In Our View: Wolfe in the Spotlight

Port of Vancouver Commissioner Brian Wolfe has a long and distinguished record of service to this community — but his legacy could hinge on a vote that lies in the future.

Three years ago, Wolfe was one of three commissioners who approved a proposal to bring the nation’s largest rail-to-marine oil terminal to Vancouver. The decision was wrong for Vancouver, wrong for Clark County, and anathema to the vision of a clean, thriving, robust community. And while it is human nature to occasionally make ill-considered decisions, it is not often that there is an opportunity to correct those mistakes. Wolfe likely will have such an opportunity, and he should seize it for the benefit and the betterment of the community to which he has dedicated his professional life.

The port’s original lease with Tesoro Corp. and Savage Cos. — now working in conjunction as Vancouver Energy — called for all permits and approvals to be in place by Aug. 1 of this year. But the permitting process through the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is expected to continue through this summer, beyond the deadline. Because of that, last week Vancouver Energy submitted an amendment to the lease, resulting in the scheduling of a public hearing Tuesday at Clark College’s Gaiser Hall and a port commission meeting Thursday.

Eventually, port commissioners are expected to have an opportunity to vote on whether to terminate the lease — an opportunity to correct the wrongs of the past. And that is where Wolfe holds the trump card. Commissioner Jerry Oliver, also part of the 2013 approval of the terminal, has said he remains in favor of the proposal. Eric LaBrant was elected to the three-person commission in November while running on an anti-terminal platform and is likely to vote against it. Wolfe, meanwhile, recently told The Columbian that he had not decided how he would vote if again provided with the opportunity.

Over the years, Wolfe has left an indelible impression upon Clark County. In addition to serving on the port commission since 2005, he has been in leadership positions with the Columbia River Economic Development Council, the Clark County Skills Center, the Vancouver Food Cooperative Board, the Southwest Washington Community Land Trust, and other community organizations. And when he initially ran for port commissioner, The Columbian endorsed him by saying, in part, “His concern for the environment compared with that of latter-day Republicans was instrumental in driving Wolfe from the Republican Party, where he was once Clark County chairman.”

Such environmental stewardship is the crux of the debate surrounding the oil terminal. The prospect of mile-long unit trains carrying crude oil through densely populated areas is the prospect of blight upon the landscape. The notion of establishing Vancouver as an “oil town” is a notion that runs counter to a city positioning itself for the future. The possibility of a catastrophic train derailment and explosion — which have become all too frequent throughout North America — is a possibility that overrides the benefits of bringing local jobs and taxes to the area while profits are shipped out of the region.

Ever since the terminal proposal came to light, it has generated intense public interest. The majority of those speaking out have been opposed to the plan; local city governments have officially taken stands against the idea; and the electorate in one port district gave an anti-terminal candidate 56 percent of the vote. Brian Wolfe will have an opportunity to give voice to all those people while creating a sterling legacy for his time as a public servant.