Columbia Riverkeeper recently obtained disturbing new information about Transmessis Columbia Plateau (“Transmessis”), the company that once ran a bio-diesel facility in the eastern Washington town of Odessa. What happened in Odessa matters to Longview and the Columbia River. Transmessis’ backers—now organized behind a company called Waterside Energy—are proposing to build a crude oil refinery and propane-by-rail export terminal in Longview.
Transmessis’ messy end forced the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to intervene. Nearly one year after Transmessis abandoned its bio-diesel operation, the discovery of leaking and improperly stored chemicals prompted emergency cleanup by the EPA, costing an estimated $400,000.
Transmessis also allegedly left behind nearly two million dollars in debt, and over six thousand dollars in unpaid state taxes. Waterside executive Lou Soumas was served papers in a lawsuit over Transmessis’ unpaid debts at a Longview public meeting where Soumas was peddling the oil refinery and propane export scheme.
Waterside’s executives are banking on public ignorance about Transmessis’ collapse. Waterside hopes that the Port of Longview’s Commissioners will overlook the emergency toxic cleanup, and the unpaid debts and taxes, and let Waterside use port property for oil and propane pipelines. Waterside also hopes to capture the near-exclusive use of the Port’s Berth 4 for oil tankers and Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs).
So far, Waterside’s backers aren’t getting the fresh start they hoped for. Citizens from across Southwest Washington have poured into Port of Longview commission meetings to oppose Waterside’s dirty plans. Multiple letters to the editor appear weekly in the Longview paper expounding on the risks of oil refining and propane export. You can weigh in too by signing this petition opposing Waterside TODAY.
Looking for more information? Follow the links below to learn more and read documents obtained by Columbia Riverkeeper.
