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Letter: Trade a bridge for a terminal

The Columbian
Published: September 16, 2014, 5:00pm

The oil terminal debate in Vancouver is at a standstill. Here is a different way to go for a solution to this public problem. Let’s give Tesoro-Savage what they want for something that we want. How about a new Interstate 5 bridge to Portland?

This can be done with three conditions put on Tesoro-Savage and their railroad partner, BNSF Railway.

  1. Just like we tax gasoline per gallon, put a tax on every barrel of Bakken crude that passes through Vancouver until a billion-dollar fund has been set up to pay for a new I-5 bridge.

  2. Demand that BNSF upgrade its tracks and infrastructure to meet federal safety standards for oil, coal, and other hazardous material shipments.

  • Require BNSF to hook up a hazmat car on every hazardous train to fight fire, explosions and contain spills when and where they happen.

  • Within this framework, I believe that all sides of this issue — Gov. Jay Inslee, Tesoro-Savage, BNSF, the Port of Vancouver, the environmental agencies, fish and wildlife protectors, local and state government, and most importantly, the people of Washington and Oregon — can work out a deal that will send everybody home happy. Let’s turn the oil terminal issue into a huge win for Vancouver.

    Rolf Knapp

    Vancouver

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