The approval comes after several months of public hearings, testimony submittals and detailed review by the Coos County Planning Department staff and a specially appointed Hearings Officer; both of which had previously recommended approval. The decision stipulates certain requirements, primarily related to local safety and traffic management needs, that JCEP will need to meet before beginning construction of the facility.

"Jordan Cove is the first and only LNG project to receive local land use approval on the U.S. West Coast. We are very gratified to have achieved this regulatory milestone which has proved to be problematic for other projects. Furthermore, the stipulations approved by the Commissioners are reasonable and expected, and JCEP fully acknowledges its responsibility to address and mitigate the impacts of our proposed project," said Bob Braddock, JCEP's Project Manager.

At the direction of the County Board, the Planning Director and JCEP are documenting the Board's decision and incorporating their requirements into the findings which will be submitted for final ratification by the Commissioners at a meeting scheduled for Nov. 26, 2007. The Commissioners are also scheduled to meet on Dec. 4, 2007, to address the International Port of Coos Bay ACU application related to the project's marine facilities.

Jordan Cove, along with the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, each filed applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Sept. 4, 2007, for approval to construct the JCEP LNG facility and an interstate natural gas transmission system, respectively. The FERC plans to issue a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), addressing both projects, in the first quarter of 2008. The DEIS will be subject to further review and public comment, with final FERC approval anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2008.