DEFAZIO WELCOMES TERMINATION OF JORDAN COVE PROJECT

December 7, 2021 10:30 a.m.

Congressman Peter DeFazio is welcoming the end of attempts to move forward with the proposed liquified natural gas terminal in Coos Bay, and accompanying natural gas pipeline, known collectively as the Jordan Cove Project.

DeFazio said he is glad that Pembina Pipeline Corporation “…will no longer seek approval” of the project. DeFazio said, “I have strongly opposed this project for a number of reasons, including the fact that this foreign company tried to invoke ’eminent domain’ to seize privately-owned land to build the pipeline, which would have plowed through landowner’s private property and trampled their constitutional rights”.

DeFazio said the Constitution is clear that the government can only authorize the use of eminent domain is the action serves the public. He said, “The Jordan Cove project served the opposite purpose. To stop this, I introduced legislation to prohibit the use of eminent domain to build LNG export pipelines through private property”. DeFazio said in addition, the project would have run through public lands and fish habitat. DeFazio said, “It would have exacerbated the threat of the climate crisis, becoming one of Oregon’s largest carbon emitters”.

DeFazio’s release said the planned new multi-modal container facility at the Port of Coos Bay is a far better economic development alternative to Jordan Cove. He said it will provide long-term, good paying jobs for the community, in addition to reducing emissions. With the new project, DeFazio said the Port of Coos Bay is poised to become the only ship-to-rail facility on the west coast and will be uniquely positioned to move goods to market via the most efficient and least pollution-intensive transportation methods available.

The release said DeFazio was the first member of Congress to introduce legislation to reverse a Bush-Cheney law that cut local authorities out of the process, and prevent the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from using eminent domain to seize private property for energy projects.