NEXT is a no.

by

Why? Let us count the reasons.

By: Audrey Leonard, Staff Attorney, and Dan Serres, Advocacy Director

A company called NEXT Renewable Fuels Oregon LLC (NEXT) proposes to build a refinery in the Columbia River Estuary, along with a tank farm and rail yard with millions of gallons of storage for toxic, flammable fuel, feedstocks, and chemicals. The Army Corps has just released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for public review and comment. Now is a critical time to ensure that the true costs of this refinery are studied and revealed.

What To Know About NEXT: 

  • The facility would use huge amounts of fracked gas to make diesel fuel from unsustainable feedstocks, as well as jet fuel in large quantities to be stored and shipped through the Columbia River Estuary. 
  • NEXT proposes to produce large quantities of volatile hydrogen close to blueberry fields, a monastery, homes, and wetlands. 
  • The project would have a 350-foot flare stack, and it would connect to pipelines and other infrastructure like roads and levees that rely on unstable, liquefiable soil. 
  • The Army Corps has determined that the proposal would have a “major” impact on wetlands and cultural resources in the area.

Right now, this is what the area looks like: 

Large ponds frequently form in areas that would be harmed and filled by NEXT’s toxic plans.

What To Do About NEXT:

  • Use your voice! Participate in the virtual public hearings about the project and tell the Army Corps why you oppose NEXT. We recommend joining by phone to reduce connection problems. 
  • Sign our petition before April 20, 2026. Use this link to send a note directly to the Army Corps expressing why NEXT shouldn’t be allowed to threaten the Columbia River.
  • Send a personal comment letter to the Army Corps explaining why this proposal matters to you and, if applicable, how you would be impacted by NEXT’s refinery. Please put “NWP-2020-00383” in the subject line of letters and emails.
    • Email: nexteis@usace.army.mil 
    • Mail: 
      U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, 
      Attn: Mr. James Davidson – NEXT Renewable Fuels Oregon, 
      P.O. Box 2946
      Portland, Oregon 97208-2946 
  • Spread the word and share with your networks! Seriously, NEXT is bad news. You can help by bringing more voices into the conversation, which NEXT would like to dominate with greenwashing and false claims of economic vitality. When we work together, big changes are possible.

This is a key moment in our campaign to stop NEXT from harming the Columbia River, local communities, and the climate. Please take a few minutes in the next month to speak up for clean water!

Take Action

Take Action: Tell the Army Corps to Say No to NEXT

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