Decision on Kalama Methanol Approaches

Join us in urging Washington to reject a climate-wrecking project on the shores of the Columbia River

We have less than two months to send a clear message to Washington state agencies to deny a massive fracked-gas-to-methanol refinery that would quickly become one of Washington’s biggest carbon polluters. The stakes are huge for the community of Kalama and Washington’s goals for curbing climate-changing pollution.

Take Action: Join us in urging the Department of Ecology and Washington Department of Transportation to deny permits for the proposed Kalama refinery and Kalama Lateral pipeline. 

The proposed Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) refinery in Kalama would use more fracked gas than all power plants in Washington, combined. During public hearings on the draft analysis for the refinery, when thousands of Washingtonians weighed in against the project, we learned that NWIW would produce 4.6 million of tons of greenhouse gas pollution each year for forty years, and they have yet to offer specific mitigation plans to address these impacts. You can read our detailed comments on the draft EIS here.

What’s up next for the Kalama mega-refinery proposal?
  • In late November, Ecology is due to deliver a final study explaining that the huge fossil fuel processing and export facility proposed in Kalama would have a significant negative impact on our climate and Washington’s ability to meet its carbon-reduction goals. Unfortunately, Ecology’s draft study contained speculative claims that methanol made in Kalama could be used instead of methanol made from coal in China and relied on vague promises of partial mitigation. We need to make sure that the agency relies on the clear-cut evidence showing the massive pollution impact of the Kalama refinery, and we need your help to make sure they know how important this decision is for Washington’s future.
  • Once the final analysis is issued, Washington will formally decide whether or not to issue a Shoreline permit for the polluting methanol refinery. 
  • In the coming months, Williams Northwest Pipeline may request a permit to build a pipeline across Washington’s I-5 right-of-way for the Kalama refinery. The proposed Kalama Lateral pipeline would deliver up to 320 million cubic feet of fracked gas to the Kalama refinery, more than all of Washington’s power plants combined. Washington doesn’t have to allow this pipeline to move forward, and WSDOT can deny the right-of-way permit for this project. 

Click here to tell Governor Inslee and key Washington leaders to reject this dirty, dangerous proposal once and for all.