BY PEPPER FISHER

Port Angeles – We reported Tuesday that the planned Amazon distribution center that was to be built near Fairchild Airport is on hold indefinitely because the FAA is requiring Amazon to pass a National Environmental Protection Act study, or NEPA, a process that can take up to a year to complete.

Caleb McMahon from the Port of Port Angeles, which owns the property, said that he did not know if Amazon had begun the NEPA process, or whether Amazon was looking elsewhere on the peninsula to build, or even whether the NEPA study was a deal breaker.

At the time we aired our story, our calls and email to Amazon’s consultant on the project, Eric Seamands of Ambrose Property Group, had not been returned. But on Thursday we heard back from a representative at Amazon.

Steve Kelly from the Media Relations Dept. wrote, “Eric forwarded our team your email, thanks for touching base on this. We’re in the midst of reviewing this matter and our options. However, our intention is to open a local operations facility in the future – so we’re able to provide better service and faster delivery to customers in Port Angeles and greater Clallam County. As we have more information to share, we’ll be sure to do so.”