BHP plans for Hoquiam potash facility withdrawn

Plans for a potash facility within the City of Hoquiam on Port of Grays Harbor property have been withdrawn by the company.

In 2017, BHP first held a public meeting to discuss the proposed potash export facility that would have brought approximately $440 million in investment to the area.

In a release, BHP states that over the past three years, they have engaged with local stakeholders and rightsholders regarding the project, but on Friday anbounces that despite “significant constructive engagement, and previous changes to our environmental permit application to address some requests, local stakeholder groups continue to express concerns and regulators have identified further processes to be completed and resolved for the proposed facility.”

Due to the ongoing setbacks, the company says that they do “not believe we would be able to address these outstanding issues in the planned development timeframe for Stage 1 of the Jansen Potash Project, and have thus withdrawn our permit applications for the proposed facility” here in Grays Harbor.

“BHP respects the rights of local rightsholders and stakeholders, and in the spirit of building strong mutually beneficial relationships we seek to understand their concerns and interests. We are very grateful to all of the local groups who took the time to engage with us during this process and to the local elected leadership and business community for their significant support,” said Giles Hellyer, BHP’s VP Operations for Potash.

BHP says that despite the decision to withdraw from Hoquiam, they continue to progress permitting at DP World Fraser Surrey in British Columbia, Canada, as well
as investigating other terminals on the north west coast of North America.