Ireland-based Ecocem's plans to build a €45 million 'green' cement mill in the US despite public opposition, according to a report by The Irish Times.
Ecocem, a subsidiary Orcem Americas, wants to build the mill in Vallejo, San Francisco Bay, despite concerns from local residents about its impact on the environment.
The report says Vallejo councillors are likely to meet in public on 30 May to hear an appeal by Orcem and its partner, Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT), against planners’ decision to reject the project.
Additionally, the council is to consider a final environmental report on the scheme but it is not known if Vallejo City Hall would recommend that councillors deny the appeal.
In March 2017, Vallejo’s planning commission rejected the proposal emphasising the mill would have a negative affect on nearby neighbourhoods, increase traffic and was inconsistent with development policy.
Orcem and VMT appealed to the council. Its members sought the final environmental report after hearing the developers' challenge at a public meeting in June 2017.
In early 2017, planners rejected applications to build the cement mill and an associated deep-water berth following a recommendation from Vallejo City Hall.
According to the Irish Times, Orcem plans to build a plan that will grind slag from iron furnaces to make cement. VMT wants to build a marine terminal where ships carrying the slag from Asia can dock and offload.
Steve Bryan, Orcem's president, says the project could employ at least 190 people in pensionable, unionised jobs.
