6/11 NWIW terminated lease with Port of Kalama and abandonded all plans to build the refinery. It's over!!!

News and press releases:

• CRK Press Release: Victory Over Massive Fracked Gas Refinery
• AP: Company drops plan for $2.3B methanol plant in Washington
• Columbian: Company cancels plans for $2.3 billion Kalama methanol plant
• Columbian Editorial: Washington better off without methanol plant
• OPB: Kalama methanol plant on lower Columbia River called off by developers
• Portland Biz Journal: Developer halts $2B Kalama methanol effort after seven-year fight
• Reflector: Port of Kalama announces lease for proposed methanol facility will end
• Seattle Times: Plans for $2 billion Washington methanol plant ‘effectively ended' as company terminates lease
• Seattle Times Editorial: Environmental wins and two that need protection: Bristol Bay, Skagit River headwaters
• TDN: NWIW pulls out of Kalama methanol plant project

From the proponents:

• NWIW: NWIWK Temporizes Development to Assess New Regulatory and Political Landscape
• POK: Northwest Innovation Works to Halt Methanol Export Project in Kalama
• TDN Op-Ed: Demise of Kalama methanol project a bad omen for growth of Washington industries
• WPPA: Ad hoc rulemaking cost family wage jobs for the Port of Kalama's community

6/16 NWIW and POK withdrew their appeal to Ecology's denial of shorelines permits. Not surprisingly after their 6/11 huge news.

2/9 NWIW and Port of Kalama appeal Ecology's shoreline permit denial, not unexpectedly. Read press release from Columbia Riverkeeper. Shorelines Board is scheduled to hear Case #S21-001 in mid-December 2021.

2/23 NWIW requested 2nd extension to SWCAA air discharge permit (ADP 16-3204). The previous extension required construction to start by March 4, 2021. They are requesting an 18-month extension to Sept. 4, 2022. Docs:
-- SWCAA's permit document list
-- original Air Discharge Permit (2017)
-- original Technical Support Document (TSD, 2017)
-- CRK's comments on original permit (2/2017)
-- original permit public comments (2017) (large file)
-- SWCAA responses to public comments (2017)
-- permit extension #1 approval document (9/2019)
-- CRK's three Talking Points on extension request (2/2021)

1/21 Port of Kalama and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appealed the federal district court's 11/23 decision that struck down federal permits for Kalama methanol export dock and required a full, federal Environmental Impact Statement for the methanol refinery. The Port of Kalama and the Corps are asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the federal permits for the methanol refinery that the lower court decided were illegal. The federal permits should remain invalid during the appeal period, and it's currently averaging 1-2 years for the Ninth Circuit to decide cases.

1/19 WA Dept. of Ecology denied key shorelines permits for Kalama methanol refinery. HUGE NEWS! This essentially means Kalama Methanol Refinery is dead. THANK-YOU Ecology and Director Watson for protecting our environment, health, and the Columbia River.

Read:

• Ecology's Press Release
• Ecology Director Laura Watson's statement
• Ecology's Decision Letter

News & Press Releases:

• AP: Washington State Nixes Methanol Plant Meant to Supply China
• CRK: Victory Over Fracked Gas Refinery and kind words from our Community Organizer, Kate Murphy, Small but Mighty Team.
• DeSmogBlog: Two Major PNW Fossil Fuel Projects Dealt Massive Setbacks In One Day
• The Maritime Executive: State of Washington Blocks Kalama Methanol Plant
• OPB: Washington ecologists deny pivotal permit for Kalama methanol refinery
• Portland Biz Journal: Washington denies key permit for big Kalama methanol project
• PPFG: WA Rejects Massive Methanol Refinery
• Sightline: Two Big Wins for The Thin Green Line, And A Promising 2021
• TDN: Ecology denies permit for Kalama methanol plant, NWIW has appeal option

1/13 TDN reports that NWIW claims higher construction costs, more jobs. In The Daily News NWIW says $2.3 billion construction project will need 1,434 workers NWIW inflates the numbers stating now that the construction of the methanol refinery will cost $2.3 billion (was $1.8B then $2B) and will need 1,434 workers (was a stretch to say the least at 1,000). They claim these revised estimates are due to new (Sept. 2020) report by ECONorthwest, Final Economic Impact Analysis of the Proposed Kalama Manufacturing & Marine Export Facility.

12/21 Washington Dept. of Ecology releases final SSEIS. Ecology released rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" (Direct links to DOCS: FSSEIS | Comments 1 | Comments 2) Ecology now has 30-days to make a determination on two key shorelines permits (SDP and CUP) which they must approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove.

News and press releases:

• Columbia Riverkeeper and Power Past Fracked Gas
• Dept. of Ecology
• Longview's TDN

12/18 Methanol Refineries, Citizen Scientists, and Doughnuts authored by Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility volunteer and science writer, Patricia Kullberg, features interviews with three of our NoMethanol360 Team Leads: Diane Dick, Cowlitz County anti-fossil fuel researcher and climate activist, Dan Serres, Columbia Riverkeeper Conservation Director, and Sally Keely, Kalama climate science researcher, activist, and educator (and our own webmaster). Article speaks to their motivation and the dedication required to fight big gas corporations and massive fossil-energy projects in PNW.

12/17 Jaw-dropping MUST READ from Eric DePlace at Sightline Institute detailing massive corruption at NWIW and WA revolving door politics Muscling Political Advantage to Push Kalama Petrochemical Project? A worrisome pattern of influence peddling and political spending to curry favor..

12/9 Port of Kalama's motion to reconsider denied by federal judge. More bad news for NWIW. Federal judge refuses to reconsider his order vacating key federal construction permits. Read the federal court order denying motion for reconsideration. Corps of Army Engineers must conduct full EIS and include Kalama lateral pipeline in their GHG assessment. This is big!

12/2 OP-ED Twisted Logic: Why Washington State Should Reject a Dangerous New Climate Theory co-authored by Lauren Goldberg, Legal and Program Director, Columbia Riverkeeper, and our own webmaster, Sally Keely, with support from the Center for Biological Diversity, argues the displacement theory that WA Dept. of Ecology espoused in their draft second supplemental EIS is a faulty and dangerous claim.

11/23 U.S. Federal Court vacates key permits and orders Army Corps of Engineers to conduct full EIS. Read the Federal court order vacating Army Corps permits Vital Victory! The Western District federal court rescinded key permits for NWIW's proposed fossil-gas-to-methanol refinery including the Clean Water Act permit. NWIW cannot build refinery without federal construction permits! U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must now complete a thorough environmental impact study of the refinery's climate and water impacts. This is a HUGE setback for NWIW. To summarize the court's decision:

1. Voided two key federal permits that NWIW needs for the construction of the terminal: The Clean Water Act permit and the Rivers and Harbors Act permit. This is huge!
2. Found that the Army Corps violated the Clean Water Act, illegally ignored global climate pollution caused by the project, and that their failure to consider the expansion of a regional fracked-gas pipeline was "arbitrary and capricious".
3. Ordered the Corps to conduct a full, transparent Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as opposed to their original (superficial) Environmental Assessment (EA).
4. The Court did rule in the Corps' favour on the Endangered Species Act permit.

Press Releases and News Articles: (My personal favs marked with star.)
AP (cc: Columbian & Oregonian) | Columbia Riverkeeper |
Center for Biological Diversity | EarthJustice | NWIW | OPB | Seattle Times | TDN (print version, front page) |
TDN (online version) (cc: Big Country News & Sunnyside Sun)

Background / Related Documents:

• Nov. 2020 Order on Cross Motions for SJ
• Aug. 2020 Oral argument requested on Motion for SJ
• Mar. 2020 First Amendment of Complaint
• Nov. 2019 Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief
• Apr. 2019 Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit
• Jan. 2019 Corps' original Environmental Assessment
• Oct. 2017 Biological Opinion on Endangered Species
• Nov. 2015 CRK's comments on federal permits and request for Corps to conduct full EIS

10/19 Senator Patty Murray's staff met with PNW enviro groups. Local climate activists and representatives of PNW environmental organizations had an opportunity to meet with a member of Murray's staff (virtually), share our concerns, and request she follow Gov. Inslee's lead and oppose the refinery. In particular we asked she revoke her support for U.S. DOT’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDO) Grant.

10/16 OP-ED: Candidates' Silence on Methanol Plant is Deafening written by one of our No Methanol Team Leads, local champion researcher and climate activist, Diane Dick, published in local newspaper The Daily News. Provides superior overview of NWIW's KMR project finances. Asks local legislators to urgently rethink their support and instead work to protect their constituent's health, security, and environment.

9/28 Holding the Thin Green Line audio documentary updated with slideshow released. Filmmaker Barbara Bernstein re-released the first hour of her audio documentary with a new slideshow format and an epilogue. Features local anti-fossil gas activists from #NoMethanol360 and #NoLNG253. Watch it HERE.

9/2 Washington Dept. of Ecology releases draft SSEIS. Ecology found SEIS prepared by Port of Kalama & Cowlitz Count last fall inadequate and incomplete. To meet their legal and ethical obligations, Ecology conducted a second supplemental environmental impact statement (SSEIS) with a goal to provide a fuller accounting of GHG emissions. Washington Dept. of Ecology's draft SSEIS was released 9/2 followed by a 30-day public comment period. More information including preliminary findings and FAQS is provided by Ecology at Dept. of Ecology's Kalama Methanol Permitting page.

News and press releases:

• Ecology's newsletter: Focus On: Draft Second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Kalama methanol plant
• CRK announcement: Kalama Methanol Analysis Released
• CRK press release 9/2: Washington Analysis Reveals Pollution Potential of Major Methanol Refinery
• CRK press release 9/18: Community Members Urge Washington to Reject Kalama Methanol Refinery In Virtual Hearing
• CRK press release 10/8: Thousands Urge Washington to Reject Climate-Wrecking Methanol Refinery in Kalama
• PPFG press release: New Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Kalama Methanol Refinery Just Released
• AP: Methanol plant would boost greenhouse gas emissions
• OPB: Washington Ecology finds new climate impacts from Kalama methanol plant
• Sightline: Two important new articles from Sightline Institute in Seattle thoroughly break down Kalama Methanol Refinery and Ecology's DSSEIS at New Analysis Proves Kalama Methanol Project is a Climate Disaster and Kalama Methanol 'Benefits' Assume Catastrophic Climate Failure.
• TDN: New Methanol EIS Released (Note: This title is from print version. As a side note, Cowlitz County's local print newspaper leans strongly conservative.)

Online petitions:

• Urge Ecology Director Laura Watson to REJECT the methanol refinery. Sign (quick and easy) online petition via Power Past Fracked Gas.
• Urge Ecology Director Laura Watson and Governor Jay Inslee to REJECT the methanol refinery. Send your message online via Columbia Riverkeeper.

Providing Public Comment & Comment Writing Assistance:

• Columbia Riverkeeper provides comprehensive comment guide / talking points.
• Power Past Fracked Gas and Sierra Club are offering comment writing workshops (held virtually) each with a panel of expert speakers (including Diane Dick, Mike Reuter, Dr. AnneMarie Dooley, Dr. Paul Thiers) on 9/14 and 9/28.
• Ecology provides access to PDF versions of each individual comment submitted to their website at View the 2800 (approx.) comments submitted directly to Ecology. These public comments ran over 8:1 against the project. Some sources report as high as 95% against. (Thousands more comments were submitted via environmental, health, faith, and local organizations.)
• Ecology held four audio-only "virtual" hearings. Ecology's Kalama Methanol page includes Ecology's presentation at the hearings as a PowerPoint and Video and (not very accurate) transcripts of the public's comments.

A Selection of the Public Comments Submitted to Ecology from Organizations, Tribal Nations, and Area Residents:

• Columbia Riverkeeper and 30+ allied organizations
• Cowlitz Indian Tribe
• Diane Dick, longtime Cowlitz County resident
  (Collection of all eight of Diane's great comments.)
• Linda Horst, longtime Cowlitz County resident
  (Linda has several good comments of which this is just one.)
• Keely Family, longtime Kalama residents
  (Collection of all 20 of the three Keely's comments.)
• Regna Merritt, PA, and Thomas Ward, MD
• Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Stockholm Environment Institute, Seattle
• Mark Uhart, Kalama resident
  (Mark has several good comments of which this is one.)
• All 2800 (approx.) comments submitted directly to Ecology

8/21 Earth Justice, on behalf of CRK, et al, filed Motion for Summary Judgment in U.S. District Court against U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Port of Kalama challenging Trump administration’s approval of Kalama methanol refinery in violation of Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, National Environmental Policies Act, and Endangered Species Act.

Press Releases: Columbian | Peninsula Daily News | TDN |

7/30 Senator Marie Cantwell's staff met with PNW enviro groups. Local climate activists and representatives of PNW environmental organizations had an opportunity to meet with Cantwell's staff (virtually), share our concerns, and request she follow Gov. Inslee's lead and oppose the refinery. In particular we asked she revoke her support for U.S. DOT’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDO) Grant.

6/16 Japanese shipping firm MOL (Tokyo-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.) will invest undisclosed sum in NWIW's proposed Kalama methanol refinery and export terminal per MOL and NW Innovation Works Announce New Partnership. Longview's TDN includes 6/18 comment from local resident and researcher Diane Dick who warns, "Let's get one thing clear. NWIW is about one thing only, monetizing fracked gas. Port of Kalama has been intent on using that property for one thing only for decades, not just this project, installing a new gas pipeline to sell fracked gas. Folks need to be aware that LNG bunkering could be the next touted development project on the Columbia River. And that LNG when considering the upstream and downstream emissions is no cleaner when it comes to CO₂ emissions than other petroleum fuels."

5/18 Ecology and Port of Kalama signed Guiding Principles Agreement which lays out process for environmental review of Kalama methanol including team members and deadline for final report (October 15, 2020). Also, POK agrees to stay their 12/23 lawsuit against Ecology.

5/13 Ecology published revised schedule for SSEIS environmental review. The pace is faster than initially expected. In particular note:

• Aug 17: Draft SSEIS posted for public review
• Aug 17-Sept 15: Public review period
• Sometime in Aug or Sept: Public Meeting (likely to be held virtually)
• Oct 15: Final Report

5/5 Ecology contracted with consulting firm TRC (in Seattle) to assist in providing greenhouse gas analysis in addition to work DOE is conducting internally (per DOE's FAQs on Ecology's permitting process for NWIW's Kalama methanol refinery page) to provide a true and thorough SSEIS.

4/27 FERC grants third extension to Williams NW Pipeline. Local residents under eminent domain threat for another two years. FERC dismissed concerns relayed in 1100 statements from citizens in opposition (received during its just 2-week long public comment period) including those from Columbia Riverkeeper, Cemetery District #6, and Kalama Mayor Mike Reuter. NOTE: All related documents including the comments FERC received are publicly available on the (very finicky) FERC website >> Documents & Filings (top navigation bar) >> elibrary >> docket search using docket number CP15-8.

3/12 Williams NW Pipeline asked FERC for another time extension. Williams' Certificate of Public Convenience to construct the 3.1 mile lateral pipeline, that would take methane gas from the existing N/S Williams pipeline that parallels I-5 to the methanol refinery, expires 4/11. Without the lateral pipeline NWIW can’t get their fracked fossil-gas. Williams has had two 1-year extensions granted and are now asking for one 2-year extension. FERC stated in 2019 that it would deny any further extensions for the pipeline certificate unless local permitting issues have been resolved and “construction is underway or imminent.” We all know that Kalama methanol refinery does NOT have all local permits (ie. Shorelines CUP), is NOT under construction, and construction is NOT imminent. Hold FERC’s feet to the fire! Stand with our neighbors who have had their private property taken by eminent domain (for corporate gain). CRK's opposition to Williams' request is a vital read.

3/12 Local state legislators wrote letter to Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County opposing Dept. of Ecology's SSEIS. Despite TDN implying otherwise, Dept. of Ecology is steadfast in meeting their state legal and ethical obligations to have an accurate and thorough GHG analysis conducted before they can issue a final decision on the methanol refinery. POK, Cowlitz County, and NWIW had ample opportunity to provide DOE the information they requested multiple times. Ecology's SSEIS Timeline.

2/13 CRK and partners sent Ecology pre-scoping comments regarding SSEIS. Pre-Scoping Comments on Ecology’s SSEIS for Kalama Methanol Refinery and Export Terminal. Good read! Useful document to start preparing your comments and testimony for when DOE releases SSEIS and schedules public hearing this fall.

2/11 Columbia Riverkeeper asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate NWIW's statements to potential investors. Specifically, NWIW told investors that the methanol produced at the Kalama refinery would be sold to China for fuel, but at the same time told state and regulatory agencies that the methanol would be used to produce plastics. Lying to investors is a federal crime. But if they did not lie, if it is to be burned as fuel, then that amplifies the GHG emissions by 5.44 million tons per year. Read statement from Miles Johnson, Senior Attorney, Columbia Riverkeeper and article from OPB "CRK Wants SEC To Investigate Kalama Methanol Project".

2/6 Kalama City Council did the right thing for Kalama by staying neutral on the methanol refinery via 3-1 vote to table their proposed letter asking Gov. Inslee to reverse his opposition to the methanol refinery. The Council's 2/20 Methanol Town Hall is now indefinitely cancelled.

1/7 2020 Kick-off Party Columbia Riverkeeper held a party with pizza dinner at Kalama's new event venue One55 Elm to kick-off 2020. Fun to meet up with all the activists who have worked so hard and take a moment to celebrate us and 2019 which was a banner year for all. Thank-you Riverkeeper!

12/23 Port of Kalama sues WA Dept. of Ecology in Cowlitz County Superior Court. POK is asking court to force DOE to stop the SSEIS process and issue a final decision immediately. For status update go to Petition for writ of certiorari and enter case number 19-2-01183-08. Quite a hypocritical request considering that DOE asked POK and Cowlitz County for specific information (10/9) so that the SEIS would be sufficiently complete so they could make their decision, but POK and County responded with rude tone and no new information (11/4), leaving Ecology with no choice but to conduct thorough SEIS themselves (11/22) in order to meet their legal and ethical responsibilities to the people of the State of Washington.

Per TDN: Port of Kalama takes legal action against Ecology over methanol plant, Jeff Zenk, Ecology spokesman, in a statement Tuesday, said the department asked the port, county and company "multiple times" for a comprehensive analysis of the project's greenhouse gas emissions. "Due to the lack of necessary information, we initiated a targeted second (supplemental environmental impact statement) that would get us the information we need as quickly as possible," the statement said. "This type of challenge can only delay the completion of that assessment."

UPDATE: 5/18 Port agrees to stay their 12/23 lawsuit against Ecology as part of Guiding Principles Agreement.

11/22 Dept. of Ecology finds County/Port's SEIS inadequate. This is BIG news! A second supplemental EIS required, but this time Ecology will conduct it (see Ecology as SEPA lead agency). It will focus on two key GHG factors. Ecology plans to conduct an honest, thorough review of life-cycle GHG emissions and GHG mitigation. This study will take about one year to complete. Once a draft SSEIS is complete, Ecology will release to the public for comment.

These events led to Ecology’s strong stand (courtesy of CRK):

• In August, a broad coalition of organizations joined Kalama residents in denouncing the inaccurate environmental review produced by backers of the refinery. 
• In October, Ecology determined that the environmental review for the project was deficient.
• In November, Cowlitz County and NWIW re-asserted the same false analysis that NWIW had developed in 2018, claiming that methanol from the refinery would never be burned.
• On November 22, Ecology held firm to its request for accurate information and decided to conduct a new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

News and press releases:

• Dept. of Ecology's Kalama Methanol Permitting page
• Ecology's News Release: Additional environmental review required for Kalama methanol project
• Ecology's letter to Cowlitz County
• SEPA Notice of second supplemental EIS
• CRK press release: Washington state deals setback to massive methanol plant
• PPFG press release: Washington Requires New Environmental Study for World’s Largest Proposed Fracked-Gas-to-Methanol Refinery
• AP: Washington state deals setback to massive methanol plant ran all over the place to as far away as San Diego CA and New Haven CT!
• Columbian: State deals setback to plans for massive Kalama methanol plant
• Olympian: Washington state deals setback to massive methanol plant
• Seattle Times: Washington state deals setback to massive methanol plant
• TDN: Ecology rejects methanol climate change study, delaying $2B project a year

11/13 Seattle's Crosscut published an expose on the controversy surrounding the methanol refinery including quotes from several local activists: A small Washington town may build the world's largest methanol plant, but do locals want it? "In Kalama, the promise of jobs and the peril of greenhouse gas emissions are keeping neighbors divided over a proposed methanol plant to be built along the Columbia."

11/12 Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed in U.S. Federal District Court challenging pre-EIS permit approvals by Columbia Riverkeeper (and allies SC, CBD, WEC, WaPSR, all represented by Earthjustice).

Department of the Army Environmental Assessment and Statement of Findings

• CRK press release: Kalama Methanol Refinery Faces New Federal Court Challenge includes linked support docs under "Resources"
• AP: Lawsuit aims to kill stalled $2B methanol refinery project
• Columbian: Lawsuit aims to kill $2B Kalama methanol refinery project
• Seattle Times: Lawsuit aims to kill stalled $2B methanol refinery project
• TDN: Environmental groups sue federal agencies over Kalama methanol permits

11/4 Cowlitz County responded to Dept. of Ecology's request for more info on two key GHG issues in FSEIS basically reiterating what they already submitted, refusing to add detail as requested, and oddly writing in a derogatory dismissive tone. See CRK's press release with good linked history of projects.

10/21 Holding the Thin Green Line, a 4-part radio documentary by Barbara Bernstein, is released. Part 1 highlights the fight against The World's Largest Methanol Refinery. Parts 2-4 focus on major LNG proposals throughout the PNW.

10/9 Dept. of Ecology halts their review of shorelines permits and remands FSEIS back to Cowlitz County for additional information. Two key issues of concern that are deemed inadequate: GHG emissions analysis [App A | App B] and GHG mitigation plan [App C]. Deadline Nov. 7^th to supply the requested missing details. Then Ecology will have 30-days to determine if the project meets state health, safety, and environmental standards.

• Ecology Press Release: Ecology finds application incomplete for Kalama methanol project
• Ecology’s letter to Cowlitz County requesting additional information
• CRK: Columbia Riverkeeper's press release
• PPFG: Power Past Fracked Gas press release
• AP: Kalama Methanol Plant Decision Delayed
• TDN: Ecology pauses Kalama methanol permit decision

Throughout the month, citizen activists report on key issues via several good op-eds and LTEs:

• 11/2 Op-Ed by Dan Serres and Dr. Paul Thiers "Kalama methanol plant has no place in WA’s clean-energy future" to counter this propaganda piece by the trades councils.
• 10/31 Fire Mitigation Agreement between NWIW and Cowlitz Fire Dist 5 along with explanatory comments by local researcher, Chris Turner, show corruption and risk to public safety.
• 10/24 LTE: Don't Believe It by Diane Dick, Cowlitz County activist/researcher, showing how unrealistic NWIW's mitigation plan for GHG emissions is. The stats come from EPA's GHG Equivalence Calculator (fun page to explore).
• 10/6 Kalama Mayor Mike Reuter's editorial "Selling Our Economic Future to China"

9/24 Washington State Democratic Party reaffirms Resolution Opposing New and Expanded Gas Infrastructure in Washington. Previously the Democrats' Environment and Climate Caucus passed Resolution In Opposition to the Kalama Methanol Facility (9/2017).

9/16 Port of Kalama applied for a Port Infrastructure Development Grant which would be in addition to the $11.5M USDOT grant for building a dock for NWIW's methanol export terminal. DeSmog Blog reports (10/4) Washington Petrochemical Plant Subsidies Would Violate Federal ‘Double Dipping’ Rules Say Environmental Groups.

9/11 Cowlitz County completes their review of FSEIS and re-approves two key shorelines permits, SDP and CUP. That starts 30-day clock for WA Dept. of Ecology to decide if refinery meets state health, safety, and environmental standards.

• Columbia Riverkeeper's press release
• Power Past Fracked Gas's press release
• Portland Business Journal reports Controversial Kalama methanol plant gets county OK

9/5 JOBS for Cowlitz County? NO! H-1B Visas to Chinese workers. NWIW says their refinery will provide jobs to the people of Cowlitz County. However, recent revelations show Pan-Pacific Corp, one of NWIW's parent companies, applied for four H-1B visas for the facility. An H-1B visa is intended for specialty workers who are in the U.S. temporarily (3-6 years).

8/30 Final Supplemental EIS released. [FSEIS | SEPA for all docs].

• Power Past Fracked Gas's press release
• The Reflector: Kalama methanol plant report released

8/26 Methanol's end use is as fuel per CASH Chairman. Wu Lebin, the Chairman of C.A.S.H. (Chinese Academy of Sciences Holdings, the financial end of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who own NWIW) continues to advertise to investors that Kalama methanol's end use will be, "as a transportation fuel for cars and ships." despite NWIW's "promise" (see Dock Use Amendment) it will only be used for plastic production (not that we want more single-use plastics either). Lebin's bio for his session at upcoming Nov. 2019 investors conference says NWIW will use ULE process to convert North American gas to methanol to provide China with fuel. The FSEIS states if the methanol is burned as fuel then it adds 5.4 million tons bringing the total to a staggering 12 million tons of carbon pollution emitted to the atmosphere every year.

More NWIW greenwashing. NWIW's GHG mitigation plan. On 7/30 Columbia Riverkeeper sent comments to WA Dept. Ecology regarding NWIW's 5/30 GHG mitigation plan that only addresses a fraction of the GHG pollution. On 7/31 CRK senior attorney summarized the situation Greenwashing fossil fuel export? We won’t stand for it.

NWIW applied for $11.5M federal BUILD grant. U.S. taxpayers should not pay for construction of dock for Chinese government-controlled company's benefit. [UPDATE: BUILD grant denied, again, Nov. 12.]

June 13, 2019: Port of Kalama and NWIW Amend Dock Usage Lease Agreement to "assure" Chinese government controlled NWIW only sells methanol to entities that will not burn it as fuel. Of course this is impossible to police, once methanol leaves U.S. shores we have no control over to whom it is sold or how it is used. Desperate move intended to skirt true accounting of GHG emissions, sidestep SEPA analysis, and avoid FERC oversight.

• 7/30 CRK: Comments to Ecology RE: new dock use agreement
• 6/13 POK / NWIW Amendment: First Amendment Dock Usage Agreement
• 6/13 OPB: Port Of Kalama: Methanol Refinery Can’t Export For Fuel
• 6/12 TDN: Port to vote on methanol export requirements
• Original Dock Use Agreement, April 2014

June 3, 2019: State Representative Richard DeBolt, (R) LD-20, has serious conflict of interest. While serving in the WA Congress he also earns 6-figure salary as NWIW's Executive of External Relations thus having influence over permits NWIW needs to build its methanol refinery. Seattle Times: State lawmaker touts Kalama methanol plant — and works for company that’s trying to get it built. In fact DeBolt lists NWIW as his main job on his Linked-In page [GIF version] making his service to the people in the 20th district a mere afterthought. DeBolt is officially an agent of Chinese government - violating his oath of office -- not working in best interest of Cowlitz County.

May 18, 2019: No Methanol Land and Water Rally & Community Picnic About 125 people on land and 50 people in kayaks on the Kalama River rallied against Kalama methanol at Camp Kalama, the closest non-industrial business to the proposed refinery. Speakers, music, food! A great success thanks to the activists, local and otherwise especially those who drove down from Seattle/Tacoma or up from S. Oregon. A special shout-out to our hosts Camp Kalama, Columbia Riverkeeper, and Sierra Club.

• CRK's post-event Press Release
• CRK's video clips of speeches
• The Reflector Newspaper: Activists gather in opposition to Kalama methanol plant
• The Daily News: Protesters blast gas fracking needed for Kalama methanol plant

May 8, 2019: Gov. Inslee opposes Kalama methanol refinery and Tacoma LNG! This is huge as he oversees Washington Dept. of Ecology who have permitting authority over the project. Thank-you Gov. Inslee for being our climate champ :) Inslee announces opposition to two gas projects in Washington after originally supporting both projects. He now says, "I am no longer convinced that locking in these multi-decade infrastructure projects are sufficient to accomplishing what's necessary." What does this mean for our cause? See FAQs from Columbia Riverkeeper.

April 19, 2019: Kalama methanol is to be burned as fuel. Proof! NWIW lies exposed. The purpose of this project is to sell the methanol to be burned as fuel, not solely or even mostly for use in producing plastics. This fact greatly increases the lifecycle GHG emissions. NWIW knew this from the beginning while blatantly lying to the public, state regulators, and permitting agencies. News broke 4/19 by Oregon Public Broadcasting OPB: Controversial Kalama Methanol Plant May Be Misleading Public, Regulators (includes audio, 5 min.). Their story was based on a presentation NWIW gave to investors as recently as Jan. 2019: NWIW's "GTM Investment Overview" presentation to investors, March 2018. Prior to this bombshell find, evidence of NWIW's lack of transparency regarding methanol-to-olefin (MTO) vs. methanol as transportation fuel had been mounting, see links below. This is important not only because it significantly changes GHG emission estimates provided in the EIS currently under review, but also could qualify the project for an EFSEC (Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council) review, for which methanol opponents have called all along. (Columbia Riverkeeper filed petition for EFSEC review in 2016, but it was denied.) By the way, GTM (named for gas-to-methanol, no really!) is a shell company for NWIW, sharing all the same executives.

• 2018-02-14 (Updated Feb. 2019) Sightline Institute: How Northwest Methanol Is Likely Intended for China’s Gas Tanks
• 2017-12-04 Reuters: China's CAS plans gas-to-methanol plant on U.S. West Coast
• 2017-04-05 China Daily: US shale methanol soon en route to China (where CASH Chair Wu Lebin states methanol to be used as vehicle fuel.
• 2016-06-23 (updated Jan 2018) Sightline Institute: Examining Methanol's Green Claims in the Northwest
• 2015-11-25 Shanghai Bi Ke Clean Energy Technology Company Ltd. (Clean Energy Commercialization Company, CECC): NWIW affiliate, JOVO group sign partnership (JOVO Energy builds and operates oil and gas terminals including gas stations in China.)

April 18, 2019: Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) is a limited liability company established in 2014. NWIW is a controlled foreign entity of the Chinese Party State (the CPC), the only company the Chinese Academy of Sciences Holdings (CASH) has spun outside China. On 4/18, out of genuine concern, Columbia Riverkeeper legal team sent a letter to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. regarding 'Potential Foreign Governmental Control of NWIW' along with two exhibits: (1) Jacobs Engineering Inc: Independent Engineers Report for Kalama Methanol Plant (20160108, excerpt) and (2) Briefing Memo to Gov. Inslee, Meeting with Representatives of Chinese Academy of Sciences (20150212). More at:

• Sightline Institute's Kalama Methanol Facility Could Put Taxpayers on the Hook: The Chinese-owned company is seeking $2B in US grants and loans; Tax breaks could divert $143M more from local coffers (2018-12-04)
• KBOO's Locus Focus radio program with host Barbara Bernstein Kalama Methanol and the Chinese Connection (2019-02-04)

February 2019: We joined forces with Power Past Fracked Gas holding a rally on the steps of the capitol building in Olympia on 2/21. 143,592 public comments opposing huge fracked fossil-gas projects (particularly Kalama methanol refinery and Tacoma LNG facility) were delivered to Governor Inslee's office. Guest speakers from around the state joined about 100 climate activists in protest. Related news stories and audio/videos include:

• PPFG press release: WA Climate Activists Deliver Nearly 150,000 Public Comments to Gov. Inslee Urging Him to Reject Fracked Gas

• Power Past Fracked Gas: short video of speeches on capitol steps (under 2 mins)

• Power Past Fracked Gas: full video of speeches on capitol steps (FB link, 1.5 hours)

• KIRO7 evening news report about protest on capitol steps (video, 2.5 mins)

• KNKX radio: Climate groups urge Inslee to denounce fracked natural gas in Washington

• TDN: Protesters blast gas fracking needed for Kalama methanol plant

December 2018: Busy month. DSEIS 30-day comment period included community information forum, comment writing workshop, Folly of Frack play, rally and public hearing, multiple LTEs, and sign-waving.

Court-ordered mandate was for SEIS to provide accurate estimates of lifecycle GHG emissions (ie, from well head to refinery to end use). DSEIS grossly underestimates climate damage and claims refinery has "net benefit" to climate. However it uses cherry-picked data (eg, outlier percentage on methane leakage rates) and outdated reports.

Official comments on DSEIS were submitted by:

• Columbia Riverkeeper and 15 other Environmental Protection and Health Advocacy Orgs

• Washington State Department of Ecology

• Stockholm Environment Institute, Seattle WA

Hearing (*) on 12/13 was attended by over 1000 people. 74% of those who were allowed to speak were against the refinery. 200+ participated in the pre-hearing Power Past Fracked Gas rally. 25,000 written comments were submitted in opposition to the refinery. DSEIS-related news stories and audio/video include:

• 12/28: CRK Press Release: 25,000 Oppose Kalama Methanol Proposal
  

• 12/26 Sightline: Kalama Methanol Facility Could Put Taxpayers on the Hook

• 12/24 Locus Focus: Testimonies at 12/13 Hearing in Longview on DSEIS (audio)

• 12/17 The Reflector: Kalama methanol plant hearing draws hundreds

• 12/12 OPB's Think Out Loud: Debate between CRK and NWIW (audio)

• 12/3 Locus Focus: World's Largest Methanol Refinery Update (audio)

• 12/1 Native Daily Network: Attorney General Calls Fracked Gas Review Fictional

• 11/15 EcoWatch: World’s Largest Fracked-Gas-to-Methanol Refinery Must Be Stopped

• 11/7 Pacific Standard Mag: Taxpayers May Soon Be on the Hook for a $2 Billion Fracked Gas Refinery

* Note: This hearing was billed as "public" hearing but nobody was allowed into the room unless they provided Cowlitz County and the Port of Kalama their full name and contact information. That violates the open public hearing act. If you left the room you were told you had to line up again! Line took at least 45 minutes to get through. Complaints made Dec. 2018 to WA State Auditor were, June 2019, dismissed since it was NOT a "public" hearing. Note every page of the testimony transcript says "public hearing". They can't have it both ways! Also, the huge gas heater in our rally facility on site had broken regulator, was leaking propane, very strong odor, extremely dangerous. Cowlitz County Expo Center facilities/maintenance staff spurned our request for help. (We have documentation!)

November 2018: DSEIS released mid-November brought new talking points and infographics, phone banking parties and letter writing workshops. The U.S. 4th National Climate Assessment released by the White House on Black Friday described more horrific news on the climate crisis front bolstering our perseverance and determination.

October 2018: The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published IPCC Special Report: global warming of 1.5° that confirms the dire need to stop using fossil fuels immediately, including fracked gas. CRK and LCSC co-hosted a community forum on the massive PCF anhydrous ammonia plant proposed in Longview. Final recommendations were made regarding Cowlitz County's Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that has consequences well beyond the main focus on the Millennium Bulk Coal Terminal. Good source of info/data on the health of the people in our region.

On 10/8 we helped run a Community Forum on Proposed Fracked Gas to Anhydrous Ammonia Plant in Longview hosted by CRK and LCSC. On 10/31 the No Methanol BOO-th at the Halloween event in downtown Kalama handed out thousands of candies and info flyers to Kalama youth.

Summer 2018: Summer events included booth with LCSC at Go 4th in Longview, Folly of Frack play, booth at Kalama Fair, walk in Kalama Chamber of Commerce Parade, No Methanol Mural Reveal, silent protest to get Inslee's attention at Port of Vancouver rail ribbon cutting event, National Night Out community event, Picnic along the Pipeline, canvassing at the Untouchables Car Show, making of "No Methanol" movie clip for People's Climate Movement Day of Action, more!

May 2018: Another victory in the fight against fracking and fossil fuel export! On May 8^th the Cowlitz County Superior Court upheld the Washington Shorelines Hearings Board’s decision that the Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County broke the law by failing to disclose and evaluate greenhouse gas pollution from the proposed Kalama methanol refinery. However, it was not all good news for our side as he also reinstated the two key permits, pending the new SEIS. Keep the pressure on Gov. Inslee to protect our climate and go 100% renewable now!

Cowlitz County Superior Court Affirms Port Broke Law by Ignoring GHG Pollution 5/8/2018

Related News Articles:

- Columbian: Methanol plant review will include emissions
- TDN: Judge restores methanol permits, but rules environmental review inadequate
- Sustainable Life: Massive fossil fuel export plant proposed in Kalama faces setback in court

Port of Kalama must now choose: appeal court decision, admit true environmental cost of methanol refining and export; or abandon this dirty fossil fuel project as NWIW did in Tacoma when faced with strong public outcry.

March 2018: Scoping comment period during February was a grand success! 19,000 comments received, 100 new yard signs in 3 weeks, 250 people attended one of four public information meetings, 10+ letters to the editor, solid editorial from the Columbian (Conundrum in Kalama), phone banking to 500 people, and 11 organizations representing local, regional, national, and tribal concerns signed on to the technical scoping comments.

PSR's 2018 Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking was released showing the rapidly expanding evidence indicating harm to health from fracking and methane infrastructure.

February 2018: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Report on GHG emissions from Kalama methanol refinery. [Press Release | CRK Blog Post]

- EcoWatch: Fracked Gas Project Could Undermine Washington’s Clean Energy Goals

January 2018 "Climate Countdown Day 1" rally in Olympia with like-minded groups.