Plans for World's Largest Methanol Plant Die in Tacoma

The massive and controversial Tideflats methanol plant proposal will no longer trouble environmentalists in the Pacific Northwest.

1 minute read

April 21, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

George Cole / Shutterstock

[Updated 4/25/2016] "A proposal to build the world’s largest methanol plant at the Port of Tacoma is dead," reports Kate Martin.

Amid widespread public criticism of the project and several port commissioners’ signals it had lost their support, the China-backed company behind the $3.6 billion project on the former Kaiser smelter site said Tuesday it had canceled the proposal, just days ahead of a key port vote on its lease.

Martin's coverage of the news includes quotes from the president of Northwest Innovation Works, the company behind the failed proposal, as well as local and state politicians that debated the project. Opposition to the proposal originated from the environmental community. One interesting result of the project is an ongoing political movement by the Save Tacoma Water environmental organization "to have voters create requirements on new high-demand uses of water remains in progress…"

[The headline of this post was corrected.]

FULL STORY: Tacoma methanol project canceled

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 in The News Tribune

Energy Environment Infrastructure Land Use Washington Tacoma Ethanol Plant Tideflats Northwest Innovation Works Environmental Activism Port of Tacoma View More

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