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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2008)
Union officials attended a “grand opening” of the Cascade Grain ethanol plant at Port Westward near Clatskanie. From left to right are John Candioti of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16; Jamie Maygra of Iron Workers Local 29; Dave Bell of Laborers Local 296; Tim Carrier of Painters District Council 5; John Mohlis, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council; Boe Ellis of Operating Engineers Local 701; and Herman Stonebraker of Plumbers and Fitters Local 290. Union-built Cascade Grain ethanol plant up and running CLATSKANIE, Oregon — The union-built and union-operated Cas- cade Grain ethanol plant at Port West- ward Energy Park is in full production as of June 6. The $192 million all-union plant broke ground (under a project labor agreement) July 20, 2006 and was completed last month. More than 400 construction workers logged over 800,000 hours building the facility — the largest ethanol plant on the West Coast and one of the 10 largest in the United States. The project included 250,000 cubic yards of excavation; 2,000 tons of structural steel and iron; 18,000 cubic yards of concrete; 112,000 lineal feet of pipe; 140,000 lineal feet of cable; and over 550 miscellaneous pumps, heat exchangers, compressors, and blowers, reported general contractor JH Kelly. “This project represents work per- formed by local building trades em- ployees,” said John Mohlis, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbia- Pacific Building Trades Council. “This construction injected more than $100 million into the local economy, and that money stayed right here in Oregon and Southwest Washington.” In addition to wages, the project la- bor agreement ensured that all con- struction workers received health in- surance benefits, an employer-paid pension, and safety training. Fifteen percent of the workforce was appren- tices. Only five injuries were recorded. “Labor productivity and harmony on this project were excellent,” noted Clancy Kelly, senior project manager for JH Kelly. The ethanol plant was designed by Delta T and was constructed by JH Swanson, Thomas &Coon ATTORNEYS AT LAW Since 1981 James Coon Ray Thomas Jacqueline Jacobson Kimberly Tucker Cynthia F. Newton Tip of the Week: No lawyer should charge you a fee up front in a Social Security case. Attorney fees must be approved by the government, normally only if you win your case. We represent people on all types of injury and disease related claims. n Workers’ Compensation n Construction Injuries n Personal Injury/Product Liability n Death Claims Kelly LLC Ethanol, under a joint ven- ture with The Industrial Company. Berggruen Holdings Inc. of New York owns the facility. Cascade Grain will produce 113.4 million gallons of corn-based dry mill fuel grade ethanol a year. Forty million bushels of corn will come to Port Westward from the Midwest via rail cars. Ethanol is an alternative fuel that is considered a sustainable resource, and its production warrants special tax incentives granted through a bill passed in 2005 by the Oregon Legisla- ture. The plant will employ 50 people — new members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555. According to a report in the Clatskanie Chief, all of the full-time employees are from Clatskanie, Rainier, Svensen, and Longview. “The only jobs that have been imported (from outside the area) are mine and the production supervisor,” said Ken n Asbestos/Mesothelioma n Social Security Disability L EGAL P ROBLEMS ?? 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