Millennium Bulk Terminals, which is now engaged in the cleanup and redevelopment of a former Alcoa aluminum smelter site in Cowlitz County, Washington, has submitted paperwork to start the process of building a coal export facility on the site.
The 416-acre location near the Port of Longview hasn’t been in use since it was decommissioned more than a decade ago. Millennium leased the land from Northwest Alloys in January 2011.
“Millennium has been working closely with local and state agencies as we move through the first step to permit a world-class import-export facility,” Ken Miller, Millennium’s President and CEO, said. “We are committed to developing and operating the safest and cleanest port facility possible.”
Millennium has filed for an aquatic resources permit with the US Army Corps of Engineers, a water quality certification from the Washington State Department of Ecology and shoreline development and conditional use permits with Cowlitz County.
If the project ultimately receives approval, building of the coal export terminal would occur in two stages, according to Millennium. Upon completion of the first stage, the facility’s capacity would be 25 million metric tons of coal per year.
Stage two would raise the capacity to 44 million metric tons, with most if not all of it going from the Western United States to Pacific Rim energy markets.
Millennium says it expects to invest $400 million during the development of the first stage of the coal export terminal and a total of $600 million at full build out.
According to an economic analysis by Seattle-based research firm Berk Consulting, revitalization of the site would result in 2,650 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 300 direct and indirect permanent jobs once the facility reaches full capacity.
Berk estimates that over a 30-year period, Millennium would generate $235 million in local and state revenues from the terminal.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
