The Port Townsend Paper Corporation is currently working with the Washington state Department of Ecology on a construction proposal to make modifications at the mill necessary to produce “green” electricity.

Public comment is currently being sought by DOE on this proposal; view the public comment notice online, as well as the construction proposal.

DOE has extended the comment period and will accept public comment from July 16 through August 23, 2010. They will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 17, at Fort Worden State Parks’ Commons,Company A room, starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Chamber will be writing a letter of support for this project, and both Executive Director Jennifer Wells MacGillonie and Board President Kris Nelson will attend the hearing.

We encourage you to participate in the process. Attend tonight’s meeting, or send written comments by 5:00 p.m. on August 23, 2010 to:

Marc Heffner, P.E.
Department of Ecology
Industrial Section
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
e-mail: mhef461@ecy.wa.gov
Fax: (360) 407-6102

To learn more, visit DOE’s website area for the Port Townsend Paper Corporation.

WA Department of Commerce hosts “COMMERCE CONNECTIONS 2010:”
What will it take to grow jobs in Washington?
Join an open discussion hosted by Commerce Director Rogers Weed

Jobs, jobs, jobs – the economic outlook for Washington state and our nation continues to be extremely challenging. Tough times can also spark the best, most innovative ideas for moving Washington forward.

We invite you to come learn more about the state economic picture, the budget process now underway and the federal Recovery Act at work in Washington. We’ll also share a progress report from Commerce and gather your ideas and feedback to inform the agency’s Strategic Plan and improve our service delivery.

Director Weed will also lead individual discussions on key policy questions from the perspectives of Commerce’s main customer groups: businesses and economic development groups, local governments, and community-based organizations. Potential topics include funding tourism and economic development in the future, restoring infrastructure investment, updating the state energy strategy, redesigning WorkFirst, and others.

Commerce Connections 2010 for the Olympic Peninsula will be on August 31 8:30am to 11:30am in Port Angeles at the Port Angeles City Hall, 321 E. Fifth Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362 .

REGISTER NOW for the Port Angeles meeting by going to http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2zb7mx97c8416ea to sign up.  Contact Stephen Dunk at Washington State Department of Commerce, commercemarketing@commerce.wa.gov, 360-725-3157.