After years of community resistance and regulatory delays, Dominion Energy exported their first shipment of fracked gas from the Cove Point Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal in Maryland this March. This marked not only the first fracked gas export from the East Coast, but a surge of new fracking and an expanding network of new fossil fuel infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic.

I grew up just an hour and a half from Cove Point, MD and spent nearly every summer of my childhood exploring the bay it impacted. In college, I joined my school’s event programming team to bring big speakers, like Josh Fox, to speak about the impacts of fracking as well as experts to talk about climate change and the Chesapeake Bay’s precious ecosystem and the communities and economies it supports. But, Dominion Energy’s grip on Maryland’s politics was just too strong at that time to stop the project outright.

When I moved to southern Oregon in 2015, I had no idea that this community was also threatened by a nearly identical LNG export project.

Oregon's Governor Kate Brown recently told CSPAN that the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and the Pacific Connector fracked gas pipeline proposed in southern Oregon was just a “federal decision.” However, Governor Brown and the state of Oregon do have the authority to stop this project for good, despite what the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may do under Trump.

In fact, Oregon has denied an LNG terminal once before, despite FERC granting an approval.

New Report Provides First Comprehensive Scientific Analysis of Climate Impact of Jordan Cove LNG Terminal & Pacific Connector Pipeline
Annual climate emissions would be equivalent to more than 15 Boardman coal plants

On Thursday, January 11, hundreds from Oregon and Northern California will gather on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem to ask Governor Brown to stand up for the climate by using the state’s authority to stop the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and Pacific Connector Pipeline for good. 

A rally on the Capitol steps will start at 12:30 pm Thursday and will include live music, street theatre, and speakers including former Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, State Representative Pam Marsh, and youth from impacted communities. The rally coincides with the release of a report from Oil Change International that details the climate impacts of this proposal from fracking to the burning of gas overseas. 

2017 FERC INTERVENTIONS between September 26, 2017 to October, 26 2017

Prepared by Lucy Lefkowitz, Rogue Climate Intern

An analysis of the Motions to Intervene filed under the 2017 Jordan Cove Energy Project L.P. and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, L.P. Dockets # CP17-494 and # CP17-495 between September 26 and October 26 of 2017, reveal over 420 filings. See below for a breakdown of the types of filings.