Drax fined for starting on Longview biomass fuel plant without proper permits

By Henry Brannan
The Columbian
September 19, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

PORT OF LONGVIEW, Washington — Drax Group was fined $34,000 in June for starting construction on a $250 million biomass fuel plant in Longview before securing the proper permits. The 48-acre plant is set to begin operations in late 2025. …The penalty came from the Southwest Clean Air Agency, a regional environmental regulator. It found out about the violation from a public tip that passed along a social media post showing construction at the site. …At that time, a final permit for the project had not been issued, Papish said. Instead, the project had secured only a draft permit that was in a 30-day public comment period. Inspectors also saw foundations for equipment that wasn’t on the permit application, leading the agency to withdraw the project’s draft permit. …Drax promptly halted any construction activities occurring at the facility.”

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