The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - During their August 20 meeting, the Columbia County Board of Commissioners agreed to sponsor an application seeking a $1.8 million Community Development Block Grant from the Washington State Dept. of Commerce. The funds will be used to install a natural gas "gate valve" near the new Columbia Pulp facility at Lyons Ferry.

The application will be prepared by the Port of Columbia, in cooperation with Columbia Pulp and the county. According to the Port's economic development coordinator, Christine Jarski, the new valve will allow other firms who might locate in the area to access the natural gas as well.

The new "gas gate" valve will allow Columbia Pulp to tap into a high pressure natural gas line that passes near their proposed facility. The line, owned by TransCanada Corp., runs from Canada to California. In order to feed the Columbia Pulp plant, and other potential facilities, the pressure must be reduced.

The block grant funds have been provided to Washington State by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant will be awarded by the Department of Commerce, and must be administered by the county.

In order to receive the grant, the county must show that approximately 50 low-income residents of the county will have the opportunity to have living wage jobs, which were not previously available.

In a presentation to the commissioners, Columbia Pulp President John Begley said the firm anticipates employing 135 workers at its new facility. That translates to an annual payroll of over $10 million. The company also expects to purchase $13 million worth of wheat and alfalfa straw annually from farmers in the region.