Gov. Jay Inslee is proposing critically important legislation, SB 5087, on the safety of oil transported by rail and water, and also on reducing carbon going into our atmosphere, which worsens global warming.
Since early 2013, Port of Vancouver commissioners have held numerous secret executive sessions not open to constituents. They’ve refused to release an unredacted copy of the contract they’ve signed to build the largest oil terminal in the Northwest on port property.
Inslee’s policy proposals and the port’s intentions are contradictory. Transparency is absent in the port’s decisions on the proposed terminal, and port commissioners have not exercised good governance. Safety measures included in Inslee’s proposals empower the public to remove the veil of secrecy that Big Oil relies on. A competing bill, SB 5057, has no public disclosure or public information provision. This bill is supported by Big Oil and BNSF Railway, which are seeking to avoid a pubic debate.
If the port’s actions concern you, you’re encouraged to support a local political action committee, Taxpayers for a Responsible Public Port. Go to: www.responsibleport.com to learn more about their principles.
