Mike Bridges’ op-ed (July 23, www.columbian.com) supporting the oil-by-rail terminal cries out for a rational response.
Most egregious is his contention that the facility could actually alleviate the cumulative carbon footprint. This is a spurious claim. For obvious reasons, this facility, once realized, would accelerate global climate change and perpetuate institutional commitment to fossil fuels worldwide, at a time when all indicators demonstrate that we are at an all-hands-on-deck moment for converting to clean energy resources.
Gov. Jay Inslee has made it clear that he understands the existential threat posed by global climate change. He must say no to this project, which, by the way, is opposed by ILWU Local 4; tribal organizations and Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission; health professionals, business interests including Vancouver 101 and Columbia Waterfront LLC); the cities of Washougal, Vancouver and Spokane; numerous community groups; anglers; and many others for health and sustainability reasons.
Risks of a serious (or catastrophic) accident as a result of derailment or explosion are well-documented, and one has to wonder why this proposal is still on the table, given the potential for irremediable damage to ecosystems and human communities.
Please renew pleas to the governor (and EFSEC) to say a resounding “no” to this ill-conceived project.
