Celebrating major victories against Jordan Cove LNG & Kalama Methanol!
Celebrating major victories against Jordan Cove LNG & Kalama Methanol!
On Tuesday, January 19, two major fossil fuel projects we’ve been campaigning against for years alongside our coalition partners— Jordan Cove LNG and the Kalama Methanol Refinery—were dealt major setbacks and permit denials. These are huge wins for our entire movement, region, and futures.
This is yet another example of how people power and grassroots organizing works, and how powerful we are when we work together in coalition across the region.
Early that morning, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) upheld the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s denial of the key Clean Water Act permit for the proposed Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and Pacific Connector fracked gas pipeline. The Jordan Cove LNG project cannot move forward without a Clean Water Act approval from the state of Oregon.
This is the latest in a series of regulatory losses for Jordan Cove LNG, representing a huge blow to the 15-year-old proposal that has been vehemently opposed by Tribes, impacted landowers, fishermen, climate advocates, and others. The project has also not qualified for other critical state, federal, and local permits needed to move forward. Pembina is hanging on by a thread, and still wasting money trying to push this project through without a viable path forward. Read what our coalition partners in Southern Oregon and across the state have to say about this huge news here!
Then, just about an hour later, the Washington Department of Ecology issued a major decision to deny the key Shorelines permit for the proposed fracked-gas-to-methanol refinery along the Columbia River in Kalama, Washington.
The state agency denied the fossil fuel processing and export proposal after deciding it would have a significant negative impact on the climate, Washington’s shorelines, and the public interest. Read what our coalition partners in Kalama and across the region have to say about this huge news here!
These victories come after thousands of us have spoken up at every hearing, every comment period, and every town hall. It comes after dozens of letters to the editors in local papers, hundreds of calls and emails to decision makers, countless hours campaigning and educating the public. These are victories we’re able to celebrate today because of the hard work of everyday people like us, led every step of the way by community members facing these disastrous projects in their own neighborhoods.
While the fights against Jordan Cove LNG and Kalama Methanol aren’t over just yet, today’s victories are both major setbacks for Pembina and Northwest Innovation Works, putting these disastrous projects in an even more precarious place. We’re winning. We won today, and we’ll continue to win tomorrow, and the next day, and every day ahead.
On February 23rd, some fellow Sierra Club members trekked out to Cousins’ Country Inn in The Dalles. The Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) was holding one of their regular meetings where they discuss and eventually vote on which sites are granted the right to produce energy. Thus, they can either approve or deny the Carty/Boardman gas plants. Although the Carty gas plants were not on the agenda, public comment (of any sort) was – and thus a few of us wanted to voice our concerns with the proposed PGE gas plants.
On the morning of July 13th, 40 people gathered outside City Hall to eat breakfast, have inspiring conversation, and attend City Council’s open testimony to support Mia Reback and Nick Caleb. Mia and Nick were testifying on the Fossil Fuel Code discussion draft, which will be the legally binding version of the Fossil Fuel Infrastructure ban resolution that was passed November last year. The Fossil Fuel Code falls well short of the original resolution, and is less a ban on fossil fuel infrastructure and more a few regulations tailored to fit the needs of the fossil fuel industries and their interest to grow. By testifying at City Council, Mia and Nick are drawing Council’s attention to the disparity between the resolution as passed and the 
