PULLMAN – Following the Port of Whitman County’s accepted offer on 184 acres on Wawawai Road in Pullman last week, its elected Commissioners today voted to seek a rezone of a portion of the property for an Agriculture Advancement campus.

The Port will apply for a zoning change for 88 acres to heavy industrial and commercial. The commercial portion of the property would act as a buffer between industrial operations and nearby Pullman residences. The rezone application will be presented to the Port Commissioners at the 9 a.m. February 13 Commission meeting. 

If the rezone is approved, the Port intends to create a campus for businesses in the agricultural technology industry. Committed private partner and startup company AgTech OS would serve as the anchor tenant. 

The Port invites public input on this proposed zoning change. Those who would like to be notified of public hearings as they are scheduled should email communications@portwhitman.com to be included on a distribution list. 

The Port Commission voted to accept a counteroffer of $3.8 million for three lots, totaling 184 acres, on Wawawai Road in Pullman at a special public meeting Wednesday, January 25. The property is intended to support a proposed Agriculture Advancement campus, including anchor tenant AgTech OS and additional facilities to support economic opportunities for local businesses.

On January 19, the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) awarded the Port a $5 million loan to purchase and develop approximately 100 acres of land for the campus. (The number of acres was estimated at 100, because the Port had not yet identified the property when it submitted the grant application). The Port is matching the $5 million CERB loan for the land purchase, site preparation and utility construction with $1.25 million from its general fund.

The Port’s next steps, if its application for a zoning change is successful, are to initiate the planning, engineering and permitting for site development, which could occur as soon as this summer. It may be up to a year before ground is broken on the proposed facility, with opportunities for public input at key milestones in the planning and environmental permitting processes.

The Port’s committed anchor tenant, AgTech OS, plans to establish an approximately 550,000-square-foot biodiesel facility that will convert a local rotation crop, canola, into sustainable fuels for agricultural operations. The timeline for facility construction once permits are approved is about 12-24 months, according to AgTech OS.

The company expects to purchase approximately 100,000 tons of canola grain per year from local farmers. Once at scale, the facility is projected to produce 10.8 million gallons of B100 (pure) biodiesel, 60,000 tons of seed meal and 900,000 gallons of Propanediol per year.

AgTech OS’ website answers frequently asked questions about its proposed biodiesel plant and how it may interact with the Pullman community. Because AgTech OS’ mission is to decarbonize the farming and heavy transportation industries, engineering for minimal pollution is embedded in its designs. 

AgTech OS’ facility is expected to sustain about 44 direct jobs once fully operational. However, the total contribution to the broader regional economy, including direct and indirect effects, has been estimated at 464 jobs, $136.2 million in sales and $2.5 million in tax revenue to the State of Washington, according to University of Idaho economist Steve Peterson.

Approximately 120 acres of land will be available for other job-creating tenants in the agricultural technology industry. The Port envisions an Agriculture Advancement campus that will attract industry innovators and facilitate synergy among economic developers and talent from the region’s two land-grant research universities, supporting Palouse’s agricultural economy and creating significant economic benefits for the region.

The Port first began discussing a public-private partnership with AgTech OS in November 2022. The company presented to the Commissioners at the November 3 public Commission meeting. On November 17, the Commission discussed applying for the $5 million CERB loan at its public meeting. The Commission again discussed the potential public-private partnership and adopted a resolution to submit the CERB loan at the December 1 public Commission meeting. On January 5, AgTech OS presented a second time to the Commission during its public Commission meeting.

Port Commission meetings are generally held at 10 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Port’s Colfax office, located at 302 N. Mill Street. All Commission meetings are open to the public. Agendas and minutes are posted on the Port’s website.

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.