The Columbia River Estuary at Port Westward has to be firmly protected by Governor Tina Kotek and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. A 401 water quality permit for a proposed refinery by NEXT Renewable Fuels, Inc. must be denied by the state in order to safeguard the health of the river and all the communities that are connected to it (State gives air quality permit to proposed renewable diesel facility outside Clatskanie, Sept. 1).
A huge diesel refinery is proposed to be built on unstable land behind levees that are prone to rupture by Houston-based NEXT, now known as NXTClean Fuels. Homes, family farms, and a monastery would all be at risk.
More than 100 acres of wetlands could be destroyed by this company. The refinery’s toxic effluent would contaminate the water and damage fish and salmon habitat. Its storage tanks have the potential of causing a significant harmful chemical spill into the Columbia River in the case of an accident. The Clean Water Act is not yet complied with by NEXT’s idea.
Additionally, NEXT would construct rail tracks on territory currently designated for agricultural protection. This is to make room for a large number of lengthy trains carrying unsustainable, combustible, and hazardous feedstocks. One million tons of greenhouse gases will be produced annually by NEXT, one of Oregon’s worst greenhouse gas polluters, as it uses fracked methane gas to make unconventional diesel and aviation fuel.
The suggestion from NEXT is a horrible concept for human health, clean air, and clean water. Will communities who depend on our Columbia River suffer new health risks, salmon declines, and water contamination as a result of Governor Tina Kotek’s legacy? Deny this permit, please!
Portland’s Joan Rothlein
Rothlein is a member of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Healthy Climate Action Team.
Visit regonlive.com/opinion to read further letters to the editor.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
