KALAMA (AP) — A Cowlitz County judge on Tuesday said an environmental review of a proposed $2 billion methanol refining project must include a full analysis of potential greenhouse gas emissions.
But Superior Court Judge James Warning also let stand two permits for the project at the Port of Kalama pending that review.
Northwest Innovation Works wants to build a refinery that would produce up to 10,000 metric tons a day of methanol from natural gas piped in from North American sources. The methanol would be sent to China to make plastics and other goods.
In September, a state shoreline hearings board ruled that Cowlitz County and the Port of Kalama failed to fully analyze the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions from the project, including emissions from off-site sources. And the board invalidated two shoreline permits.