Proposed Cohasset Timber Plant will become Minnesota’s 12th largest emitter | Bemidji Pioneer

2021-12-14 07:35:47 By : Ms. Vivi Li

Duluth-The board factory proposed for Cohasset but exempted from a full environmental review raises concerns.

Huber Engineered Woods, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, announced in June that it plans to open a $400 million, 800,000-square-foot directional project on 400 acres of land next to Minnesota’s Boswell Energy Center. Particleboard (OSB) factory.

The project is expected to bring 158 much-needed jobs to the region, support the logging industry and help offset the impact of Minnesota Power’s Boswell plant to become coal-free by 2035, and quickly receive support from state and local officials, who promised Provide millions of dollars in grants and factory loans.

However, a project of this scale usually automatically triggers an environmental impact report (EIS), that is, a strict review of the environmental impact of the project and a review of alternatives, which may take about a year to complete. Therefore, the Minnesota legislature also passed a law specifically to exempt the project from EIS, but to allow it to accept the less stringent Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), which was completed in September.

MinnPost first reported on the project's exemption from environmental impact declaration law in June.

Iron Ore Resources and Rehabilitation Commissioner Mark Phillips told Minnesota that Minnesota is competing with other states for the plant and that EIS will take a year, which is too long for the company. At the same time, EAW needs nearly six months.

Huber officials could not be reached for this story.

Quietly than support for the project, the less stringent EAW worries several environmental and business groups, an indigenous band, and another OSB manufacturer. Their concerns are outlined in written comments obtained through the City of Cohasset's public records request.

The 120-page EAW stated that the project will emit 446,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, including carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, mainly through wood burners used to dry wood (can also be burned with natural gas).

Compared with the 2020 data tracked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the plant will become the state's 12th largest carbon dioxide emitter.

Gary Mead/Duluth News Tribune

Only seven power plants, two refineries, and two iron flint plants in the state emit more carbon dioxide equivalent each year than new plants.

The Minnesota Environmental Advocacy Center wrote in its comments to EAW: "But EAW didn't even mention the word'climate change', let alone consider the impact of such a large amount of new (greenhouse gas) emissions on our state.". "The use of OSB may have some positive effects on the climate because the carbon in the product will be sequestered and it can replace other more carbon-intensive building materials. But EAW has not tried to quantify or discuss these effects."

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is concerned that EAW has failed to address the potential impact on its reserve, which is located just 1 mile west of the project site. In addition, the project belongs to the territory ceded in the 1855 treaty.

"The tribe is very concerned about the lack of information provided in EAW and about how the project will affect the environment of reservations and ceded territories, including the tribe's ability to exercise treaty rights and maintain traditional cultural, spiritual and religious customs," the band wrote.

Concerns about EAW sparked a debate at the Cohasset City Council meeting on November 9, which was subsequently extended to November 16.

Cohasset, the government agency responsible for implementing EAW, described the special meeting of the city council on November 16 as a "public hearing" on the agenda.

Some people are ready to comment on EAW, expecting it to be a continuation of last week's hearing.

But the live broadcast of the meeting showed that Cohasset Mayor Greg Hagy ended the meeting within 3 minutes.

After swearing allegiance, Haji extended EAW's consideration until Tuesday, when he said the committee would vote on it. He also pointed out that due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, all indoor "Light the Night" events have been cancelled.

"This is all I have tonight," Haji told the people present. "Don't answer any questions."

Haji was contacted by phone after the meeting, and he said that the meeting was held to extend the EAW deadline to next week.

"We raised some serious questions at the first meeting," Haji said. "We hope that the company and us will have the opportunity to reassess to ensure that we cover all the foundations."

Gary Mead/Duluth News Tribune

At the meeting next week, the committee will vote on whether the EAW should be adopted as-is, extended or ordered to implement a stricter EIS.

When asked if the company told him that he would come to Minnesota only under EAW and not EIS-MinnPost reported that the company had told IRRR-Hagy said he had not heard of it.

Hagy said he supported the project and was "a little surprised by the resistance."

When asked if he can still consider EAW fairly when he has supported the project and said it will benefit Cohasset, Hagy said: "This is exactly what we are doing-we will make sure we cover all the foundations."

In public comments, lawyers at the West Fraser OSB plant in Solway, near Bemidji, stated that organizations with “professional knowledge” like the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources or the Minnesota Pollution Control Bureau should conduct EAW instead of Cohasset, as already expressed That kind of "enthusiasm for the project."

The company wrote that it "appreciates New York City's view that a proposal that may be a '40-yearly project', like the proposal of'Another Metrodome' is important, and understands why New York City may wish to accept the proposal. But it can The enthusiasm for understanding does not eliminate the need for careful review or strict application of applicable laws and regulations (including environmental reviews)."

In an interview on Tuesday night, West Fraser officials said they were also worried that the state did not have enough poplars to support another OSB factory, and EAW only said that "there are many in this area." According to extensive reports, the Cohasset plant will rely heavily on poplar wood, with approximately 400,000-500,000 wires per year.

"We haven't seen enough information to make us feel that there is enough wood to meet the needs of another very large OSB plant," said Cam Lewis, general manager of the Solway OSB plant in West Fraser. "So we worry that this will at least hurt us, or it might be worse."

The Economic Development Group Greater Bemidji and Bemidji Regional Chamber of Commerce submitted letters encouraging research on timber available in the state before the Huber project advances.

Hagy views West Fraser's concerns as "self-interest" because they will become Huber's competitors.

Jack Wallingford, the regional manager of West Fraser, said the company had “no problem with competition,” but said that Huber’s subsidies had resulted in an unfair competitive environment.

Huber will receive $15 million from IRRR, which is forgiven if the facility hired 100 people in the first six years. It will also receive US$20 million from the Ministry of Employment and Economic Development, which has also approved a US$2 million grant to Cohasset so that it can extend water supply and sewer lines to the site. Another state law will also pay Huber US$7.50 for every 1,000 square feet of oriented strand board produced, which could total up to US$28.5 million in 10 years starting in 2025.

"Fundamentally, Minnesota and IRRRB have invested a lot of public funds for this project... Frankly, we have to compete with it, we start with the hole," Wallingford said. "So the fact is that we are fighting for the survival of our production base. If we don't do this, we are not doing our job well."