Informational Meetings on Jordan Cove, Jan. 7

The Department of State Lands (DSL) has scheduled two public meetings to provide information about and the opportunity for the public to comment on two removal-fill permit applications: the Jordan Cove Energy Project and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline: The first was held Wednesday, Jan. 6: Medford. The second takes place Thursday, Jan. 7: Coos Bay/North Bend, 4:00 — 7:00 p.m., North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave., North Bend, OR The meetings are being conducted in an open house format to allow informal questions and answers during the entire three-hour timeframe. There will be no formal presentation by the state or the permit applicants, and there will be limited seating. Interested people may arrive any time between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Staggered arrival is encouraged, as there may be room capacity issues if all attendees arrive at 4:00. Each venue has information regarding the two removal-fill permit applications, and representatives from the state and the applicants will be available for questions and discussion. Public comment will be taken on tape by a hearings officer, and entered into the public record. Comments will be restricted to two minutes per person, in order to give everyone an opportunity to speak. People also may provide comments in writing or by email by the Jan. 8, 2016 public comment period deadline. In early December, DSL and the applicants agreed to a second 30-day public comment period, which ends on Jan. 8. DSL’s deadline for making a permit decision remains Feb. 8, 2016. The two removal-fill permit applications are available on the DSL website and at 22 public libraries along the pipeline corridor in Coos, Douglas, Jackson and Klamath counties. DSL administers the state’s removal-fill law, which requires a permit for activities in wetlands and waterways that will remove or fill more than 50 cubic yards of material. Additional information about the Jordan Cove project is on the DSL website (under Current Information): www.oregon.gov/dsl. The Department of State Lands administers diverse natural and fiscal resources. Many of the resources generate revenue for the Common School Fund, such as state-owned rangelands and timberlands, waterway leases, estates for which no will or heirs exist, and unclaimed property. Twice a year, the agency distributes fund investment earnings to support K-12 public schools. The agency also administers Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law, which requires people removing or filling certain amounts of material in waters of the state to obtain a permit.