FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vancouver Businesses to Speak Against Terminal at Second Oil Hearing on Jan. 12
Jan. 7, 2016 (Vancouver, WA) – This week over 1,000 people packed the Clark County Event Center in Ridgefield to oppose the massive Tesoro-Savage oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver. A diverse crowd representing tribal, community, health, faith, local business and environmental groups spoke about how Tesoro-Savage’s proposed crude oil-by-rail project – with a capacity of 360,000 barrels per day and over 28 trains per week – would threaten public safety, nearby communities, and water quality.
Tuesday’s hearing was the largest in Clark County’s history and the first of three public hearings about the project. For the second hearing next week, Vancouver 101, a group of 101 businesses opposed to the Tesoro Savage oil terminal, will provide testimony on how the proposed Tesoro-Savage oil terminal will harm their livelihoods and negatively impact the local economy.
Bryan Shull, owner of Trap Door Brewing, said, “I signed up to speak on Tuesday, but there were so many people there to oppose the project that I didn’t get a chance to testify. I and many other small business owners plan to be there on the 12th to make it clear that downtown Vancouver businesses like ours oppose the Tesoro oil terminal and the damage it would do to our local economy.
“We’re calling on Governor Inslee and Washington EFSEC to deny Tesoro’s proposed oil export terminal,” added Don Orange, owner of Hoesly Eco Automotive in Vancouver and founder of Vancouver 101, “Vancouver’s business community does not want this project here, and we are convinced it will undercut local jobs in our local businesses - all to export oil to overseas markets.”
Vancouver 101 isn’t alone in questioning the economic and public safety impact of the proposed Tesoro Savage oil terminal.
Jared Smith, President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 4 in Vancouver, stated, “Our members do not want to work around oil trains and oil terminals. It’s not safe. The draft environmental impact statement shows the first responders are not adequately equipped to handle a fire or an explosion. And one oil spill on the river would shut down the port.”
Dan Serres, Conservation Director with Columbia Riverkeeper and member of the Stand Up to Oil coalition, added, “Governor Inslee and his advisors will continue to hear from people throughout the region until they deny the Tesoro terminal – a proposal that is so reckless, it has galvanized opposition from an unprecedented cross-section of local businesses, labor leaders, conservation groups, tribal nations, physicians, and even the cities of Vancouver and Portland.”
The second hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, 5-11 PM, at Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, Hall B located at 17402 NE Delfel Road Ridgefield, WA 98642. Business owners from Vancouver 101 plan to make press statements before the hearing and many will testify during the evening hearing on the 12th.
The third and final opportunity for the public to weigh in on this project is on Thursday, January 14, 2016, 5:00-11:00PM (rally at 4:30pm), at Centerplace Regional Event Center located at 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216.
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