Port of Vancouver USA asks governor to require public schedule for EFSEC review of Vancouver Energy
The Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 5, the proposed site for the Vancouver Energy crude oil transload facility
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Port of Vancouver USA CEO Todd Coleman called on Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday to direct the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) to issue a public schedule for its review of Vancouver Energy, the proposed crude oil transload facility at the port.
Coleman’s request comes on the heels of an EFSEC announcement that the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has been delayed again and the public comment period pushed out to November 2015.
According to state law, EFSEC must complete the review process of any energy facility within 12 months. The Vancouver Energy project has been under review by EFSEC since August 2013. In a letter to the governor, Coleman expressed concern over lengthy delays in the process and potential effects on current and future projects across the state of Washington.
“Customers invest millions into permitting and ultimately construction of projects in our communities, and they depend on a process that provides certainty within a reasonable timeframe,” said Coleman. “When these processes do not result in certainty, it becomes very difficult for ports in the state of Washington to convince businesses to invest in our state. This costs our state thousands of jobs and puts at risk billions of dollars of private capital investment.”
While EFSEC has provided a schedule for the DEIS process, it has yet to provide a public schedule for its entire review process. The port is asking the governor to direct EFSEC to issue a public schedule for the review process and require EFSEC to adhere to that schedule.
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The Port of Vancouver USA is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, and its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a skilled labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.