Orcem California, Inc.’s proposed “green” cement facility on a small portion of Vallejo’s old General Mills site moved a step forward with the submission of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) – triggering a 45-day public review period from Sept. 3 – Oct. 19, reported the Times-Herald.
The proposed project includes two components – the Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT) and the Orcem Plant. The VMT project component would reestablish industrial uses on the site through the removal of a deteriorated timber wharf and construction of a modern deep-water terminal, while the Orcem component involves construction and operation of an industrial facility producing a high performance, less polluting alternative for traditional portland cement.
Orcem would import most of the raw materials it uses via ships docking at the proposed VMT wharf, a 39-acre site in southwest Vallejo on the Mare Island Strait.
Significant environmental impacts are spelled out in the EIR, along with ways the applicants plan to mitigate those they can. “The Draft EIR has determined that the proposed project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts to air quality, cultural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and traffic. No other significant and unavoidable environmental effects would result from the proposed project after incorporation of identified mitigation measures.”
The project site contains the former General Mills deep-water terminal and buildings associated with the former General Mills plant, which closed in 2004 and has been vacant ever since. VMT owns most of the site and has a long-term lease with the city for the rest. Orcem would lease a nearly 5-acre portion.
Copies of the Draft EIR may be viewed and downloaded on the city’s website, www.cityofvallejo.net/VMTOrcemDraftEIR.
