The final environmental impact statement considering the effects of a crude oil terminal in Hoquiam was released late Thursday and says the project “would cause significant and unavoidable environmental impacts to health and safety if a crude oil spill, fire or explosion occurs. There are also impacts to tribal resources.”

The massive report posted on the state Department of Ecology website also proposes 69 mitigation measures to offset or reduce environmental impacts from the project as it has been proposed. The release highlighted measures Westway Terminal Company LLC should implement if it were to go through with the project, including using newer rail cars and providing escort tugs in Grays Harbor when the crude is moved; adding response equipment caches in key locations; and, coordinating spill response training for local emergency responders and tribes.

The city of Hoquiam and the DOE jointly issued the report. In a joint statement, the two agencies noted that the final environmental impact statement isn’t a permit, but a resource of information for decision makers who will be considering the permits.

Hoquiam would be the agency that takes first action on the proposal when it considers the company’s application for a shoreline substantial development permit.

Westway Terminal Company LLC intends to develop 7 acres between terminals 1 and 2 at he Port of Grays Harbor — within its existing 16-acre Hoquiam site that handles methanol and magnesium oxide — to add a storage facility for receiving, storing, and loading crude oil for transport. The crude would come in by train for storage, then be loaded onto tank vessels at Terminal 1 for shipment.

Download the FEIS and DEIS at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/geographic/graysharbor/westwayterminal.html#FinalEIS

There will be printed copies of the FEIS at the Hoquiam City Hall, 609 8th St., and the Hoquiam Timberland Library, 420 7th St.