The company considering a $440 million potash export facility at the Port of Grays Harbor told the City of Hoquiam the $445,000 shorelines permit application fee calculated by the city is “in excess of that which could be considered reasonable relative to expected costs” and asked the city to cut it by more than 75 percent.
A letter from BHP Potash Projects, the Australia-based company proposing the facility, stated, “BHP respectfully requests the city cap the project value at $100 million for the shoreline fee calculation and include costs associated with the administration of the permit applications (e.g. third party review) in this fee.”
Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay explained the process behind permit fee calculations. “In our fee resolution, a shorelines permit is based upon the value of the project. In (BHP Potash Projects’) application the project was $440 million. Based upon that value the shorelines permit would be $445,000.”
