Port Westward

The dock at the Port Westward industrial park, along the Columbia River near Clatskanie.

(File/The Oregonian)

The Oregon Transportation Commission on Friday killed a proposed $2 million subsidy that would've aided Ambre Energy's planned coal export terminal.

It caps a bad week for the Australian company's plans to export 8.8 million tons of coal annually from Columbia River ports. On Monday, Oregon's Department of State Lands denied a key permit for the $242 million project, saying a different dock at the Port of Morrow would harm protected tribal fisheries.

By a 3-2 vote Friday, the state's top transportation officials rejected a $2 million grant sought by the Port of St. Helens to expand a dock on the Columbia River near Clatskanie. Barges would transfer coal there onto larger ships that would then go to Asian buyers.

The project, estimated at a total $5 million, could still be funded by other sources. It would allow large ocean-going ships to safely dock at the port.

Commissioners Alando Simpson, David Lohman and Catherine Mater opposed the grant.

The project was the only one of 37 in the state's ConnectOregon program to be rejected. The others, totaling $40.3 million, were approved.

Those include $2 million for other dock improvements the Port of St. Helens sought to allow larger ships to move crude from Global Partners' oil train terminal.

The commission also approved $2.9 million for rail improvements in downtown Rainier to improve safety and allow more oil trains to pass through.

The total $8.9 million project would install curbs, reconfigure parking and add designated pedestrian and vehicle crossings on Rainier's A Street, allowing trains to speed up from 10 mph to 25 mph and blow their horns fewer times.

-- Rob Davis