Pulp Mill Granted Permits

STARBUCK – Columbia Pulp, the 449-acre wheat straw refuse recovery and paper pulp manufacturing facility to be located on Highway 261 near Starbuck, has now been issued its six required building permits and is "ready to go," Columbia County Planning Director Kim Lyonnais reported on Tuesday.

"Just last week they received their shoreline exemption to temporarily pump water out of the Snake River for dust control as they grade the site," Lyonnais said. "I think they're shooting for early June to begin grading."

Columbia Pulp LLC was approved last month for a revenue bond from the state covering the $100 million needed to construct the mill. LLC President John Begley estimated construction of the mill would take approximately a year. Lyonnais and Columbia County Commissioners discussed at this week's commissioner workshop that the project planners were still ironing out some logistics, such as where to store the thousands of straw bales farmers will sell to the mill.

Other building projects in the county, contingent on Columbia Pulp's construction, are waiting in the wings, Lyonnais and commissioners discussed. There's talk of a housing developer ready to break ground just as soon as it looks like the mill is a sure thing, Lyonnais said. Further details will be reported as they are available.