Puget Sound Energy, Inc. (PSE) proposes to construct a natural gas liquefaction and storage facility in the city of Tacoma, the objectives of which are to meet its customers’ gas demands and to provide a cleaner-burning fuel for TOTE marine that meets or exceeds related regional, state and federal air standards. The facility would be located in the Tacoma Tideflats. Work includes pipeline segments in Tacoma, Fife, and Pierce County, and a lift station in Pierce County.
The City, acting as Lead Agency for the purposes of State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), has prepared and made available the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project. Under state regulations at WAC 197-11 and Tacoma Municipal Code 13.12, the City and PSE agreed to a Determination of Significance and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.
Project Description and Background
The facility would chill natural gas to produce approximately 250,000 gallons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) daily for use as a reduced-emissions fuel for marine vessels and land-based vehicles, as well as for utility peak shaving during periods of high demand. A single eight-million gallon, non-pressurized full-containment LNG storage tank consisting of an inner nickel-steel tank and an outer concrete tank with interstitial insulation, would be located on the site. The facility would also include infrastructure for loading marine vessels with LNG from a new fueling platform and mooring dolphins to be installed on the Blair Waterway. Stormwater upgrades and environmental mitigation would occur in the Hylebos waterway. The facility will be built to the nation’s most current safety standards for this type of facility. The liquefaction facility would receive natural gas from PSE's existing natural gas pipeline distribution system.
Two new segments would be added to the distribution system to serve the facility:
- Approximately one mile of distribution pipeline in unincorporated Pierce County that will connect two existing distribution lines.
- Approximately four miles of distribution pipeline that will extend from the city of Fife into Tacoma to reach the liquefaction facility.
Tacoma LNG Fire and Safety Review-July 2, 2018
As part of ongoing permit review, the City of Tacoma Fire Department (TFD) contracted with Braemar Technical Services’ Engineering and Naval Architecture Group (Braemar) in May 2017 to evaluate the proposed design and siting of the PSE LNG Liquefaction Facility in the Port of Tacoma. The document linked below is a summary of their detailed review of the permitting documents (i.e., the design detail drawings) for the infrastructure and operations for the LNG project with intent to evaluate compliance with applicable adopted fire and safety codes and standards.
Tacoma LNG Fire and Safety Review Report
Quick Links
Permit Status
Safety Modeling Records
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Environmental Impact Statement
For additional information, contact Planning and Development Services, City of Tacoma, at (253) 591-5030 or Zoning@cityoftacoma.org.