Brushing aside calls earlier in the month for their demise, the proposed Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and related pipeline project in Oregon are alive and well and moving through state and local permitting processes, project manager Bob Braddock told NGI.

Braddock responded to calls by the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to conduct a supplemental environmental review of the Oregon project or else terminate it (see Daily GPI, June 9). WELC said it was reacting to reports that Jordan Cove LNG is considering changing its project to an LNG export facility.

As was reported earlier in the year, Braddock reiterated that the Jordan Cove backers were “thinking about” the export option, but no firm decisions have been made yet (see Daily GPI, March 22).

Braddock told NGI he does not think Jordan Cove will be formally responding to WELC. “It seems that WELC believes that ‘thinking about something’ is grounds for a federal action,” he said. “It is as if my thinking about flying an airplane would require that I obtain FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] approval.”

WELC contends that moving to an export facility would be a “clear significant change” in the project’s fundamental purpose, warranting at least supplemental National Environmental Policy Act analysis, “if not outright termination of the Jordan Cove” terminal project and an associated pipeline certificate.

In the meantime, Braddock said Jordan Cove backers are awaiting the signing into law of HB 2700, a bill passed by Oregon legislators which focuses on the development of the Pacific Connector pipeline. The legislation would smooth the way for Jordan Cove’s pipeline permitting by the State Lands Department and clear the way for other permitting processes to move ahead, Braddock said.

“We expect that Gov. [John] Kitzhaber will sign the bill into law within the next few weeks,” Braddock said.

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