Port now has the clear direction it was seeking on scope of Supplemental Review
Mark Wilson, Port of Kalama Executive Director, said he welcomed a decision by Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge James Warning which reinstated the Shorelines Permits for the methanol production plant and storage facility proposed by Northwest Innovation Works, LLC (NWIW). The ruling provided clarity to what must be studied in the supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS).
“We’re very pleased that the Shorelines Permits are reinstated—that’s a very important decision that appropriately narrows and focuses the Shoreline Board’s remand order, consistent with what the law requires,” said Wilson. “One of our challenges has been ambiguity about what is required and what is not, especially related to greenhouse gas emissions. While Judge Warning shared the Shorelines Board’s concerns about Ecology’s Greenhouse Gas Guidance document, the Judge agreed with the Port that the proper remedy was a limited remand of the EIS only to revise the Greenhouse gas impact analysis, while leaving the balance of the Shorelines permits in place pending that limited review. We appreciate the clarity the judge has provided because it provides the guidance that is needed to get the job done right. The SEIS is already underway, and we look forward to having a thorough study completed in an expeditious manner.”
NWIW is proposing to develop and operate a natural gas-to-methanol production plant and storage facility on approximately 90 acres at the Port of Kalama.
