First day of hearings on Vancouver oil terminal

begins with broad opposition

June 27 marked the first day of hearings for the adjudication process on Tesoro-Savage’s proposed oil terminal in Vancouver. Over 200 people rallied outside and packed the hearing in red shirts to show their opposition to oil trains and support requests from tribes, cities, and the Washington Department of Natural Resources to deny the terminal.

“This terminal proposal is a public health disaster waiting to happen,” said Dr. Beth Lee, a family practice physician from Clark County who spoke to the assembled crowd. “Why would we voluntarily put our homes, schools, and communities at risk? We must learn from what happened in Mosier and say no to this oil terminal.”

Along with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, this process will provide Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) with information to guide their decision on permits for the largest crude oil by rail proposal in the nation.

The hearing comes a little over three weeks after Northwest communities were horrified by the oil train derailment and fire in Mosier, Oregon.

The hearing schedule is as follows:

· June 27-June 30 – hearing in Vancouver at Clark College Conference Center, 18700 SE Mill Plain Blvd.

· July 5-7; July 11-14; July 18-21 – hearing in Olympia at Red Lion Hotel, 2300 Evergreen Park Dr. SW

· July 25-29 – hearing in Vancouver again at Clark College Conference Center; public hearing the afternoon of July 29.

While decisionmaking moves forward on the Tesoro-Savage terminal proposal, concerns remain high around existing oil train traffic through the Northwest. Governors Brown and Inslee, as well as Senators Merkley and Wyden have called for a moratorium on oil trains until safety can be improved.