City Council Public Hearing, Oct. 1

The City Council will hold a public meeting on October 1, 2019 in the 7 pm hour in the Coos Bay City Council chambers located at 500 Central Avenue in Coos Bay. Included in the meeting agenda will be Council discussion of a Jordan Cove LNG request to change the scheduled January 21, 2020 Council meeting to take action on Land Use application #187-18-000153 (application) for comprehensive plan amendments and estuarine permits for dredging in the Coos Bay. Jordan Cove LNG seeks December 2019 dates for Council review and action. By way of background, on August 27, 2019, the Council held a public hearing on the application. The Council closed the public hearing and established the following time period to accept additional public comments and reconvene for Council action: First comment period – August 28 to Friday, September 27, 2019.  Second comment period – September 28 through October 31, 2019. Applicant time for final comments – November 1 to November 15, 2019. Council meeting for action scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, 2019. On September 19th, Jordan Cove LNG submitted a letter to the city requesting the following revision to the schedule noted above: First comment period – August 28 to Friday, September 27, 2019.  Second comment period – September 28 through October 31, 2019. Applicant time for final comments – November 1 to November 7, 2019. Council meeting for deliberation and action on December 10 and December 17, 2019. Jordan Cove LNG September 19, 2019 letter notes the following reasoning for their revision request: “In order to coordinate local and state permitting requirements, JCEP is requesting the processing for the land use permitting be issued 30 days prior to January 31, 2020, i.e. by January 1, 2020.  This request reflects the fact that the Oregon Department of State Lands (“DSL”) granted JCEP an extension on the removal-fill application until January 31, 2020 to complete their pending review, and the agency must receive updated Land Use Compatibility Statements (“LUCS”) indicating that all Post Acknowledgment Plan Amendments (“PAPA”) have been issued and approved by local jurisdictions. The pending NRI Application is such a PAPA, which means that JCEP must provide all necessary final local land use authorizations to DSL sufficiently in advance of the January 31 date to allow for agency review.  The issuance of final land use authorizations pending before the City by no later than January 1, 2020 will allow JCEP time to meet these obligations to DSL.” The City Council will not review or make a decision to approve or deny the land use application at the October 1st meeting.  The City Council will only consider the Jordan Cove LNG request to change the date that the City Council will review and consider action on the land use application.  Jordan Cove LNG is not requesting any revision to the two public comment periods.