Today, January 30, 2018, members of the public are invited to begin commenting on the scope of the NW Innovation Works Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) being prepared for the proposed NW Innovation Work Kalama Methanol project.
The comment period is January 30, 2018, to March 1, 2018.
The SEIS will supplement the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) published by the colead agencies (Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County) on September 30, 2016, with additional analysis and consideration of mitigation for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions attributable to the Kalama Methanol Project.
What Action Should I Take?
As a supporter of the NW Innovation Works project, we ask that you provide a comment of support and validation for the positive global and local impacts the Kalama Methanol project will deliver.To aid in the development of your comments, we have developed messaging guidance. Please use your own words and stories to ensure your voice is heard loud and clear.
Below you will also find links to documentation and locations to send your completed comments. If you have questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@nw-iw.com.
What Messages Should I Use?
The messages below should be used to help guide your comment development. Please use your own words and stories.
• The comprehensive SEIS scope for the Kalama Methanol project will identify the upstream and downstream GHG emissions attributable to the Kalama Methanol project.
• Using the latest, most credible data, an independent, third-party consultant will identify the upstream and downstream GHG emissions attributable to the project. NWIW believes this will show, definitively, the positive global impacts of the Kalama Methanol project.
• It is important to note that the FEIS for the Kalama Methanol project is a complete and thorough analysis that relied upon and followed the GHG SEPA guidance prepared by the Washington Department of Ecology in developing their approach to GHG emissions analysis at the time.
Where Do I Send My Comment?
Scoping comments will be accepted in the following manner:
Mail: Ann Farr, Port of Kalama, 110 West Marine Drive, Kalama WA 98625
Email: SEIS@KalamaMfgFacilitySEPA.com
Website: www.KalamaMfgFacilitySEPA.com
NOTE: No public meeting will be conducted for scoping purposes. Comments will not be accepted by telephone or personal conversation.
Where Can I Find Supporting Documents?
Information regarding the project can be reviewed at the Port of Kalama administrative offices located at 110 West Marine Drive in Kalama, WA; at the Cowlitz County Department of Building & Planning located at 207 4th Avenue North in Kelso, WA; or on the project website noted above.
General Project Messaging:
Overall: At NW Innovation Works we believe that a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right. NW Innovation Works is setting new industry standards for environmental responsibility to help ensure our global community has clean air to breathe and safe water to drink now and for generations to come.
• Support Point 1 -- Air: NW Innovation Works is committed to reducing the global carbon footprint of coal to methanol manufacturing facilities over the next decade. By using ultra-low emission technology and natural gas, NWIW will reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to coal to methanol manufacturing.
• Support Point 2 – Water: On September 30, 2016, the company publicly announced the decision to use the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology. NW Innovation Works is proud to be the first company along the Columbia River to invest in ZLD technology which will eliminate the discharge of all facility wastewater (announced October 2016) (FEIS page 5-24). The ZLD system recycles and reuses the water used at the NWIW facility and eliminates wastewater discharges to the environment completely. The ZLD alternative avoids discharge of wastewater into the Columbia River, eliminating potential impact on the river water and aquatic life. (See FEIS Figure 5-5, pg. 5-22)