During September legislative days, the Senate Interim Committee On Environment and Natural Resources received an update on the Jordan Cove Energy Project from a multi-agency panel, including representatives from the Department of Energy, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of State Lands, and the Department of Land Conservation and Development.
Department of Energy Director, Janine Benner presented the multifaceted, complex permitting process for the project, where ten land-based agencies are in various stages of making final determinations on 29 state level permits. Full permit details can be found here. The project and associated permitting process spans four Oregon counties- Coos, Douglas, Jackson, and Klamath. In addition to state permitting, there are processes required for local land use permits in Coos and Douglas counties.
Discussion ensued surrounding the fairness and timeline of the process. Senator Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) asked the Department of Energy if, in the past, there had been any presentation about a permitting process as it was occurring with respect to any other project in front of a committee. The agency could not recall another project that had this level of review. Sen. Roblan followed up by posing the question “are we being overly-rigorous?” in regards to the Jordan Cove Project.
A timeline of major permitting milestones for the process from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) are detailed here. The next major milestone expected is a FERC record of decision, anticipated January of 2020. This is the final order in the FERC process before any requests for a rehearing may occur.
Coos County Commissioners Melissa Cribbins and John Sweet and Klamath County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot attended the committee meeting.
An additional high interest topic discussed by the committee was critical infrastructure for fuels distribution in the event of a catastrophic disruption like the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami.
For information on the Jordan Cove update, fuels infrastructure for distribution, or other committee topics, click here.
Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate