Your voice is needed!
Sign our petition!
Call Governor Kotek
At (503) 378-4582 and urge her to protect the Columbia River and our climate from NEXT's pollution and greenwashing. Learn more about the issue.
Call Gov. Kotek today!
Talking points:
- The proposal would be located in diked land on unstable soil, behind levees prone to failure, near homes, farms, and the Great Vow Zen Buddhist monastery - all while filling wetlands, increasing air pollution, and polluting water within and outside of the dikes. DEQ should deny the project.
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The public notice states, “To ensure the project will comply with water quality standards, DEQ must understand all work involved in the construction and operation of the project.” DEQ has admitted that it does not understand all work involved, and plans are likely to change. For example, DEQ proposes that NEXT control groundwater with a liner, but NEXT’s January 2023 Stormwater plan states that it would not work, and “a liner is not recommended at this time.”
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DEQ's public notice says, "DEQ must ensure that pollution does not enter waterways and must be protective of beneficial uses, including fish,” At the same time, NEXT's Biological Assessment states, "Because of potentially lethal effects from stormwater contaminants, the project will adversely affect Pacific Salmon EFH and the Pacific Coast groundfish EFH."
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The project would emit over 1 million tons of greenhouse gas pollution each year, and it would rely on feedstocks from unknown sources as well as millions of cubic feet of fracked gas daily. NEXT told investors it would get most of its feedstocks by rail from the Midwest at the outset of production. Although NEXT calls its production “renewable,” it has major negative climate consequences. The hydrogen plant at the refinery used to make the fuel will rely on fracked gas.
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Given the violent shaking expected in a seismic event, flood hazards, and unstable soils known to pose risks in the Port Westward area, NEXT’s proposal is risky. A 2023 accident at the same dock that Port Westward demonstrated one risk: a rock-loaded vessel veered off track and slammed the dock, knocking it out of service for months. Had a diesel tanker been present, the spill could have impacted the Estuary.
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If an accident occurs causing a release of diesel, fracked gas, toxic chemicals, or aviation fuel, the consequences would be bad for salmon and nearby communities.
Write a personalized card to DEQ Director Leah Feldon:
Mail postcards/holiday cards to:
Director Leah Feldon
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
700 NE Multnomah St #600
Portland, OR 97232
Sample language:
Governor Tina Kotek & Oregon Director Leah Feldon,
We implore you to deny the Clean Water Act Section 401 Permit for the proposed NEXT Renewable Fuels diesel refinery and rail yard at Port Westward. This project threatens Oregon’s hard-won clean water protections, and the developer’s own studies show that toxic runoff would jeopardize fish populations in the Columbia River Estuary.
The refinery and rail yard would significantly degrade Oregon's waters and violate the state’s water quality standards. Even without a catastrophic spill—something far too likely in such a fragile and unstable location—NEXT’s operations would continue to pollute critical fish habitat.
The local community at Port Westward has raised serious concerns about NEXT’s proposal, including the risk of damaging vulnerable dikes, which could breach during flooding, harm to sensitive wetlands, and disruptions to vital agricultural drainage and irrigation systems.
Oregon’s commitment to moving away from storing hazardous, flammable, and toxic fuels on unstable ground near the Columbia River must not be compromised by allowing a new and massive pollution risk in the Estuary. A healthy, clean Columbia River is essential to the wellbeing of the entire region.
The stakes are high. We trust the DEQ to prevent this dangerous project and protect our waters before it's too late.
Raise your voice online!
Share this important issue on social media and tag Governor Kotek on Instagram or LinkeIn to ensure she hears your call for action!
*Special thanks to Columbia Riverkeeper for talking points and language.