US methanol plant proposal in Washington state drawing opposition

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Four years after it was first announced, a proposed world-scale methanol plant in the US Pacific Northwest continues to seek public approval despite opposition from environmentalists.

The latest conflict stems from a recent impact study over the proposed $1.8bn methanol plant in Kalama, Washington.

The proposed plant, which was first announced by Northwest Innovation Works in early 2014, is backed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Holdings Co.

Methanol made at the plant would be shipped to China, where it would be converted to olefins that would be used to make plastics, rubber and a long list of petrochemical-based materials and products.

The impact study, released last week by the Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County, found that the Kalama methanol plant would make a net reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions – “the equivalent of taking 2.2m cars off the road”, the port said in a statement.

The Kalama project, on the Columbia River in southwest Washington, is the second world-scale methanol plant in the region proposed by Northwest Innovation.

The other one would be across the river in Clatskanie, Oregon. That project also has not started construction, though the company said the Kalama project is now the immediate focus.

Northwest Innovation said in a statement that it has committed to reducing 100% of the plant’s associated greenhouse gas emissions within Washington, including those beyond direct operations.

Both of the company’s methanol projects have drawn strong environmental opposition.

A group called Columbia Riverkeeper disputed the study’s claim that the Kalama plant could have a positive climate benefit, stating that it would consume one-third as much natural gas as the entire state of Washington.

“There is no way to make the world’s largest methanol refinery look pretty,” said Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper, in a statement. “The project is dangerous, harmful to our health, and locks in decades of fossil fuel use.”

The Columbia Riverkeeper states on its website that it uses legal advocacy and community organising to stop pollution, fight fossil fuels, save salmon and engage communities.

The ambitious plans first announced by Northwest Innovation in early 2014 called for the company to build three world-scale methanol plants in Washington and Oregon.

A project at the Port of Tacoma was canceled in 2016 after widespread public opposition, though a company spokesman said there was also support in Tacoma.

“We chose to focus on Kalama,” a spokesman said.

The proposal for the Kalama project is still in the permit-application phase, though all other environmental issues under Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) have been resolved, a spokesman for the company said on Wednesday.

The Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County will hold a public hearing on the environmental impact study on 13 December.

Focus article by Lane Kelley

Pictured: Bottle of methanol
Source: Shutterstock