GH Port Commissioner's Meeting
via The Daily World
Hoquiam City Councilman Richard Pennant implored commissioners to do whatever they could to stop crude from coming to the Port.
“I agree a lot of this probably looked like a good idea originally … (but) it’s looking like a worse idea all the time,” Pennant said. “It’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible with what you know now, with what you’ve found out in the last year and a half. It’s OK to say, ‘Hey we made a mistake, maybe we shouldn’t be doing things.’ Turn around, it’s alright.”
Linda Orgel of Aberdeen said she was disappointed by the “apparent lack of accountability coming from our Port for your role in the crude oil.”
She said the track damage visible after the two recent derailments begs serious questions about the weekly inspections the railroad has been conducting.
“That kind of deterioration did not happen overnight. There was something that should have been picked up on inspection and repaired. If there are problems here there must be problems all along the track,” Orgel said. “What would have happened if those cars had held crude oil? If it hadn’t been for a group of concerned citizens and the Quinault Indian Nation, that very well may have been the case. … Since the rail cars will not be changed out for years, I believe you are ultimately liable when a crude oil accident causes loss of life and property.”
Commissioners did get one vote of confidence, from Fred Rapp of Elma.
“I know the Port takes no position on crude for or against but is simply following the rules certifying these businesses based on environmental impact reports and so forth. And we thank you,” he said.
Meanwhile, today in L.A.
Discussion but no action on crude by rail at Aberdeen Council meeting
via KBKW radio
Any plans to streamline crude oil exports through Grays Harbor are beginning to come off the rails, at a slow and safe speed.
The Aberdeen city council last night discussed the potential impacts of crude oil exports, but they did not take any action to make their voices heard in time for the first stage of two projects being developed in Hoquiam.Aberdeen City Council continue crude by rail discussion
The discussion on crude by rail continued last night at the Aberdeen City Council Meeting.
With a public comment period at the end of the meeting that lasted nearly an hour with almost every speaker voicing their concerns about crude by rail many points were brought up and Aberdeen citizen Michael Dickerson said that something needs to be done.
Dickerson said, “Someone has to wake up the railroad that we are concerned. I can’t do it. The people here can’t do it. Only this council can do it, and I believe it’s your moral responsibility to try and solve this problem any way that you can solve it.
Secretary Moniz is joining a webchat on Monday and he wants
your questions. We need your help to send a message that he’s
wrong on crude oil exports. We can't lift the export ban if we're
serious about addressing climate change.
Ask your question using the hashtag #WHClimateChat or leave a
comment here: http://bit.ly/MonizChat
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