Picture Credit: Neal Anderson
By Sept Gernez, Chapter Organizer
Project background:
Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW), a fossil fuel company owned by the Chinese government, is trying to build the world's largest fracked gas-to-methanol refinery right here in Southwest Washington. It would pollute as much as 1.2 million cars, use millions of gallons of water from an aquifer connected to the Columbia River each day, pollute the air with cancer-causing emissions, and pose explosion hazards during an earthquake. The refinery would use more fracked gas than the volume of gas used by every home, business, and industry in Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, Spokane, Bellevue, Eugene, Bellingham, and Corvallis - combined. And the refinery would induce new fracked gas pipeline expansions throughout the region.
Last month, we had a key opportunity to stop this project when the Department of Ecology held a public comment period and 4 virtual hearings. Our members and supporters stepped up, submitting over a thousand comments, and showing up in the hundreds at each of the virtual hearings!
What we did during the comment period:
Art: Due to COVID-19 we were unable to demonstrate our usual ‘sea of red’ by gathering hundreds of activists to stand up against this project. We still wanted to show the Department of Ecology what it looks like when we gather. So, we sent them a photo mosaic banner that is 7 feet by 10 feet. Each pixel in the banner is a different picture of folks taking selfies with signs, gathering at past events, and speaking at past hearings.
Rally: Usually, when we have a public hearing, we hold a rally in advance. We were able to do that over Zoom the week before the first hearing. We had around 90 attendees! We had Ken Boon (a farmer from BC who has experience with fracking) and Roxanne White with Missing and Murdered Indigenous People talk about the impacts of building new fracked gas infrastructure. They were followed by locals from Kalama who explained why they oppose the project, and how locals would be negatively impacted. Lastly, we had Paul Cheoketen Wagner with Protectors of the Salish Sea and Dakota Case with the Puyallup Water Warriors talked about climate impacts in the pacific northwest, including the cultural genocide of indigenous heritage through the endangerment of salmon and orca. After the speakers, participants were split into break-out groups for a facilitated conversation to help folks prepare their testimony.
Hearings: Over 600 people participated in 4 virtual hearings. We outnumbered those speaking in favor of the refinery by nearly 3-1. As context, we usually see that ratio (3 people against per 1 person for) towards the end of these campaigns!
Comments: In addition to the unique comments submitted by our committed volunteers, we generated over 1,000 comments opposed to the refinery, nearly doubling our coalition efforts.
New Development: The Cowlitz Tribal Council has taken an official position against the methanol refinery! Celine Cloquet, Cowlitz tribal council member spoke at the second hearing. We are excited to see how we can be good partners with the Cowlitz moving forward.
What’s next:
The Department of Ecology will consider our comments and write their final report. Their current timeline has them releasing the report this winter. However, with continued furloughs at the Department of Ecology, we may see that delayed. We hope the final report accurately shows how building the world’s largest fracked gas to methanol refinery will have unmitigable climate impacts, and should be denied.
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