Blog post by Dan Serres, Riverkeeper’s Conservation Director—
On Thursday, June 27, over two dozen community members attended a work session, by the Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners, to oppose a major new crude oil terminal proposal. Commissioners heard from our members, staff, and other attendees about potential oil spills, train traffic congestion, and global warming pollution -- all issues that the Port should evaluate prior to agreeing to any lease or lease option for oil exports.
The proposal at the Port of Vancouver could ship as much as 380,000 barrels of oil each day, almost half the volume of the highly controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Tesoro/Savage companies are hoping to use the Columbia River and the Port of Vancouver as a conduit for shipping fracked oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota and Montana. Tesoro executives also acknowledged that crude oil could be sourced from other regions, stating that customers of the terminal would be "entirely market driven."
Check out our fact sheet to learn why crude oil is a bad deal for Columbia River communities and beyond. Also, see the Sightline Institute's recent report to learn more about all the proposals to ship oil through the Pacific Northwest.
For Riverkeeper and others who attended the hearing, Tesoro's proposal opened the door for the Columbia River to became a gateway for oil shipments from tar sands in Canada as well as the Bakken oil fields.
TAKE ACTION
We need the Port of Vancouver to consider all of the implications of Tesoro/Savage’s proposed oil terminal. Contact them today to share your opposition or concern:
EMAIL: povcommissioners@portvanusa.com
PHONE: 360-693-3611
MAIL: POV Board of Commissioners, 3103 NW Lower River Rd, Vancouver, WA 98660
