider the facts and the law before me.”
Previous permit denials for the Jordan Cove LNG Project
Just ahead of the FERC decision, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DCLD) denied a permit to the Jordan Cove LNG Project. The department decided against granting approval to the project on the basis that the coastal adverse effects caused by it will be significant.
Prior to that, the Jordan Cove project was denied permits from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Oregon Department of State Lands as well.
In November 2019, the project secured a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) from FERC staff. As per the FERC staff, the midstream project will have temporary, long-term, and also permanent impacts on the environment which can be mitigated significantly by implementing certain measures.
Last month, the Jordan Cove Energy Project withdrew an application seeking approval to construct a removal-fill at the proposed LNG export terminal. In the same month, the midstream project did secure clearance from the NOAA Fisheries on the basis that it will have minimal impact on protected species.
The Jordan Cove LNG Project is planned to have a capacity of liquefying up to 1.04 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas per day for exports to global markets. The LNG export terminal is designed to have five liquefaction trains, two LNG storage tanks, and associated infrastructure.