Conservation group asks Oregon to revoke approvals for renewable diesel refinery on Columbia River

Conservationists this week requested Oregon regulators to revoke state authorizations for a $2 billion-plus renewable diesel refinery proposed on the Columbia River close to Clatskanie.

Columbia Riverkeeper, which opposes siting the controversial renewable diesel refinery within the Columbia River estuary, argues that approval of the mission must be known as into query following a key choice in October by the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

Columbia County commissioners in February accredited land use permits for the mission’s backer, Houston-based NEXT Renewables. However conservation teams and an area resident appealed that call to the state land board, which dominated in late October {that a} proposed rail yard on the facility is just not allowed on agricultural land, as deliberate.

Columbia Riverkeeper is now arguing that the land use choice undercuts an air high quality allow for the power that the Division of Environmental High quality accredited in August and a beforehand granted exemption from acquiring a web site allow from the Division of Vitality. Each of these are predicated on having land use approval from the county, so Columbia Riverkeeper believes they need to be revoked.

Michael Hinrichs, a spokesperson for the tasks’ backers, Houston-based NEXT Renewables, stated Columbia Riverkeeper is incorrect. NEXT Renewables obtained two separate land use approvals from the county – one for the rail yard and one other for the refining facility. The air high quality allow is linked to the refinery not the rail yard, he stated, so is just not impacted by the land use choice.

NEXT Renewables will redesign the rail yard so it conforms with land use legal guidelines and reapply for a brand new approval from the county, he added.

“Columbia Riverkeeper’s claims are both disingenuous or just uninformed,” Hinrichs stated in an e mail.

He pointed to a memo that DEQ Interim Director Leah Feldman despatched to members of the Environmental High quality Fee upfront of the coverage setting board’s common assembly in mid-November that stated the land use choice “doesn’t have an effect on” the air allow.

Columbia Riverkeeper stated it’s conscious of the company’s place, however believes it’s incorrect.

Dan Serres, conservation director for the group, stated the rail facility is an integral a part of the mission, required for the supply of feedstocks and different refinery provides. The air allow, he stated, lists the proposed rail actions as a supply of emissions. Furthermore, in a request for data to the corporate for one more main allow, a water high quality certification, DEQ stated that consistency with land use laws would require approvals for each the rail yard and refinery.

“Backside line: the refinery can’t function with out the rail yard,” Serres stated in an e mail. “An organization mustn’t obtain air or water permits in a state of affairs the place the underlying land use authorization is invalid.”

DEQ spokesperson Lauren Wirtis stated the company will seek the advice of with the Division of Justice on the questions the group is elevating. Jennifer Kalez, a spokesperson for the Division of Vitality, stated the company is reviewing Columbia Riverkeeper’s place and expects to reply inside the subsequent week. “We are going to do our due diligence to judge how LUBA’s choice might have an effect on the vitality facility” she stated.

Columbia Riverkeeper stated additionally it is taking a look at different authorized avenues to dispute the validity of the air allow.

Backers of the mission are hoping to open the power in 2024 and say it might create 3,500 short-term development jobs, 240 everlasting jobs throughout operation and generate greater than $45 million in state and native tax income yearly.

Renewable diesel is a substitute for petroleum-based diesel that’s refined from vegetable oil, animal fat, seed oil and waste grease. Backers of the mission say the life-cycle greenhouse emissions are 80% decrease than petroleum-based fuels. In the meantime, transportation emissions account for the most important portion of Oregon’s emissions and have been probably the most tough sector to realize reductions in.

Group members and conservation teams declare the mission would pose a significant air pollution threat for the Port Westward group in addition to these downwind and downstream from the refinery and railyard. They are saying DEQ’s evaluation downplayed these dangers.

The power expects to supply 1.6 million gallons a day of gasoline at startup and a couple of.1 million gallons a day at full capability. It will devour giant quantities of pure fuel within the course of, with related emissions of greenhouse gases and different pollution.

– Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-221-8505; @tedsickinger