Georgia-Pacific launches multiyear revitalization project at downtown Camas millSubscriber Exclusive

Georgia-Pacific has launched a multiyear revitalization project at its downtown Camas mill to remove older, unused buildings and upgrade site infrastructure.

The mill will continue to employ about 150 people and “serve as an important economic driver for the region,” according to a news release from the company.

“When G-P originally announced the pulp mill closure, they stated that unneeded equipment and buildings would eventually be removed from the site. The buildings and equipment the company will be removing are no longer needed for G-P to continue its operations,” a Georgia-Pacific spokesperson told The Columbian. “Several buildings are significantly aged past the point of useful operation and are no longer in use. G-P believes the buildings’ removal is part of its commitment to downtown Camas to keep its property in good repair.”

Papermaking operations will continue as usual throughout the demolition process. Initial work — focusing on infrastructure upgrades and the removals of a recovery boiler, bleaching and pulping buildings, and a kraft mill — began in October and will last through 2027, after which the mill will “evaluate the consolidation of its footprint to align with long-term operations as technology advances allow the mill to do more with a smaller physical footprint,” the news release states.

Georgia-Pacific said it has no plans to sell or lease any portion of the property. The Atlanta-based company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, toilet and paper towel dispensers, and packaging products.

“The mill is a major supplier of the company’s paper towel business on the West Coast, and G-P continues to invest in new infrastructure and equipment to support it,” a spokesperson said.

The company has invested more than $1 million in the mill’s No. 11 paper machine and plans to invest an additional $8 million to update plant equipment.

“We certainly welcome Georgia-Pacific’s investment into the Camas mill and the commitment that this investment represents to maintain local jobs,” said Alan Peters, the city of Camas’ development director. “We also recognize that the planned demolition work will create noticeable changes in our skyline and the views people have been accustomed to for decades, but we’re looking forward to this next phase of the mill’s relationship with the city of Camas.”

Georgia-Pacific has pledged to notify nearby residents of project activities via online updates and printed flyers. The company does not anticipate disruptions such as road closures until the end of the project.

Demolition work takes place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

“Georgia-Pacific is committed to reducing community impact throughout the revitalization project and is closely following the city’s permitting and mitigation requirements,” the news release states.

The project won’t leave behind any chemicals or create a chemical spill risk, according to Georgia-Pacific.

“There are older chemical tanks that will be removed, but all chemical products were removed in 2019,” the company said. “Any remaining regulated or hazardous building materials that are still present will be properly abated and disposed of according to city and state requirements before the start of demolition.”

Georgia-Pacific operates more than 150 facilities around the world and employs approximately 30,000 people.