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Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC)

Several new fossil fuel transport projects have been proposed or are already underway across the Pacific Northwest. To ensure the protection of our region’s air and water quality, NEDC is actively engaged in the permitting processes and public engagement opportunities related to these highly controversial projects.

Crude Oil

Hydraulic fracturing of crude oil has made Washington and Oregon coasts particularly attractive destinations to facilitate movement of this dirty energy source to markets across the globe. 


Crude oil transloading facilities NEDC is tracking:

Global Partners d/b/a Cascade Kelly Holdings LLC crude oil terminal at Port Westward in Clatskanie, Oregon

  • July 16, 2013 - Group comments on Cascade Kelly Holdings LLC’s Removal-Fill Permit Application 
  • March 13, 2014 - NEDC Comments on Columbia Pacific’s Proposed Oil Spill Contingency Plan
  • April 25, 201- Group comments to Army Corps notifying agency that rebuilding the Port Westward dock requires a consolidated Environmental Impact Statement
  • May 5, 2014 - Group comments on DEQ’s proposed air permit for Global Partners’ crude oil transloading facility 
  • June 13, 2014 - Columbia Riverkeeper comments to Army Corps providing additional information regarding the need for an Environmental Impact Statement
  • June 18, 2014 - Supplement to DEQ air permit comments with air emissions analysis from Dr. Ranajit Sahu
  • July 2, 2014 - Earthjustice filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of NEDC, Center for Biological Diversity, and Neighbors for Clean Air to require the crude oil transloading facility to comply with the Clean Air Act
  • March 3, 2015 - NEDC comment on Cascade Kelly’s application for a 1200-C NPDES permit for stormwater discharges associated with construction

Tesoro-Savage Energy Distribution Terminal Project at the Port of Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington

  • July 15, 2013 - NEDC Comment Regarding the Port of Vancouver’s Proposed Lease to Tesoro Savage
  • Various blog updates from NEDC’s Legal Fellow, Marla Nelson
  • December 18, 2013 - NEDC State Environmental Policy Act Scoping Comments on Proposed Crude Oil Transit Terminal
  • May 28, 2014 - Comments to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council regarding the Land Use Consistency Review for the Proposed Tesoro Savage Vancouver Terminal
  • July 25, 2014 - Columbia Riverkeeper and NEDC appeal of lower state court decision; alleges that the Port of Vancouver failed to comply with the State Environmental Policy Act when it approved a 10 year lease for the crude oil terminal
  • April 16, 2015 - Letter requesting the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council provide 120 days to review the draft environmental impact statement for the Tesoro Savage project

Arc Terminals Holdings LLC Portland crude oil terminal adjacent to the Willamette River

  • July 25, 2014 - NEDC Comment on Arc’s proposed Oil Spill Contingency Plan

BP Cherry Point refinery and transloading terminal located along the Puget Sound north of Bellingham, Washington

  • August 6, 2014 - NEDC Comments on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ draft environmental impact statement for the previously constructed BP Cherry Point North wing dock

NuStar Terminal Services Inc.’s crude oil terminal proposed for Port of Vancouver in Washington

  • January 6, 2015 - Columbia Riverkeeper comments on behalf of numerous environmental groups urging the City of Vancouver to prepare a full environmental impact statement under Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
  • February 26, 2015 - Columbia Riverkeeper supplemental comments submitted on behalf of numerous environmental groups identifying significant new information related to the City of Vancouver’s pending SEPA determination 



Coal

Large-scale extraction of coal in the center of North America and the low price of transporting coal by rail continues to make electric generation from coal extremely cost effective.

Coal transport projects NEDC is tracking: 

Gateway Pacific Terminal and Custer Spur Rail Expansion project near Cherry Point, Washington

  • Jan. 22, 2013 - Scoping Comments on the Proposed Environmental Impact Statement for Gateway Pacific Terminal and Custer Spur Rail Expansion Project

Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export terminal proposed for the Port of Longview, Washington

  • Nov. 18, 2013 - Scoping Comments on the Proposed Environmental Impact Statement for Millennium Bulk Terminals—Longview Shipping Facility Project

 

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

Natural gas burns cleaner than coal and carries less risk than nuclear power, but comes with its own costs such as leaks from natural gas production and pipelines, additional energy needed for liquefaction, and carbon emissions from liquefaction.

LNG projects NEDC is tracking:

Jordan Cove LNG on the North Spit of Coos Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon

  • April 15, 2014 - Comments on Jordan Cove’s air permit application to construct and operate a terminal and power plant
  • March 13, 2015 - Coalition comments analyzing Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s proposed 401 certification for the Jordan Cove LNG Terminal and Pacific Connector Pipeline Project
  • April 3, 2015 - Coalition comments analyzing Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s proposed air quality permit for Jordan Cove LNG

Oregon LNG terminal and pipeline proposed by LNG Development Company LLC and Oregon Pipeline Company LLC for a site near the mouth of the Columbia River in Warrenton, Oregon

  • July 7, 2013 - NEDC’s Motion to Intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s dockets for the Oregon LNG Terminal and Oregon Pipeline

Northwest Innovation Works methanol production and export terminal, and associated deep draft marine terminal and pipeline proposed for the Port of Kalama in Cowlitz County, Washington

  • December 4, 2014  - NEDC and Columbia Riverkeeper comment regarding the scope of the Port’s environmental review under Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

 

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Like LNG, LPG (consisting mostly of propane and butane) burns cleaner than coal and carries less risk than nuclear power, but comes with its own costs including carbon emissions released during combustion.

LPG projects NEDC is tracking:

Haven Energy’s proposed propane and butane terminal at the Port of Longview, Washington.

  • February 19, 2015 - Comments urging the Port of Longview not to sign, or at least carefully consider the impacts of signing, a lease with Haven Energy for a propane and butane terminal