Made in America,
Made in Fernandina Beach

For 85 years, RYAM has manufactured essential and renewable American-made products in Fernandina Beach. The demand for such products is growing. RYAM already helps customers create many sustainable products, including 2G BioEthanol at our plant in Tartas, France. So, 2G BioEthanol (an alternative to certain fossil fuel-based products) is a natural addition to our Fernandina Beach plant.

The project will help RYAM sustain more than 300 good-paying, local manufacturing jobs and will result in an additional $50 million investment in our area.

The 2G BioEthanol project will complement current operations and is expected to increase local tax revenue, reducing the tax burden on residents or enabling greater investment in local infrastructure, like roads and sidewalks. Our planned $50 million investment into this project is a win for our local economy and helps support over 300 good-paying manufacturing jobs at our Fernandina Beach Plant.

Our local plant has operated in Fernandina Beach since 1939. Many of those who lace up their boots every morning and come to work here can proudly say their parents and grandparents did the same thing. That legacy creates a special responsibility to ensure that our operations meet the highest standards for safety, not only for our neighbors, but for our workers and families, too. We’re committed to protecting and promoting our community’s economy, environment and quality of life—not only because those are the rules, but because this is our home.

It is also important to consider the environmental benefits this project will bring to Fernandina Beach and beyond. Not only will it reduce our emissions locally, it will provide a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels. That’s good for both the environment and the economy. We estimate that 7.5 million gallons of second-generation bioethanol will be made annually.

This project will reduce our plant’s emissions, which will be good for local air quality.
Here’s how it works:

First, we’ll take the leftover sugars from our HPC production. Then, we’ll convert those sugars into 2G BioEthanol through fermentation and distillation, helping meet the demand for cleaner, renewable energy. Right now, these sugars are used to power our plant, but with this new process RYAM will invest in energy efficiency improvements to offset this lost power. This change will result in a 5-10% reduction in local air emissions.

Storage and transportation will be carried out by highly trained engineers and operators. They will follow rigorous safety protocols and comply with strict regulations established by the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,) the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and other regulatory bodies (including insurers, who will not underwrite unsafe operations).

The 2G BioEthanol project will be engineered to the highest standards for safety, which include proven methods for containment, and process controls like real-time monitoring and frequent inspections. A Process Hazard Analysis will be completed, which includes a comprehensive review of the project designed to identify, reduce, or eliminate hazards. Our employees will receive thorough training to meet the high standards for producing 2G BioEthanol and ensure we follow all regulatory requirements.

Additionally, RYAM will be required to perform a pre-startup safety review, regular employee and contractor safety training, frequent mechanical integrity inspections, an emergency action plan, safety compliance audits, and will be subject to regulatory reviews.

Storage:

The proposed 2G BioEthanol process design includes a dedicated and robust fire suppression system that adheres to the latest codes, standards, and regulations set by federal, state, and local regulators, as well as insurance providers. These organizations enforce strict fire safety standards, and we follow them closely. It’s also worth noting that we encounter large gas stations every day that store more fuel than RYAM’s proposed 2G BioEthanol project, which is subject to even more regulatory oversight and designed by expert scientists and engineers, many of whom live in Fernandina Beach.

Transportation:

2G BioEthanol transportation will be subject to detailed planning, oversight and regulations. While specific transportation plans are in the early stages of development, we anticipate only around three trucks per day during off-peak hours.

Although specific shipping plans have not yet been determined, we anticipate minimal impact on local truck traffic—likely just three additional trucks per day. This comes after the company has already reduced truck traffic through other recent projects. Despite the small increase in traffic, this project will add at least $50 million to the local economy and enable greater investment in local infrastructure.

RYAM’s proposed Second Generation BioEthanol project will have abundant third-party oversight and will be subject to regulatory standards and safety measures set by local, state and federal agencies, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Fernandina Beach. They set strict standards to protect public health and the environment, and we will comply with those standards.

The City of Fernandina Beach will oversee any building permits that may be required by this project, which RYAM will pursue as appropriate.

Eventually, we anticipate that local building permits will be needed. Nonetheless, we are working closely with local officials to keep them apprised of our progress. At a Community Advisory Council meeting in October 2023, we discussed the BioEthanol permitting process. Representatives from both Nassau County and the City of Fernandina Beach were present. In March 2024, we hosted an open house for the community to learn more about our bioethanol process: our scientists, engineers, environmental and safety professionals met face-to-face with over 170 attendees. Additionally, in May 2024, we held another Community Advisory Council meeting with local officials and community leaders to further discuss ongoing developments.

The new 2G BioEthanol facility will be constructed within our existing property boundaries. Importantly, the selected site for the new facility is positioned more than a half mile away from the nearest residential area. This considerable distance significantly enhances safety by providing a substantial buffer zone between the plant and residential areas. Additionally, the facility will not be located in the 100-year or 500-year floodplain, further minimizing environmental and operational risks.

The design and placement of the new plant have been carefully considered to adhere to the highest standards of safety and environmental compliance. The process equipment used in the production of 2G BioEthanol will incorporate advanced flood mitigation and containment measures. These precautions are consistent with those applied to existing structures within our property, ensuring a cohesive and secure operational environment. We are taking every sensible safety measure to protect our employees, their families, and the community we call home.

Rayonier, not RYAM, owns land in Wildlight. This question is often based on a misunderstanding about RYAM and Rayonier, which are entirely separate companies, despite sharing a history.

In 2014, Rayonier Inc. and Rayonier Advanced Materials (now RYAM) “spun off” from each other. This separation allowed Rayonier Inc. to concentrate on forest management and real estate, while RYAM focused on performance fibers and sustainable innovations.

Moreover, the only suitable location for 2G BioEthanol equipment is within our existing plant where it can be seamlessly integrated into our manufacturing process. There’s simply no better, safer, or more efficient place for it.

This project will have little effect on how our plant uses and manages water, nor will it harm the health of local waterways (or its enjoyment by our neighbors).  In fact, our plant will continue to operate under the same water permits it does today.

A small amount of wastewater generated by 2G BioEthanol production will be treated at our facility and is subject to the same strict regulations as all wastewater treated at our facility.

Our groundwater use and water management is highly regulated by the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Those agencies set clear standards that regulate water quality and quantity to safeguard public health and protect the environment.  This project will not change that.

Yes. The 2G BioEthanol Project will not be built in the floodplain or on any other environmentally sensitive land. Our 2G BioEthanol project will fit within our current property boundary and simply add equipment to the current facility that converts leftover biomass into 2G BioEthanol. This will be accomplished by fermenting the dissolved sugars that are a normal byproduct of HPC manufacturing, in a biological process similar to the process that produces beer and makes bread dough rise. This process is highly efficient and highly complementary to existing operations.

Importantly, our facility is within the I-2 Zoning District, which allows for development of manufacturing and industrial operations like this project.

It’s worth noting that water (H2O) is a chemical, just like beer and distilled spirits, which are produced in Fernandina Beach, consistent with what the City already allows.

Yes! Continuous improvement is an essential part of our company’s culture. We’re always analyzing our operations to improve environmental performance.

That’s why RYAM has invested in technologies and techniques that were engineered with environmental stewardship in mind.

This project is another step in the right direction. In addition to producing environmentally-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels, our 2G BioEthanol equipment will also significantly reduce local air emissions.

Additionally, as part of our air permit, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) sets clear standards to safeguard public health and the environment. We will work closely with regulators to ensure we comply with these strict standards.

If approved, the 2G BioEthanol project will be built to fit within our current property boundary, meaning our “footprint” in Fernandina Beach will remain the same.

The project will simply add equipment necessary to reuse existing biomass (dissolved sugars) from High-Purity Cellulose production to help make 2G BioEthanol.

It’s worth noting that water (H₂O) is a chemical, just like beer and distilled spirits, which are already produced in Fernandina Beach. The City has determined that fermentation and distillation processes are permitted, which is similar to the fermentation process we’ll use for 2G BioEthanol. We estimate that 7.5 million gallons of second-generation bioethanol will be made annually.

Presently, RYAM is still in the “engineering phase” and FDEP has begun its permit review process. At the same time, our team is still developing the economics and determining financing. So, it is too early to know the specifics of the timetable.

RYAM submitted the air permit application for this project to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on November 13, 2023.

Traditionally, First Generation BioEthanol has been produced from the starches found in grains like corn, sorghum and barley. In the United States, corn-based ethanol is relatively common and is typically produced in the Midwest.

Conversely, RYAM’s 2G BioEthanol will be produced using sustainably-harvested forestry products.  2G BioEthanol is a sustainable alternative to agricultural (corn) ethanol because it uses a non-food, renewable resource as its primary input—in this case, trees.

In engineering terms, our project will extract the residual sugars from an existing lignin stream of our sustainable High-Purity Cellulose manufacturing process and ferment these sugars into 2G bioethanol. That’s a long way of saying we will use manufacturing “leftovers” to create a more environmentally friendly fuel.

Unlike corn-based ethanol, RYAM’s 2G BioEthanol does not require more land or grain storage. Instead, we simply convert leftover biomass from our plant’s existing High-Purity Cellulose manufacturing process. It’s a small (but important) step toward a more circular economy.