A major deadline for the Jordan Cove LNG Plant, and the Pacific Connector Pipeline, was extended almost six months.
The news came in this morning from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC says it will put off making a final ruling on the Environmental Impact Statement until July 30. The old deadline was February 13. In the meantime, FERC will make the final EIS available to the public starting May 1.
Why the delay? According to FERC, it needs more time to review some last minute design changes that were submitted by the project planners in late January.
Some background on the project from its supporters:
- The Jordan Cove Plant would take up about 200 acres on the north spit of Coos Bay, capable of handling 80 LNG ships a year, and storage up to 320,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas.
- The Pacific Connector Pipeline would carry the gas about 230 miles to a site near Klamath Falls. From there, the gas could be distributed across the West. One of the pipeline builders is Pacific Gas and Electric of California.
- Construction would take three years and create thousands of jobs. Once work was complete, the LNG Plant would require about 60 full time jobs to run it.
Earlier filings from the state of Oregon were critical of the draft EIS. The state says the DEIS is “incomplete and flawed” and not based on sound science. It also says there’s no proof the Northwest needs another LNG plant.
