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Jordan Cove Progress and Momentum Build With Approvals and Positive Determinations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                CONTACT: Paul Vogel

971-940-7850

Media@jordancovelng.com

 

Jordan Cove Progress and Momentum Build With Approvals and Positive Determinations

Supporters applaud completion of local land use approvals and positive federal biological opinion

 

January 16, 2020 – Coos Bay, OR – On Tuesday, January 7, the Coos Bay, OR City Council approved the Jordan Cove Project’s final local land use application. Jordan Cove has now received approval on all fourteen local jurisdiction county and city applications and permits, marking yet another significant step forward for the Project, which is awaiting Federal approval and working through multiple state permit applications. 

 

“On behalf of the Jordan Cove Project and our many supporters, we are pleased with the decisions made by the many City Councilors and County Commissioners who have taken the time to carefully review and analyze our many land use applications,” said Tasha Cadotte, Community Affairs and Media for Jordan Cove.

 

The Coos Bay City Council vote approved the fourth and final comprehensive land use amendment for Navigation Reliability Improvements (NRI) in the Coos Bay estuary, consistent with three previous NRI applications already approved by Coos County. The meeting attracted strong turnout, especially from Project supporters.

 

“It was clear from the nearly 100 supporters that helped overflow the city council chamber, that strong support for Jordan Cove continues and is in fact increasing,” said Cadotte.

 

Jordan Cove has made tremendous progress in other key aspects beyond the local permitting, including the Federal approval process – with a final Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) determination expected on February 13th, and voluntary easement agreements with landowners: 82% of private right-of-way miles are under voluntary easement agreements.

 

Also, on the Federal level, on Friday, January 10, NOAA Fisheries issued its final biological opinion to the FERC and other Federal agencies on authorizing construction and operation of the Jordan Cove LNG terminal and pipeline. FERC has issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that will include NOAA’s Biological Opinion. In NOAA Fisheries’ own words, NOAA Fisheries has “determined that the proposed action does not jeopardize species or adversely modify critical habitat in the action area.”  https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/noaa-finds-new-liquified-natural-gas-pipeline-in-oregon-will-not-jeopardize-species

 

The Jordan Cove team and its supporters are pleased to receive this final determination from NOAA Fisheries, which emphasizes yet again that the Jordan Cove Project will not have any significant effects on these listed species or their critical habitat and is environmentally compliant and can be legitimately permitted. Supporters look forward to the Project receiving FERC approval in February, which will take into account NOAA Fisheries’ biological opinion and determination.

 

Jordan Cove now will turn its undivided attention to the state of Oregon permits. Due to the uncertainty with the Oregon State regulatory processes, the Project’s spend profile and workstreams are being adjusted to reflect the significantly protracted and uncertain state regulatory process. 

“State permits remain the critical outstanding component toward enabling this important economic investment in the State,” Cadotte added. “That is what we will be working on, almost exclusively, until the necessary determinations have been made, moving this Project forward to benefit all Oregonians.”

 

 

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Paul Vogel – Communications & Media Affairs

Jordan Cove LNG, a Pembina Company

M: 503-805-5139 │pvogel@pembina.com