TACOMA, Wash. — Opponents of the Tacoma liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility are vowing to fight the project every step of the way.
On Tuesday, the facility received a key permit needed to move forward near the Port of Tacoma.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) said the facility will bring cleaner air to Tacoma, help reduce greenhouse gases, and ensure customers' homes stay warm on the coldest days of the year.
PSE provided a statement that said in part, "when replacing diesel fuel, LNG reduces Sulphur dioxide emissions by over 98%, harmful particulate matter produced by ships by more than 85%, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions by nearly 85%, and greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 15%."
However, opponents of the project said moving forward is completely unacceptable. Sarah Cornett with Power Past Fracked Gas Coalition expressed her opposition on Wednesday.
"We will continue to stand with the Puyallup Tribe in resisting this dangerous climate-wrecking facility," Cornett said. "The LNG facility here is adjacent to neighborhoods, to schools, to the reservation of the Puyallup Tribe."
Andy Wappler with PSE addressed the controversy after a public hearing back in August.
"I certainly appreciate why people are concerned,” Wappler said in August. “I think it is great that they are involved in their community. But the air agency did what they asked them to do which was to study this issue of greenhouse gases, and the report says the plant will help in terms of greenhouse gas emissions."
In a memo, Clean Air Agency Executive Director Craig Kenworthy agrees that addressing climate change is an urgent issue, but goes on to say, "as a regulatory agency, that urgency does not allow us to ignore our obligations to follow the law in making this particular determination."
Kenworthy noted that the permit application for the LNG facility met standards set by applicable laws.
The Puyallup Tribal Council issued a statement calling the Clean Air Agency's decision a "moral failure" and an "insult to residents."
Cornett said opponents are not backing down and are already planning to appeal the Clean Air Agency's decision.
"We are not stopping our fight," Cornett said.
