Re: Tacoma LNG Project, & Proposed Order of Approval No. 11386

The document argues for the denial of the Tacoma LNG project, claiming it locks Washington into 40 years of fossil fuel dependence and poses significant safety and health risks. It asserts that the project's purpose has shifted from peak-shaving for utility customers to primarily serving as a marine and trucking fuel source, necessitating a new environmental review. The authors contend that the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) has underestimated greenhouse gas emissions by relying on flawed assumptions regarding methane leakage and the 'no-action' alternative. Additionally, the document highlights failures in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to address recent LNG disasters, cumulative toxic air emissions in a densely populated urban area, and environmental justice impacts on the South Sound community and the Puyallup Tribe.

• The project's intended use has shifted significantly, with peak-shaving estimates reduced by over 80%, from 10 million to 1.96 million gallons per year, and a plan to exclusively provide LNG as transportation fuel after 10 years.
• Washington's SB-5116 legislation, effective May 7, 2019, requires utilities to be greenhouse carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon free by 2045, which the authors argue renders the project's peak-shaving purpose unnecessary.
• The PSCAA's greenhouse gas analysis is based on several 'false assumptions', including the belief that gas from British Columbia is cleaner and the assumption that the shipping industry would use marine diesel for 40 years without transitioning to electric or biofuel alternatives.
• The environmental review failed to account for the 2014 Plymouth, Washington LNG explosion, which injured five workers and forced hundreds to evacuate, and ignored Tacoma Fire Department risk models indicating a 12.6 mile emergency response zone.
• The project is located in a neighborhood ranked in the top 10% of Washington state communities worst affected by environmental health disparities, potentially impacting the Northwest Detention Center and members of the Puyallup Tribe.
• The facility's flare may emit hazardous air pollutants including benzene, toluene, and xylene; the authors argue that the assumed 99% destruction efficiency is overly optimistic and that a 1% decrease would double emissions.

APA

Earthjustice (2019). Re: Tacoma LNG Project, & Proposed Order of Approval No. 11386. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/act-sierra-club_tlng-comments.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Re: Tacoma LNG Project, & Proposed Order of Approval No. 11386. 2019. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/act-sierra-club_tlng-comments.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=Re: Tacoma LNG Project, & Proposed Order of Approval No. 11386 |date=9 September 2019 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/act-sierra-club_tlng-comments.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2019tacoma, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Re: Tacoma LNG Project, \& Proposed Order of Approval No. 11386}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2019}, month = sep, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/act-sierra-club_tlng-comments.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }