Fracked Off. PSE on Blast.
by Darren Moore
ON BLAST
PRAYERS AT SITE
NOLNG CREW
“‘Frack Off’ was a community event organized by Native Daily Network in partnership with the dCenter at Pacific Lutheran University to educate attendees about the LNG plant in Tacoma and the opposition to it.
The proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and associated pipeline in Tacoma, Washington, have triggered strong opposition from the local community, including the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and environmental groups. Although the project has been presented as a “bridge fuel” to transition from coal and oil to a cleaner future, attendees at tonight’s event learned that it is, in reality, a dangerous and toxic fossil fuel posing significant risks to both the environment and human health.
Opposition to the LNG plant has been building for months. Various community members and environmental organizations are challenging the facility’s construction. In September, it was revealed that Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the company behind the project, had initiated construction without proper permits, including a Notice of Construction from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA). Despite these issues, the PSCAA has since deemed PSE’s air quality permit application “technically complete” and is expected to approve it in the coming months.
Community members and activists have voiced their concerns at agency meetings and city council sessions, yet they face an uphill battle. Calls for councilors and commissioners to consider the scientific evidence and facts presented by the opposition have often fallen on deaf ears. Indigenous speakers have also brought up treaty law violations, with little impact thus far.
Fracking, the technique used to extract natural gas from shale rock formations, has emerged as another significant concern. According to Steve Storms, a retired chemical engineer, fracking wells release substantial amounts of methane—a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 90% greater than carbon dioxide—into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and risking groundwater contamination.
The proposed LNG plant in Tacoma also presents a major safety risk to the surrounding community. An 8-million-gallon LNG holding tank poses a potentially explosive threat within a multi-mile blast zone. Adding to the risk is the Tacoma Fault line, located just half a mile from the Port of Tacoma, which is part of the seismically active Ring of Fire. According to the US Geological Survey, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake could potentially liquefy the entire area.
Despite the widespread opposition, proponents of the project—including PSE, the Port of Tacoma, TOTE, and unions—maintain that the facility will be safe, dismissing concerns about explosive hazards. However, the Puyallup Tribe and Tacoma residents argue that the risks are too great, calling for clean-up initiatives for existing environmental hazards, such as Superfund sites contaminated with inorganic arsenic, rather than exacerbating the problem.
Campaigners remain optimistic, gathering with local tribal leaders in prayer before each event. As Anna Bean of the Puyallup Tribe expressed, “Together, we believe. Whenever we are in the presence of each other, we see hope for humanity and hope for the future of all living things.”
Additional Information: Link to Ancestral Waters Documentary
First appearing on November 14, 2017, this article is part of an ongoing series documenting the Indigenous-led campaign against the Tacoma LNG facility.
The article has since been edited to remove time-sensitive elements, such as calls to action, in order to serve as an historical and educational resource. You can also explore other related articles and resources on the Ancestral Waters page for a more contextual understanding of the issues and events.
While the full “Ancestral Waters” documentary is available for screenings, we invite you to watch the trailer for a glimpse into the comprehensive story of resiliency and activism told in the film.
