In the western end of Skamania County, the Fire District 4 board of commissioners has passed a resolution calling for a prohibition of all Bakken crude oil shipments by rail through the Gorge, and the fire commission has asked that the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council recommend denying the proposed Tesoro-Savage oil terminal. Why would they do that? Because they know, as do we as former firefighters and a former fire commissioner, that no amount of training nor “promise” of resources can even begin to mitigate the damage that would ensue from a derailment and oil fire.
In the Cape Horn area, before the volunteer firefighters could arrive on the scene, the flames from a ruptured oil tanker would easily have moved up the side of the cliffs and into the crown of the forest, and with the strong west and east winds that frequent this area, likely would jump over state Highway 14 and beyond. With three-quarters of the railroad tracks highly inaccessible and the forest engulfed in flame, there would be no way to suppress this fire, risking the lives of hundreds.
There is much better information now. Please, Port of Vancouver commissioners, embody your common sense and integrity and terminate Tesoro-Savage’s lease agreement for this proposed detrimental oil terminal project.
