Hundreds weigh in on proposed methanol plant in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — Hundreds of people in Tacoma Wednesday came to the convention center to speak out against a controversial methanol plant being proposed.

On Wednesday, residents weighed in on whether or not they want it built, and what factors the city should look at during its environmental review process.

Only one man who spoke during the first two hours of the meeting viewed the project favorably.  Almost everyone else stood up when another man declared: “Would everyone here who’s against this abomination please stand up and let them see you!”

The main concerns centered on the potentially dangerous pollution that could come from the plant.  Others were concerned about the massive drain on the city’s water supply and power grid.

The $3.4 billion refinery would be built by Northwest Innovation Works at the Port of Tacoma on the site of the former Kaiser property.

The facility would convert natural gas into methanol. Once it’s up and running, it would provide 260 jobs.

The methanol produced there would all be exported to China to create compounds used in the production of plastics.

Gov. Jay Inslee is in support of the project, saying it's a greenhouse emissions win for China to get methanol from natural gas, instead of coal.

Local environmentalists call methanol volatile and highly flammable and worry that the plant will use 10.4 million gallons of treated water per day.

At a jam-packed meeting last month, there were people with passionate opinions on both for and against the plant.

Cox Media Group