Join us to speak up against NEXT’s bait-and-switch rail yard on Monday, June 26
News Brief: Port Westward Refinery proposal
Years ago, at a beautiful sweep of land adjacent to the Columbia River known as Port Westward, a Houston-based developer named Lou Soumas arrived touting a false promise of sustainable development. What emerged was a hair-brained scheme to build one of the world’s largest non-conventional diesel refineries on unstable soil near homes, amid blueberry farms, on mint fields, and across the road from a Buddhist monastery. Soumas promoted the proposal by promising not to use long trains to bring soybean oil or other feedstocks to the refinery.
Nevertheless (for the second time), NEXT Renewables LLC is asking Columbia County to approve over 3 miles of rail tracks to bring in mile-long trains of feedstock to the proposed refinery. The rail yard will displace farming, impact local water resources, and disrupt the community. We successfully blocked the plan in 2022 when the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) denied the rail yard. NEXT is at it again.
Columbia County Planning Commission Public Hearing
Monday, June 26, 2023, starting at 6:30 p.m.
- Attend in person. The hearing will be held at Healy Hall within the Columbia County Public Works Department, 1054 Oregon Street in St. Helens, Oregon.
- Attend online. (Get the app now so you’ll be ready when the meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install)
- Call in using your phone. Call: 1 866 899 4679 and enter the Access Code: 475-936-085
- Sign the petition now: let decision makers hear from you.
Let's stop this proposal in its tracks.
To urge the Columbia County Planning Commission to listen to the community at Port Westward and reject the rail yard. Check out our fact sheet to learn more.
