The Clark County Event Center on Tuesday was packed with people, the vast majority of whom were there to express their opposition to the proposed Tesoro Savage oil terminal that could go in at the Port of Vancouver.
The $210 million oil terminal would be capable of receiving 360,000 barrels of crude oil per day, all of which would be shipped through the Columbia Gorge via mile-plus long trains. If Washington Governor Jay Inslee approves the project, it would be the largest facility of its type in the US. Vancouver Energy, the company created to develop the oil terminal, claims the oil coming through the terminal would be cleaner than the "current oil used to produce fuels," but they've been accused of skewing data to come to that conclusion.
Estimates by Columbia Riverkeeper staff put the crowd at more than 1,000 people. Of those in attendance, most who spoke—including tribal leaders, health care professionals, and union officials—said they didn't want the giant oil terminal project to move forward.
“Doctors are deeply troubled by the well-documented health and safety impacts of these proposals. In the eyes of physicians, this project is a potential community-wide public health disaster that we should not allow,” says Dr. Elisabeth Lee, a family medicine physician from Clark County.
Many people spoke about oil train derailments and their danger to the environment and human life.
“These incidents have occurred on new railroad tracks and old railroad tracks, with the old rail cars and the new rail cars. With the increase in rail traffic the risk of a catastrophic oil train accident would increase dramatically,” says Laurent Picard, a firefighter and member of the Hood River City Council. “There is no way to mitigate a massive spill no matter what level of training. Containment of a spill would be impossible. All that could be done is to evacuate an area and let it burn.”
The Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) in November released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement, outlining potential risks from the oil terminal. EFSEC is accepting public comments until Jan 22.
Portland City Council recently passed a resolution opposing the project. The Vancouver City Council is also against it. Other organizations officially opposed to the oil terminal include the Vancouver Firefighters Union IAFF Local 452, ILWU Local 4, Columbia Waterfront LLC, and the Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission.
EFSEC has scheduled a second hearing in Vancouver for 5 pm to 11 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The second hearing will also be held at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, Hall B, 17402 NE Delfel Road in Ridgefield, Wash.
