Responsible Growth * NE Washington

P.O. 960

Newport, WA 99156

03 September 2026

RE:   Port of Pend Oreille Wolfred Industrial Project

         Comments on Project

TO:   Jessica Garza, Economic Development Director

Dear Jessica,

Responsible Growth * NE Washington held its monthly meeting today. Gretchen presented the Port of Pend Oreille’s Wolfred Industrial Project using the Industrial Symbiosis technical assistance principles. She also said you were looking for comments on the project. We respectively submit this letter as RG * NEW’s comments. 

We were familiar with the project and the principles through the Port of Pend Oreille online newsletter “Port of Pend Oreille Selected for Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance.” In fact, we posted it on our Facebook page a few weeks ago. 

Presently, we are writing to express our support for the Wolfred Industrial Project as stated in the newsletter and per our discussion today. We are pleased to do so and we’re 100% in agreement for a number of reasons: 

  1. it addresses critical, local economic needs, while providing a model for environment concerns and innovation;
  2. it will transform our forest residuals into value added products; addressing, as well, forest management and wildfire issues;
  3. it supports family-wage jobs and economic stability; 
  4. this project will build upon strong partnerships within our communities; 
  5. in addition, and through the partnership with Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance, the project supports a circular forest economy that hopefully will sustain economic development, good forest management, and greenhouse gas reduction.

These are but some of the reasons Responsible Growth * NE Washington lends its encouragement and support to the Wolfred Industrial Project as we understand it. There may be future issues as the project advances that RG * NEW will question, but as it stands right now it has our support. 

We look forward to hearing more of the project details as the project moves forward. If there is anything we can do as an organization, please advise and keep us in the loop.

Respectfully submitted,

Phyllis J Kardos, RG * NEW Chair