Tacoma: Methanol plant a disaster in the making

There has been ample debate about the proposal to build a methanol plant at the Port of Tacoma. Some opponents have commented on the fact that a plant built on the Tideflats could lead to a disaster if an earthquake of a large scale were to strike, leading to an industrial catastrophe.

Others in favor say that there are new technologies today that would prevent that from happening.

With that being said, let me bring your attention to March 11, 2011, to a place called Fukushima, Japan, where a nuclear meltdown happened due to a tsunami damaging a nuclear plant’s coolant systems.

The technology used in the design and operation of this site were “state of the art” during its construction.

No matter the technology used, everything is at the mercy of Mother Nature. Building a plant that produces methanol is both foolish and troubling. Revenue is no reason to build a potential bomb within the city limits. The most logical step is to either relocate the plant or not build it.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Tacoma: Methanol plant a disaster in the making."