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Fossil Fuel Resistance - Public Hearing on Oil Trains

By Ruth Shearer

Five members of Lacey's Panorama Green Team attended the public hearing concerning the Marine and Rail Oil Transportation Study on the evening of October 30. The study was ordered and funded by the last legislature. The Department of Ecology was to do the study in consultation with six other public agencies. In June, Governor Inslee issued a directive outlining the key components to be addressed. The study found our state woefully unprepared to prevent disastrous spills or deal with them after they happen, during either marine or rail transportation, and listed 12 recommendations for legislation in 2015, all of which would cost money.

The hearing began with reading of the rules followed by a brief presentation of the study. Each person testifying was allowed two minutes. First up were representatives of the tribes affected, who eloquently opposed the threats to their lands and waters. Next, public officials were allowed to speak, and they came from far and wide. Notably absent were any from Lacey or Tumwater.

All public officials were opposed to increased rail transport of oil through the state and construction of oil terminals to export oil. Jurisdictions represented included Thurston County and Grays Harbor County. Cities included Olympia, Bellingham, Vancouver, and Aberdeen. Others included two places in Oregon which depend on protection of the Columbia River, and representatives firefighters and water services.

Finally, members of the audience who submitted cards requesting to testify began to be called, but none of us were called in the time we could stay. Speakers were 100% against the proposed new oil export terminals which would require a huge increase in oil trains through our state with huge additional safety costs to governments and negligible benefit in terms of jobs. Oil trains are already interfering with shipment of grain and other agricultural products from eastern state economy. Some of these crops cannot tolerate unnecessary delays in shipment.

Here is what I planned to say if called: This study presumes too narrow a vision for our future. We should not be a party to exporting oil which will come back to us, and all people, as pollutants and greenhouse gases in our shared air. The U.S. and Asia know how to produce clean energy. China already has terrible air pollution, and we aren't helping them by exporting our surplus oil there. We should leave it in the ground! Bakken oil from North Dakota is produced through hydraulic fracturing, and in the process natural gas is either burned into air pollution or vented as greenhouse gas. We should leave it in the ground!


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Updated 2015/01/07 21:14:22