A Chinese-backed methanol export plant proposed for the Port of Kalama in Washington has effectively been canceled after the sponsor said it would terminate its lease.

Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) notified port officials on Friday that it would end efforts to develop a project. Port officials blamed the “state’s regulatory and political environment for killing local, sustainable jobs just when the need is the greatest.

“This was the kind of innovative, job-creating project that originally was supported by the governor’s office,” said Port director Mark Wilson. Gov. Jay Inslee “stood on Kalama’s waterfront to tout the climate benefits of the project, then turned on us when he ran for president.”

NWIW has sought to develop a 3.6 million metric tons/year...