Local farmers and clean water advocates will ask DEQ to reconsider
On January 7th, the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality issued a water quality certification for NEXT Energy to build a non-conventional diesel and aviation fuel refinery near Clatskanie. Certifications such as this are supposed to prevent violations of state water quality standards. Farmers and clean water advocates reject the idea that DEQ’s certification for NEXT does, or even could, meet this standard, given the magnitude of the refinery, its likely pollution, and existing water quality problems in the Columbia River.
“For years, powerful political interests like Betsy Johnson and the building trades have greenwashed and lobbied for this refinery—along with a million barrels of fuel and feedstock and miles of new rail tracks—to be built on the banks of the Columbia River estuary,” explained Audrey Leonard, Staff Attorney for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Gov. Kotek and Oregon DEQ caved to that pressure, even though this refinery would be a major consumer of fossil fuels and seriously undermine Oregon’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
“Gov. Kotek and DEQ are putting politics ahead of public safety, our health, and the health of our communities, and they are placing reckless faith in a bad company. It’s unconscionable,” said Brandon Schilling, a local Clatskanie farmer. “DEQ’s decision would allow a massive polluter amid homes, wetlands, essential fish habitat, unstable soil, failing dikes, and across the road from an internationally known Buddhist monastery.”
Opponents of the refinery pointed out that DEQ ignored the seismic vulnerability of the refinery site (which exacerbates the risk of spills and pollution in case of an earthquake), objections from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and harm to local communities.
Clean water advocates are likely to appeal DEQ’s decision. “We expect folks to come together and to challenge this,” said Dan Serres, Advocacy Director for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Thousands have stated opposition to this project, and thousands more will stand firm until the Houston-based polluter goes away.”
NEXT still needs two state stormwater permits, a federal Environmental Impact Statement, and an Army Corps Clean Water Act Section 404 permit before it can begin construction.
Read media coverage on this from the Oregonian and Willamette Week.
Additional Resources:
- FAQ
- DEQ’s Clean Water Act 401 Certification of NEXT Refinery
- Letter from 23 organizations urging DEQ and Governor Kotek to protect the Columbia River Estuary from polluting, dangerous NEXT proposal.
- Detailed technical comments urging denial of 401 permit from Northwest Environmental Defense Center and Columbia Riverkeeper.
- NEXT: Empty Promises, Empty Pockets?