Blog post by Lauren Goldberg, Riverkeeper’s Staff Attorney—
Columbia Riverkeeper and community groups in the Estuary are challenging the Coast Guard’s decision to rubber-stamp liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker traffic for the proposed LNG terminal in Warrenton, Oregon. LNG tankers are not your average ship. One LNG tanker alone is bigger than three football fields and towers 20-stories high. Why so big? Each departing tanker would carry a staggering 8% of total U.S. daily gas consumption. And they are dangerous. The consequences of an accidental or terrorist-induced ignition of a vapor cloud from an LNG tank or tanker would be devastating.
Yet the Coast Guard gave the green light to Oregon LNG’s tanker traffic before complying with laws designed to protect public safety, commerce, and endangered salmon. We think this is dead wrong.
With the help of a talented team of attorneys and law students at the Earthrise Law Center, we are challenging the Coast Guard’s decision. Not surprisingly, the Coast Guard wants our lawsuit kicked out of court. On January 11th, we filed a brief explaining why we have a right to hold the Coast Guard accountable for protecting the public. With the support of community members in the Estuary, we are working hard to protect Columbia River communities from LNG.
To learn how you can get involved, email Dan Serres, Riverkeeper’s Conservation Director, dan@columbiariverkeeper.org.
Learn more & support Riverkeeper's work to stop LNG export proposals in the Northwest.
