Port Angeles paper mill, biomass cogeneration plant for sale

PORT ANGELES, Wash. -- A Port Angeles paper mill and a newly built biomass facility that provides the mill with electricity are for sale.

The Peninsula Daily News reports the Nippon Paper Industries USA plant and the biomass cogeneration plant are being marketed for sale by PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance. The company is looking for parties to acquire and continue operating the paper mill and/or co-gen facility.

City Manager Dan McKeen tells there's no sign the mill would be closed.

The Port of Port Angeles was asked to consider buying the mill but Port Executive Director Karen Goschen says the port isn't in the business of operating such facilities.

The mill was built in 1920 and carried the name Crown Zellerbach for many decades. Daishowa Paper of Japan purchased it in 1988 and later merged to become Nippon Paper Industries USA.

Nippon is the only maker of telephone book paper in the United States.