In a February 8th letter, the Department of Commerce upheld the state of Oregon鈥檚 finding that the proposed pipeline and liquified natural gas export terminal would cause too much harm along the coast to protected wildlife and habitat.
Pembina 鈥� the Canadian firm behind the project 鈥� used a provision in the federal Coastal Zone Management Act to challenge Oregon鈥檚 denial.
The company sought to have the Secretary of Commerce overrule the state and declare that the project was consistent with the 鈥渙bjectives and purposes鈥� of the coastal protection law.
But Monday, the Commerce Department ruled the company failed to make its case and sustained Oregon鈥檚 decision.
This is the second time in less than a month that Jordan Cove鈥檚 attempts to get federal officials to override state regulators have come up short.
Now, having failed twice to get the federal OK to bypass Oregon regulators, the project鈥檚 legal options are narrowing. Both rulings can be appealed to federal appellate courts, but success there would be far from certain.
Opponents of Jordan Cove exulted at the news.
鈥淧embina鈥檚 last-ditch effort to override Oregon鈥檚 authority to stop Jordan Cove LNG has failed,鈥� Allie Rosenbluth, with the non-profit Rogue Climate, said. 鈥淥regonians and our state agencies know that this project is bad for our coast, climate, and communities.
Jordan Cove officials did not respond to a request for comment.
