FERNDALE, Wash. — Officials with Phillips 66 announced via a press release today the decision to discontinue plans to construct a large-scale renewable diesel plant on the Phillips 66 Ferndale refinery property at Cherry Point.
The press release cited permitting delays and uncertainties as the reason for the decision to cancel the 250-million-gallon-per-year project that would have been the largest renewable diesel refinery on the west coast.
While we believe the Ferndale Refinery is a strategic fit for this renewable diesel project, permitting uncertainties were leading to delays and higher costs. Robert Herman, Phillips 66 executive vice president of Refining
The Washington State Department of Ecology and Whatcom County Planning & Development Services were in the process of beginning a public comment period from January 16th to February 18th in order to get community, tribal and stakeholder input “about what should be studied, what methods should be used, and what mitigation should be considered” in preparing an environmental impact statement according to the Whatcom County website. Public meetings had been scheduled in Anacortes, Ferndale and Bellingham for early February.
Announced back in November 2018, the Green Apple Renewable Fuels Facility, a joint effort with Renewable Energy Group, would make diesel fuel from waste fats, oils, greases, animal fats and cooking oil. The facility would have been located within the Phillips 66 facility located at Lake Terrell and Unick Roads and made use of existing refinery tank storage, marine dock and rail and truck access.
Officials with Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group will be working with county and state officials “to wind down the ongoing permitting process,” according to the press release.
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