Published on February 6, 2025 at 11:17 am
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Plans for a proposed bioethanol plant in Fernandina Beach, a source of community pushback, will not be moving forward.
The city of Fernandina Beach said state law requires it to reject the site plan application for Rayonier Advanced Materials, the planned plant.
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Rayonier is a chemical company that also manufactures products for lumber and paper.
The rejection is based on the requirements of the comprehensive plan and land development codes.
Multiple groups in Nassau County raised concerns about the effect the possible plant could have had on residents’ health.
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The company says the new plant would have provided stable jobs, boosted the economy and created a more sustainable future for the region.
“Second Generation BioEthanol is a cleaner, greener alternative to fossil-fuel based gasoline and will help sustain 300 good-paying local manufacturing jobs, be good for local property values, and support the economy in Fernandina Beach,” the company said on its website.
The interpretation is subject to appeal, which may be filed with the city manager no later than 30 days from now.
The city says there’s no indication of what Ryam’s next steps will be, but for now, the city plans to take no further action on the site plan application.
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
