Fracked-Gas Boondoggle

If you’ve seen those Pembina commercials telling you what a good neighbor they are, and how safe and environmentally friendly the proposed Jordan Cove Energy Project is, don’t believe them.

JCEP is a fracked-gas boondoggle proposed by a Canadian fossil fuel corporation to make lots of money, while spewing greenhouse gasses. It’s a 229-mile pipeline through fire-prone southern Oregon to a massive liquefaction and export terminal built on a spit in Coos Bay, an area known to be overdue for a major earthquake and tsunami.

It threatens the traditional territories of several tribes and tramples the rights of landowners. It is not safe. It will worsen climate change.

Trying to justify a federal permit for this thing, the Forest Service and BLM are bending over backwards, waiving their rules against clearcutting by streams and through stands of mature and old growth forests. Rules meant to protect our public lands and natural resources in areas set aside for endangered fish and wildlife.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently denied JCEP a clean water permit because Pembina had not shown that they would meet Oregon’s clean water standards. Our state is looking after our interests.

Will the federal government?

Lee DeVeau

Eugene