The environmental review process for the Gateway Pacific cargo terminal at Cherry Point began officially Monday, Feb. 28, when SSA Marine submitted preliminary documents on the $500 million project to Whatcom County, state agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The site, between the BP Cherry Point oil refinery and the Alcoa Intalco Works aluminum smelter, has been zoned industrial for many years, and land use regulations on the site envision eventual construction of the type of pier that SSA is proposing.
Bob Watters, an SSA Marine vice president, said he’s confident that the study process won’t uncover any environmental issues that are too serious or too costly to overcome, but the project won’t have certainty until the study phase is complete in about two years.