This morning’s news regarding the loss of the methanol plant at the Port of Kalama is deeply disappointing.  Hundreds of potential well-paying jobs have been lost as well as tax revenue to pay for police, fire, and schools in rural communities that are hurting.  Governor Inslee walked away from a project that would have helped people living in Washington while advancing his climate-related goals. Political optics killed a project that would have reduced global emissions of greenhouse gases.  

The WPPA has watched with dismay as the state’s regulatory agency, the Department of Ecology, changed environmental assessment standards again and again.  Policies designed to review all project proposals consistently were bent to a pre-determined result.  This ad hoc rulemaking by the Department of Ecology is bad government.  Until project creators know how projects will be reviewed for environmental impacts, Washington will send jobs elsewhere.  

The urban – rural divide is a source of much handwringing and political consideration in our state and nationally.  Addressing the growing inequities between King County and Cowlitz County requires leadership and action.  On behalf of our members the WPPA will pursue every opportunity to create a fair, predictable environmental review process that gives all communities a fighting chance to attract family wage jobs.