Longview port rejects oil refinery proposal

LONGVIEW — Port of Longview commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday morning to end talks with an energy company that wants to build the first oil refinery on the West Coast in more than 25 years.

The proposal from Texas-based Waterside Energy touted 700 construction jobs and 180 full-time jobs. Waterside’s plan detailed a facility capable of refining 30,000 barrels of oil and 15,000 barrels of biofuel each day. The proposed project also included a propane and butane terminal handling 75,000 barrels per day. The plan also called for three additional trains per week carrying crude oil along the Columbia River.

The combined crude and biofuels refinery was an attempt to capitalize on the West Coast’s demand for cleaner-burning fuels.

That clean fuels component initially intrigued many, including some environmental groups and top state officials in Washington, but the financial and environmental fallout at the project backers’ failed biofuels venture in Eastern Washington ultimately raised many doubts about their latest proposal.

In its decision to end talks with Waterside, Port commissioners said Tuesday the company missed deadlines and failed to fulfill its obligation to the port.

Waterside CEO Lou Soumas said the company had already spent $1.7 million on the project.

“We’re disappointed in the commission’s decision,” Soumas said. He added that he thought port commissioners had made their decision before they voted at Tuesday’s meeting.

“They didn’t go into the meeting without a decision in mind,” he said. “They’re doing this stuff behind closed doors.”

Soumas said Waterside was pursuing other ports and landowners in Washington and Oregon in an attempt to move the project forward.