As we feared, and warned only yesterday, in the midst of the global pandemic the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) conditionally approved the Jordan Cove fracked gas export terminal and Pacific Connector pipeline today.
The approval is conditioned on Pembina, the Canadian fossil fuel corporation behind the project, qualifying for critical permits from the state of Oregon, three of which have already been denied or withdrawn. But it’s still an incredibly disappointing decision from a rogue, rubber stamp agency.
It was only last Thursday that Senate Republicans rammed through a vote on James Danly to be a new commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Danly is the first totally partisan nominee – traditionally one Democrat and one Republican are nominated together. While a handful of Senators commented on the unusual decision to stack a supposedly bi-partisan commission with three Republicans and one Democrat.
And more than 14,000 of us wrote demanding changes at FERC, and we delivered all your signatures to each Senator before the vote. But Danly is a fossil fuel industry darling, and Senators Murkowski, Manchin, and McConnell were eager for him to secure their majority on FERC, which oversees all inter-state pipelines and fossil fuel export facilities. Hours after Danly was confirmed FERC fast-tracked the application to build the Jordan Cove gas export terminal proposed in Oregon, which was denied a permit by one vote in February.
I’m not sure which is more frustrating: The fact that Senate Republicans stacked the commission so they could ram through a fossil fuel project, or that the Republican FERC majority took the time to meet during a pandemic to approve a project that the Oregon communities, their elected officials, and local environmental agencies already oppose.
For now, the good news is that Jordan Cove and the Pacific Connector Pipeline can’t be built unless and until local permits are issued — and three of them have been rejected in the last few months. As for what’s next, I’ll re-iterate our request to keep your eyes on the frontlines. You can do that by staying in touch with our friends at Beyond Extreme Energy about next steps on FERC, and you can sign on petition in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en.
You can also call on the Senate not to repeat their mistake this week by telling them to focus Corona virus response on people and communities, and not corporations and polluters. The Senate is starting debate tonight on a potential trillion dollar relief package for the corona virus. Initial bad ideas included direct bailouts of the fracking and fossil fuel industries. The more recent bad ideas have included a big bailout of the airline industry (who needs help to support workers, but doesn’t deserve a bailout without strings and scrutiny). Click here to tell your Senators to make sure any economic recovery bill helps workers and communities – not corporations and polluters.
This environmental vandalism and sheer stupidity.
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Now is not the time to expand our fossil fuel dependency. Need to start building a renewable energy infrastructure!
Corporations who own (mostly Republican Members of) Congress will stop contributing to any MOC who does not advance their (shareholder-profits-above-all) agenda.
Extreme Death capitalism is killing us all — and coronavirus is simply one of its agents.
Environment is key to life on our planet
In spite of being in a worldwide health crisis and emergency, the powers of the wealthy are promoting the continued rape of our country, the world and the planet. The will stoop to nothing to continue to line their pockets at the expense of everyone else. And, unbeknown to them, they will become their own victims. How sad!
The Jordan Cove LNG project has been long opposed by impacted communities, including landowners, Tribes, commercial fishermen, and more across Southern Oregon for over a decade. In 2018, a poll found 57 percent either strongly opposed or leaned toward opposing the Jordan Cove Energy Project, versus 22 percent who either leaned toward supporting or strongly supported the project.
US Senator Jeff Merkley and US Representative Peter Defazio publicly oppose this project.
Pembina Pipeline was the sole source of funding for a unit of the North Bend police department, and trained them to wage propaganda battle against protesters.
Oregon does NOT want the Jordan Cove gas terminal and Pacific Connector pipeline. They work against the interests of the citizens of Oregon. Waging a propaganda war and forcing your will on US will meet with the same end all endeavors that include Non-consent. A desolation of any long term utility leading to low to negative profits.
Please focus on people!
Governor Kate Brown is missing in action. She hasn’t taken a position on the Jordan Cove debacle, much less any action. Her posturing as a green governor is pure fiction.
We need to work to reduce use of fossil fuels. As a member of the Senate, you must focus your attention on the Covid-19 pandemic issue.
Any funding you approve should help workers and their families, not big companies/corporations, especially those tethered to the fossil fuel industries.
Jordan Cove is just another manifestation of the Republican Death Cult, like Jonestown, Branch Davidians, Heavens Gate. They deny Anthropogenic Global Warming, subsidize the earthquake producing fracking industry and coal fired power plants, try to keep Detroit building dirty cars, and have withdrawn from the Paris Accords. The Jordan Cove terminal is expected to be built on a sandbar in the direct path of a likely tsunami produced by the Juan de Fuca and Pacific Plates, in a place where the sea level is expected to rise seven feet in the next 30 years. Trump is trying to accelerate the production of gas, a rapidly depleting domestic resource, and which releases via leaks an enormous amount of methane into the atmosphere.
United Corporations of America, of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations. For shame.
Stand against this underhanded action.
Thanks.
Please maintain six feet between one another and wash your hands.