Othello port interested in ethanol company

OTHELLO — The Port of Othello has until Sept. 1 to submit its name to the state Department of Commerce as a contender for a cellulosic ethanol plant.

The company’s name hasn’t been disclosed to the port, but the company wants to build an ethanol plant and has $30 million in federal funds as financial backing, said Othello Port Administrator Mike Beardsley Tuesday.

Although the port isn’t near a forest, it does have “lots of water and wastewater,” he said.

He called bringing the company to Othello “a shot in the dark,” adding the port is qualified to respond to the state’s request.

“With the Columbia Basin Railroad and 220 million gallons of water at Bruce, it seems like we have a lot going for us,” Beardsley commented.

The forest waste would have to be delivered by train.

During Tuesday’s port meeting, Beardsley told commissioners about concerns regarding the company’s pollutants expressed by Roger Krug, of Adams County Development Council.

Krug didn’t reply to the state because of the pollutants, Beardsley said.

Beardsley said pollution problems are the company’s to solve.

The port wouldn’t allow a polluter, but Beardsley said he didn’t want to close the door too quickly.

The company plans to employ 55 people, including five professionals earning $111,000 each, 22 technical/skilled positions, 20 semiskilled positions and eight unskilled positions, he said.

Beardsley mentioned an hourly average wage of $22.81 and a technical wage of $26.75 per hour.

The company is seeking between to 10 to 25 acres for its facility.

The manufacturing space is 60,000 square-feet, warehouse distribution is 10,000 square-feet and office space is 2,000 square-feet.