This photo of the big crane at the Millersburg reloading center is from October 2023.
It was a year ago, in October 2023, that I last parked the bike at the new but dormant intermodal shipping center in Millersburg. Now it looks as though this multimillion-dollar terminal will finally get some use.
The Millersburg Planning Commission has approved a conditional use permit allowing a company named Omni Energy Trading LLC to operate the center at 3435 Old Salem Road N.E.
The company is based in Florida, according to its application. It plans to use the center as a “green energy transload facility” to unload “renewable diesel” fuel from rail cars to trucks for regional distribution.
The work will be done by a “mobile transload unit” moving back and forth along the center of the new rail tracks, where the company will build a containment area to catch any spills.
This transloading apparently will not need the new crane assembled at the center after it was completed in December 2022, funded by about $23.8 million from the state and nearly $13 million from Linn County.
Omni Energy anticipates unloading up to 20 railcars a day. Each car carries enough to fill four trucks, meaning up to 80 trucks per day or 160 truck trips in or out of the center.
“Renewable diesel,” by the way, is the term for fuel made from fats and oils such as soybean and canola oil. It is processed to be chemically the same as petroleum diesel and can be used the same way. (The “renewable” kind is supposed to be different from “biodiesel,” but I don’t understand how.)
Once the fuel loading starts, the center can still accommodate transloading of containers or freight or agricultural commodities. This was the original intent, but so far no containers have been handled there.
I’ll try to learn more about the diesel operation, including when it’s scheduled to start, from the company president when I catch up with him by phone or email. (hh)
Good to hear that the facility will be getting some use.
Here is what the internet had to say about the different biodiesels: Renewable diesel and biodiesel are both biofuels made from vegetable oils and animal fats, but they differ in production process, use, and performance.
How about we follow the Millersburg Strategic Plan of beautifying and cleaning up Old Salem Rd by requiring that the operator clean up that facility first?! It was supposed to be nicely landscaped with a walking path.
Weed abatement and then spraying to stop growth. Barkdust or rock ground cover with weed shield. All dead plants removed. All scrub trees removed. Wood fencing that is partially fallen down or is in bad repair-remove it all. Go back and look at the plans as sold to us in public meetings; cleaned up, new landscaping and a walking path (which I have heard was later cancelled (of course)). Let the weeds grow that tall in your front yard and see what happens! Again, it is part of Millersburg’s Strategic Plan to beautify the Old Salem Corridor through town. Every business should be influenced to get their act together and do their part while the County and City take care of the other areas that need attention.
So, 36.8 million dollars of Oregon and Linn County taxpayers’ money wrapped up in that big crane that has seen zero use!! Typical mid-valley news!!!
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/biofuels/biodiesel-rd-other-basics.php
Basically, they are two different “diesel” products made by processing plant matter that is grown and processed in different ways. It is a “recycled” product from plants whose growth cycles takes Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere as part of photosynthesis.
Regular old diesel that has been in use for over 100 years is made from oil that is mined from underground petroleum sources that occurred over many millions of years. This source, as well as natural gas, results in net increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels when burned.