Ecology denies permit for Kalama methanol plant, NWIW has appeal option
Katie Fairbanks Jan 20, 2021
A vacant property at Port of Kalama adjoining the Steelscape is the site of a proposed $2 billion methanol plant.
Bill Wagner, Daily News file
This story has been updated.In a setback for the proposed $2.3 billion Kalama methanol plant, the state Department of Ecology Tuesday denied a key permit for the project, citing a “significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions and inconsistencies with the Shoreline Management Act,†as principal reasons.
The project’s future is unclear, as applicants have 21 days to appeal the decision to the Shoreline Hearings Board. The board could uphold Ecology’s decision, overturn it, or make a more nuanced decision, according to Ecology.
“I want to emphasize that this was a difficult decision, and we did not make it lightly,†wrote Laura Watson, Ecology director, in a blog post explaining the decision. “As a state agency, Ecology has a responsibility to protect Washington’s environment, but that includes a responsibility to support environmentally responsible economic development. Unfortunately, in our final analysis, the Kalama methanol project did not meet that threshold.â€
https://tdn.com/news/local/ecology-denies-permit-for-kalama-methanol-plant-nwiw-has-appeal-option/article_5852cbfa-1565-5c61-a973-94df2485da4c.html
