An aerial view of the Port of Chehalis
After the Port of Chehalis’ Regional General Permit lapsed in September of last year, port commissioners received an update last week from the issuing agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The permit to fill wetlands is up for renewal and the process is still underway, said Randy Mueller, chief executive officer of the port.
Commissioners and community leaders expressed concern that if the permit is not renewed soon, it could result in the loss of projects currently underway at the port.
The delay primarily resulted from the public comment period.
“Some of that is due to factors beyond our control, in particular the comments we received back from some agencies,” David Martin, a regulator for the Army Corps, said about the extended timeline.
The port has submitted a technical document to address each point made in the comments.
He added the renewal process should not hinder projects since the port can apply for other permits while the RGP is being reviewed.
The Army Corps has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency, which presented concerns similar to the ones the EPA originally had when the RGP was first issued five years ago.
Those primarily land within the port’s Pleasant Valley Mitigation Site, which created 40 acres of credit that is used to offset development in wetlands elsewhere.
The Quinault Indian Tribe also submitted comments about the RGP that Martin addressed.
“We’re taking a good deal of time to work with the Quinault Tribe and address their concerns,” he said. “… Their opinion is that the extent of the development that would be authorized by the RGP goes beyond the minimum impact threshold. The basic comment is requesting us to not use the RGP process but use the standard individual permit process.”
Francis Naglich, with Ecological Land Services, said switching over to the standard individual permit process could lead to future problems.
“From our perspective as a consultant for an entity like a port to develop land, there are challenges without an RGP,” he said, adding they would have to do an analysis of every site separately which is costly, takes time, and opens the individual projects to scrutiny.
The Army Corps and the Quinaults have a government to government meeting scheduled to further discuss the RGP renewal.
Martin said the Army Corps will take a neutral look at renewing the permit after the meeting, which will take into account the comments received, public interest, and the potential for economic development which would be balanced against some adverse impacts that might be seen, such as water quality.
Commissioner Mark Giffey said the port is willing to come up with a resolution, but said the port’s mission of economic development will remain.
“If the tribe or the EPA has a better solution for our community about creating economic growth and helping us get back to the state average wage, we are more than willing to go there,” he said. “We will follow the path of least resistance however we can do it, but this land on those maps is for the community.”
The RGP is important to several projects the port currently has in the works. One, dubbed “Project Desert” is in its due diligence phase. If the company selected Chehalis out of the three finalists, it would bring 200 jobs initially, and 300 would be available within five years, Mueller said. The biotech company would provide local STEM jobs, he said.
Another project states the port has a RGP, so the contract as of now, is contingent on having the permit.
That one is known as "Project Sighthound" which would bring 300 jobs at first and 700 at full build out.
Matt Matayoshi, executive director of the Lewis Economic Development Council, spoke in support of the RGP and what it would help accomplish for the local community.
“We’re in that timeframe where we have projects and if we don’t respond to the new investment then another community will,” he said. “It’s not an exaggeration. We will lose 700 jobs.”
Chehalis Mayor Dennis Dawes and Chehalis City Manager Jill Anderson also spoke in favor of the permit renewal.
“We have the support of the community, but what we need is those family wage jobs to keep those folks and bring other folks here,” Dawes said. “I can’t stress it enough.”
Anderson said the city fully supported the work of the port and wants to see the RGP move forward.
“Anything you can do to help get this general permit process approved and help get us going, whatever that might be, by helping the port is certainly appreciated,” she said.
Commissioners of the port all wanted to see the permit renewed as soon as possible so it would not hinder any development.
“With all due respect to the Quinaults and their culture, we also have culture and also have people,” Commissioner Mark Anders said. As a reserve deputy for the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, he said he sees the other side of life and the problems associated with having a 8.3 percent unemployment rate, a number that would be reduced if the projects moved forward.
“There’s a lot of things that we are trying to address by giving our people some hope and the ability to help their life,” he said.
