Lawsuits, unpaid taxes plague company behind Columbia River refinery
A company proposing to build a nonconventional diesel refinery on the Columbia River is facing foreclosure, lawsuits and other major financial challenges across the country, according to research collected by Oregon nonprofits. The groups are calling on Gov. Tina Kotek to rescind her support of the project in light of the new information. A letter to the governor flagged Houston-based NEXT Renewable Fuels is no longer allowed to operate in Delaware because it owes nearly half a million dollars in back taxes to the state. Audrey Leonard, staff attorney for the environmental group Columbia Riverkeeper, said the problems do not stop there, adding the site of the proposed refinery in Oregon is under foreclosure because NEXT failed to make payments. "They failed to pay their business taxes and are being sued by investors and consultants that they've hired - all factors into the laundry list of reasons that this is a really bad idea for Oregon and for the community in Clatskanie," Leonard stressed. Leonard noted Kotek voiced her support for the project last year, citing the potential for jobs and added tax revenue. Neither NEXT nor the governor's office responded to a request for comment. On its website, NEXT
