See Columbia Riverkeeper's list of press releases, comments, legal actions, and other campaign information at CRK's Methanol Resources.
December 2018: Besides our usual "awareness campaign" at the Kalama Festival of Lighted Boats, the DSEIS comment period kept us busy with community information forum, comment writing workshop, Folly of Frack play, rally and public hearing, multiple LTEs, and sign-waving.
Over 1000 people attended the public hearing on 12/13. 74% of those that were allowed to speak were against the refinery. 200+ participated in the pre-hearing rally. 25,000 written omments were submitted in opposition to the refinery. DSEIS-related new stories and audio/video include:
November 2018: DSEIS released mid-November brought new talking points and infographics, phone banking parties and letter writing workshops. The 4th National Climate Assessment released by the White House on Black Friday described more horific news on the climate crisis front bolstering our perserverence and determination.
October 2018: The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a special report Global Warming of 1.5° that confirms the dire need to stop using fossil fuels immediately, including fracked gas. CRK and LCSC co-hosted a community forum on the massive PCF anhydrous ammonia plant proposed in Longview. Final recommendations were made regarding Cowlitz County's Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that could have consequences well beyond the main focus on the Millennium Bulk Coal Terminal.
On 10/8 we helped run a Community Forum on Proposed Fracked Gas to Anhydrous Ammonia Plant in Longview hosted by CRK and LCSC. On 10/31 the No Methanol BOO-th at the Halloween event in downtown Kalama handed out thousands of candies and info flyers to Kalama youth.
Summer 2018: Summer events included booth with LCSC at Go 4th in Longview, Folly of Frack play, booth at Kalama Fair, walk in Kalama Chamber of Commerce Parade, No Methanol Mural Reveal, silent protest to get Inslee's attention at Port of Vancouver rail ribbon cutting event, National Night Out community event, Picnic along the Pipeline, canvassing at the Untouchables Car Show, making of "No Methanol" movie clip for People's Climate Movement Day of Action, more!
May 2018: Another victory in the fight against fracking and fossil fuel export! On May 8th the Cowlitz County Superior Court upheld the Washington Shorelines Hearings Board’s decision that the Port of Kalama and Cowlitz County broke the law by failing to disclose and evaluate greenhouse gas pollution from the proposed Kalama methanol refinery. However, it was not all good news for our side as he also reinstated the two key permits, pending the new SEIS. Keep the pressure on Gov. Inslee to protect our climate and go 100% renewable now!
Cowlitz County Superior Court Affirms Port Broke Law by Ignoring GHG Pollution 5/8/2018
Related News Articles:
- Columbian: Methanol plant review will include emissions
- TDN: Judge restores methanol permits, but rules environmental review inadequate
- Sustainable Life: Massive fossil fuel export plant proposed in Kalama faces setback in court
Port of Kalama must now choose: appeal court decision,
admit true environmental cost of methanol refining and export; or abandon this dirty fossil fuel project as NWIW did in Tacoma when faced with strong public outcry.
March 2018: Scoping comment period during February was a grand success! 19,000 comments received, 100 new yard signs in 3 weeks, 250 people attended one of four public information meetings, 10+ letters to the editor, solid editorial from the Columbian (Conundrum in Kalama), phone banking to 500 people, and 11 organizations representing local, regional, national, and tribal concerns signed on to the technical scoping comments.
PSR's 2018 Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking was released showing the rapidly expanding evidence indicating harm to health from fracking and methane infrastructure.
February 2018: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Report on GHG emissions from Kalama methanol refinery.
[Press Release | CRK Blog Post]
- EcoWatch: Fracked Gas Project Could Undermine Washington’s Clean Energy Goals
January 2018 "Climate Countdown Day 1" rally in Olympia with like-minded groups.
