Building wetlands is how the Port of Chehalis intends to promote industrial growth.

    A wetland mitigation project turning farmland in Pleasant Valley west of Chehalis into swamp will help streamline the permitting process of potential tenants, if approved by the Army Corps of Engineers.

    Officials with the Port of Chehalis hope it will give them an edge when engaging clients. 

    “We can’t keep telling them it’s two years out or we don’t know, because they’ll walk away,” said Executive Director Jim Rothlin about the current uncertainty surrounding when some port land would be able to be built on.

    Wetland mitigation is the process of creating a wetland to replace one that is being turned into land usable for industries and warehouses. The difference between this mitigation and others is most are done on a small scale, while this will be a massive exchange of land at once.

    What also makes this a first in Washington state is that the port is compensating for 44 acres of wetlands on their 125-acre property before a tenant has been located.

    The $1.5 million project spans about 66 acres south of state Route 6 that was originally a wetland before it was turned into farmland. The land is in the vicinity of Twin Oaks and Pleasant Valley roads.

     Underway for about a year, work crews have already excavated the site and the Department of Ecology and the Army Corps of Engineers have monitored the flow of water.

    Rothlin said the port is now in the process of planting vegetation and applying for a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers that will finalize the work.

    Joe Brock, senior scientist for the Army Corps of Engineers, said the permitting process could be done by the end of this year, “assuming we don’t come up against a deal-breaker along the way.”

    If successful, the project should be beneficial for developers and environmentalists.

    “It has a lot of merit and would be a convenient way to get good effective mitigation for future development,” said Mark Cline, wetlands and shorelands specialist for the Washington state Department of Ecology.

    Typically, construction will begin on a wetland before it’s seen if the land mitigated turns into a viable wetland, he said.

By doing it in advance, the wetland can be better monitored.

    “The good news is if we do this, this will be a good process, for entities like us, for development,” Rothlin said. “The bad news is the guinea pigs go through all the heartaches.”

    Rothlin said he’s been to meetings and discussions to talk about the project with other ports, and gets about one phone call a week from someone who wants information on the project.

    He isn’t concerned about ports or other potential competitors replicating the port’s project.

    The Port of Chehalis has a lot to offer particular clients that are interested in its location along the Interstate 5 corridor, its proximity to rail lines and the brand new freeway interchange, Rothlin said.

    The sluggish economy has given the port the opportunity to dedicate most of its time to the project and prepare for when business picks up again.

    And there have been signs that things may be doing just that, he said.

    Rothlin said the Port of Chehalis has recently started “first round talks” with a couple of manufacturers that have shown an interest in the area, after hearing nothing for almost a year.

    By the time talks get serious, if they do, Rothlin should be able to tell the companies what they want to know about how wetlands miles away can help them get busy building.

    Marqise Allen: (360) 807-8237