Officials in Washington state denied a key permit for a large proposed methanol plant in Kalama. The $2 billion Northwest Innovation Works plant would have taken natural gas from Canada and converted it into methanol. It then would be shipped to China to make compounds used in everything from fabrics to medical equipment. The Department of Ecology on Tuesday said the plant would increase greenhouse gas emissions and was inconsistent with the Shoreline Management Act. Developers said they would appeal, pointing to a state study released last year that found a “high likelihood” that the project would actually *slow* the rise in global greenhouse gas emissions in the methanol industry. Tanker operator, Hafnia, is a co-investor in the project.
