9th Cir. Ninth Circuit Holds Coast Guard “Letter of Recommendation” Provided in LNG Permitting Matter Was Not a Final Agency Action Triggering Appellate Review

In Columbia Riverkeeper, et al. v. U.S. Coast Guard, decided on August 5, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a Coast Guard “Letter of Recommendation” provided to FERC in connection with FERC’s ongoing review of a proposed Oregon LNG terminal project was not a final agency action that was reviewable under the Natural Gas Act. The Letter was issued in 2009 and addressed the suitability of the Columbia River for vessel traffic associated with the facility; it was subjected to unsuccessful administrative appeals within the Coast Guard, after which this challenge was filed in the Ninth Circuit. After reviewing the regulatory apparatus that is used to determine whether a proposed LNG facility can be permitted by FERC, the Court of Appeals held that the Letter does not have any “conclusive legal effect”, and it is therefore not a final agency action triggering judicial review. However, the Court of Appeals noted that the Letter could be an issue when the FERC permit is itself litigated, or if the Coast Guard issues a final order pursuant to its independent legal authority.