Here’s the next step for the proposed renewable diesel plant near Ferndale
The state and Whatcom County are asking the public to say what should be included in an environmental review of a proposed plant near Ferndale that could produce up to 250 million gallons of renewable fuel a year, according to its application.
The primary fuel would be renewable diesel, with some renewable naphtha and renewable propane and possibly renewable jet fuel, according to the application.
The plant would be built on about 40 acres of land at the Phillips 66 refinery property at 3901 Unick Road.
It would process fats and grease as well as cooking and vegetable oils into renewable fuels. The existing ship, rail and truck infrastructure at Phillips 66 would be used to receive feedstocks — the waste fats, oils and greases — for the process and ship out the finished product, although there are proposed changes to that infrastructure.
In November 2018, Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced plans to build a renewable diesel plant. They formed Green Apple Renewable Fuels to do so.
Whatcom County government and the Washington State Department of Ecology are leading the regulatory oversight for the Green Apple project, which would be at Cherry Point.
The proposed project includes:
▪ A facility to produce renewable fuel and an adjacent hydrogen plant for its operation.
▪ Additions and modifications to Phillips 66’s rail and truck facilities.
▪ Tanks to store the fats, oils, grease and renewable fuels.
▪ Internal pipelines or tie-ins between existing pipelines to carry feedstock and what would be produced.
▪ Upgrading Whatcom County Public Utility District No. 1’s electrical substation.
▪ Adding 7 miles to an existing Cascade Natural Gas pipeline.
People have until Feb. 18 to submit comments on what they would like to see in the environmental impact statement, which would look at how Green Apple’s construction and operation would affect the environment and nearby communities.
Whatcom County and Ecology want input that includes what should be studied and what mitigation should be considered to reduce the project’s impact. They will provide basic information about the project at one of three informal open houses in February in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
People can provide comments at the meetings, all of which will run from 6 to 8 p.m. with a presentation at 6:15 p.m.
Meeting dates and locations are:
▪ Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Anacortes High School Commons, 1600 20th St. in Anacortes.
▪ Wednesday, Feb. 5, in Syre Auditorium at Whatcom Community College, 237 W. Kellogg Road in Bellingham.
▪ Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Ferndale Events Center, 5715 Barrett Road in Ferndale.
A draft environmental impact statement is expected to be available for public review in early 2021.
Decisions about permitting will be made after the environmental impact statement has been completed.
For additional details go to Ecology’s website and Whatcom County’s Green Apple Renewable Fuels Facility website.
Go to Ecology’s Green Apple application site to comment on what should be in the environmental study and on Whatcom County’s notice of application for a major project permit.
