In 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the expansion of the TC Energy Pipeline known as GTN Xpress (Gas Transmission Northwest), which spans over 1,300 miles, from Canada through Washington and the entire state of Oregon and ending in southern Oregon.
350 Deschutes is an Oregon organization opposed to the expansion. It believes "the expansion threatens the health, safety, and climate of the Northwest region and imposes a significant financial burden on Cascade Natural Gas customers," according to its website.
Joining the Exchange to discuss the details is Diane Hodiak, Executive Director of 350 Deschutes. Her organization claims that TC Energy has a deeply flawed track record on safety. Also joining the conversation is Mark R. Vossler, MD, Board President for Physicians for Social Responsibility. Both guests are part of the Stop Northwest Gas Expansion Coalition.
On a related note, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation issued a public notice that the Trump Administration had rolled back safety protections on pipelines across the country.
"U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, called on the Trump Administration to explain why the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) -- the agency charged with enforcing pipeline safety -- is failing to act against operators that fail to comply with laws that keep the public safe.
“According to PHMSA data, only five pipeline safety enforcement actions were initiated in the first three months of President Trump’s second term, compared to 68 in the same period in President Trump’s first administration, a 92 percent decrease,” Sen. Cantwell wrote in a letter to the Deputy Administrator of PHMSA. “Pipeline safety violations do not just stop happening overnight. Rather, this dramatic drop in enforcement suggests a change in department policy."
