Methanol: Proposal's demise is in city's interest

The proposal to build a huge methanol plant in Tacoma may officially be on “pause.” However, in my opinion and in reality, it is clearly dead. And that is a good thing for the people of Tacoma and the city.

Here is my reasoning: Image matters. Many of us have worked since the 1980s to improve the face and image of Tacoma.We got rid of the “aroma of Tacoma.” We cleaned up the Thea Foss Waterway, which had been a designated Superfund site. Downtown housing was built on the Foss and on the hillside.

We built five grand museums on our gateway into the city. We brought the University of Washington to town. We cleared away the industrial Ruston smelter and the old Dickman Mill to create five miles of public access on our Ruston Way waterfront.

Point Ruston is a success. We are on a roll. Millennials now brag about living in Tacoma. Why in the world would we paddle backwards to the old industrial image?

(Ebersole is a past mayor of Tacoma.)

This story was originally published March 7, 2016 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Methanol: Proposal's demise is in city's interest."