RES 16-701 - Oppositng Develoment & Operation of Methanol Plant in TacomaRESOLUTION NO. 16 -701
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Federal Way,
Washington, opposing the development and operation of a natural gas -
to- methanol production plant in the City of Tacoma.
WHEREAS, Northwest Innovation Works Tacoma, LLC ( "NWIW "), a business venture
formed with funding from the Chinese government and British Petroleum, has proposed to develop
and operate a natural gas -to- methanol production plant in the City of Tacoma on approximately 125
acres leased from the Port of Tacoma; and
WHEREAS, the development and operation of the proposed project has created concern for
the health and safety of citizens and the impact on resources; and
WHEREAS, the potential air pollution, water pollution, and exposure to methanol produced
by this project could be related to various diseases, cause serious negative health impacts, and have
unknown impacts on the natural environment and human health; and
WHEREAS, the development and operation of this project has the potential for increased
risks of exposure to pollutants and toxic chemicals due to spills, leaks, fires, explosions, and natural
or other disasters; and
WHEREAS, the project has generated concerns about the methods and costs to address
mitigation measures such as accident and disaster preparedness, health impacts, decreased property
values, and medical expenses due to increased exposure; and
WHEREAS, the project has generated concerns about the methods and costs of restoring
damaged ecosystems such as waterways, plants, and animals; and
Resolution No. 16 -701 Page 1 of 5
WHEREAS, the development and operation of this project will require an estimated water
consumption of between 10 to 14 million gallons per day and, at full production, require up to 450
megawatts of electrical power; and
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way shares both a border and a shoreline with the City of
Tacoma and is within two miles of the project site at the Port of Tacoma; and
WHEREAS, despite the City of Federal Way's close proximity to this proposed project,
neither the City of Tacoma nor the Port of Tacoma has reached out to the City of Federal Way or its
residents regarding the potential impacts of this proposed plant; and
WHEREAS, the lack of transparency regarding the public process and input surrounding the
project is of great concern to the City of Federal Way and its residents; and
WHEREAS, it is unclear what the exact environmental impacts to the City of Federal Way
and its residents will be; and
WHEREAS, environmental impacts such as air quality and the safety of residents will not
stop at the King- Pierce County line; and
WHEREAS, the February 5, 2016 City of Tacoma EIS Draft Scope of Work for the NWIW
Methanol Plant does not clearly state that the off -site impacts to Federal Way residents will be taken
into consideration;
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY,
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Opposition to Proposed Project. Due to a lack of information and the apparent
absence of an adequate and transparent process surrounding this proposed project, the Federal Way
City Council is opposed to Northwest Innovation Work's methanol plant proposal at this time.
Resolution No. 16 -701 Page 2 of 5
Section 2. Scoping Comments. The Federal Way City Council submits the following issues
for inclusion into the EIS Scope of Work by the City of Tacoma:
1. Consideration of off -site impacts that extend into the City of Federal Way.
2. Environmental impacts, safety records and mitigation measures for other methanol facilities,
on an international basis for the methanol industry and the principals involved with the
Tacoma project.
3. Public health risks of exposure to methanol pollutants, including air quality, water quality
and usage, soil leeching, and industrial accidents.
4. Workplace safety risks for employees of the methanol plant and neighboring industrial users
of the Port of Tacoma.
5. Risk analysis for industrial accidents and impact of man-made or natural disasters, both
during construction and operation.
6. Pipeline safety, during construction and operation.
7. Short and long term impacts on natural resources during construction and operation,
including:
a) Impacts of dredging;
b) Air and soil plume formation and migration;
c) Water temperatures, both in Puget Sound and the Hylebos Watershed;
d) Water supply impacts, including drought -year planning; and
e) Impacts to wildlife and marine species.
8. Cost - benefit analysis during construction and operation, including:
a) Net job gain or loss to regional and U.S. economies as a result of the project, and
contribution to the U.S. trade deficit with China;
b) Impacts to other U.S. industries;
c) Consideration of other geographic or technical alternatives to the project location;
and
d) Economic volatility of the benefitting industry.
9. Environmental justice issues related to economically distressed communities, minority
communities, and efforts to address language and cultural barriers to participation of
these communities in the process.
This list is not intended to be all inclusive of the potential impacts to be considered, but
rather, a beginning point from which to expand as the impacts are more fully examined.
Resolution No. 16 -701 Page 3 of 5
Section 3. Severability. If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution should be
held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence,
clause or phrase of this resolution.
Section 4. Corrections. The City Clerk and the codifiers of this resolution are authorized to
make necessary corrections to this resolution including, but not limited to, the correction of
scrivener /clerical errors, references, resolution numbering, section/subsection numbers and any
references thereto.
Section 5. Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the effective date of
this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed.
Section 6. Effective Date. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage by the
Federal Way City Council.
RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY,
WASHINGTON this 1 l th day of February 2016.
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
ATTEST:
Resolution No. 16 -701
Page 4 of 5
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY AA' J RNEY, AMY JO PEARSALL
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: 02/11/2016
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: 02/11/2016
RESOLUTION NO.: 16 -701
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