DEQ's 2022 air file drew 6,993 written comments
DEQ says it received 6,993 written comments and 41 oral comments on the 2022 air permit.
DEQ's project page says the air permit regulates facility air emissions and that the project still needed other approvals, including a 401 certification and two stormwater permits.
DEQ excluded rail and vessel emissions from the stationary-source permit
In its response to comments, DEQ says trains and marine vessels are mobile sources and that emissions from trains and marine vessels coming to or from the facility are treated as "secondary emissions not considered in this stationary source permitting action."
The Army Corps Draft EIS says the project could require up to 208 trains a year, 720 trucks a year, and 171 ocean-going vessel movements a year.
DEQ excluded upstream natural-gas production and transport
DEQ answered commenters directly on natural gas as well. The agency said the stationary-source permit regulates combustion of natural gas at the facility, but that production and transport of natural gas are outside the scope of the permitting action.
DEQ's response separated on-site combustion from the upstream gas supply chain.
The hearing officer addressed late posting and redacted flare calculations
The hearing-officer report says commenters objected to confidential-business-information treatment around parts of the flare calculations. DEQ responded that staff reviewed the full calculations and that public versions still included hourly and annual emission rates.
DEQ also acknowledged that the air permit applications were not available on its website at the start of the public comment period and were posted after the agency was notified.
Cleaner Air Oregon modeled 0.2 per million added cancer risk
DEQ's Cleaner Air Oregon fact sheet says the modeled residential added cancer risk was 0.2 per million, below Oregon's risk action level.
The review report says DEQ's issued plant-site limits were structured as a synthetic minor permit for criteria pollutants, including a 99-ton carbon-monoxide limit and a 70-ton VOC limit.
Sources & records
Reviewed by Standards Review. Updated April 13, 2026.
- Oregon DEQ project page
Official state project page explaining that the air permit was issued in 2022, regulates facility air emissions, and leaves other construction-related permits still required.
- Oregon DEQ hearing officer report and response to comments - Aug. 29, 2022
Official DEQ response saying trains and marine vessels are mobile or secondary emissions outside the air permit action, and that natural-gas production and transport are also outside the scope of the stationary-source permit review.
- Oregon DEQ review report
Official air-permit review report listing the plant site emission limits, describing NEXT as a synthetic minor source of criteria pollutants, and setting greenhouse-gas limits.
- Oregon DEQ Cleaner Air Oregon health risk assessment fact sheet
Official fact sheet summarizing DEQ's approved toxic-air risk result for the proposed facility emissions.
- USACE NEXT Renewable Fuels EIS page
Official federal page for the active Draft EIS, including current transportation volumes, production capacity, and wetland impacts.
