Cowlitz County commissioners unanimously approved permits for a new coal export terminal in Longview, Wash., Tuesday morning.
The 3-0 vote increases chances that the first major coal shipments from the U.S. West Coast will depart from the banks of the Columbia River.
Millennium Bulk Logistics, a subsidiary of Australia’s Ambre Energy, wants to build the facility at the private Chinook Ventures port in Longview, Wash., exporting 5.7 million tons of U.S. coal to Asia annually.
Opponents can appeal the shoreline development decision to a state board. The company will also need other approvals that can be contested before it can begin construction.