Tesoro Comments needed by April 15

Our friends in Anacortes need comments on this proposed terminal. Please see below for talking points and where to submit. I am confident of you, dear reader, to be able to send an effective comment on this. Our experiences with the REG/Imperium will serve us well in this task.
Thank you for all you do!

TESORO’S PROPOSED XYLENE PLANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) SCOPING COMMENT OPPORTUNITY

Online Open House: http://TesoroAnacortesEIS.PublicMeeting.info Scoping Comment Period           Thursday March 17, 2016 – Friday, April 15, 2016 Scoping Meeting & Open House           Thursday, March 31, 4-8 pm          Anacortes High School, 1600 20th St           Gym (Open House) and Brodniak Hall (Scoping Meeting) Submitting Public Comments by Friday April 15, 2016           ONLINE:               http://TesoroAnacortesEIS.PublicMeeting.info            VOICE MAIL:        1-877-685-7356 (toll free) 5 minute time limit for messages           E-MAIL:                comment@TesoroAnacortesEIS.com           HAND DELIVERED: Skagit County Planning & Development Services                                       1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA                                       Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm           MAIL:                    Tesoro CPUP EIS                                       PO Box 21069                                       Seattle, WA 98111                                       Must be postmarked by April 15, 2016                      FAX:                     (360) 416-1340 BACKGROUND INFORMATION:           For more detailed information about the likely significant adverse impacts created by           Tesoro’s Xylene Plant, please review Evergreen Islands’ Comment Letter, August 2015

Tesoro’s proposed Xylene Plant (about $400 million) will produce up to 15,000 barrels per day of mixed xylene.  The mixed xylene will mainly be exported to Asia and will be used to make polyester fibers and films for clothing, food packaging and beverage containers. Shipping xylene to Asia will also mean an increase in tanker traffic, up to five extra tankers a month entering and exiting Fidalgo Bay

THE XYLENE PROJECT WILL CREATE A MARINE EXPORT TERMINAL!

POTENTIAL FOR CRUDE OIL EXPORT FROM MARCH POINT (TRANSSHIPMENT)

Concurrent with the Xylene Plant proposal, Tesoro is proposing to construct and operate a crude oil transshipment terminal in Vancouver, Wa. Tesoro’s proposed Vancouver crude oil terminal would be capable of receiving an average of 360,000 barrels of crude oil per day by train, storing it onsite, and loading it onto marine vessels.  An average of 28 trains per week would arrive at the proposed Vancouver Facility.  Tesoro’s crude-by-rail goal for March Point is 6 unit trains per week, and Shell’s goal is 7 trains per week – potentially a total of 13 crude oil unit trains per week to the March Point refineries.  Since Tesoro already has a crude oil rail terminal on March Point, the new marine oil terminal affords Tesoro the option to ‘transship’ export crude oil by oil tanker.  Note: Congress lifted the 1975 Crude Oil Export ban late last year. Consequently, the Scope of the EIS for Tesoro’s Xylene Plant should have practically the same scope as the EIS for Tesoro’s proposed crude oil terminal in Vancouver.  The Draft Environment Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Tesoro’s proposed Vancouver project can be reviewed here, which includes a bunch of scoping issues that should be included in the EIS for the Xylene Plant

Project Application Materials “Tesoro Anacortes Refinery: Clean Products Upgrade Project, Project Description,” Skagit Planning & Development website. http://skagitcounty.net/Departments/PlanningAndPermit/tesoroclean.htm SEPA Determination of Significance – March 17, 2016 Determination Of Significance and Request for Comments on Scope of Environmental Impact Statement http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/Tesoro CPU DS and Request for Scoping Comments.pdf Shoreline Substantial Development Application – June 22, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/CPUP SSDP App (Jun-2015).pdf Notice of Development Application - July 9, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/NODA.pdf SEPA Checklist – June 22, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/CPUP_SEPA_Jun_2015.pdf Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application – June 22, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/CPUP_JARPA_6-22-15.pdf Site Plans and Diagrams – June 22, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/CPUP_SitePlan_Dwgs (2015-05-22).pdf Department of Army, jurisdictional determination – June 1, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/4_JD_Letter_USACE_1June2015.pdf Washington Department of Ecology, Wetland Findings for Tesoro Clean product Upgrade – July 2, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/4_JD_Letter_USACE_1June2015.pdf Tesoro Clean Products Upgrade Project Cultural Resources Technical Memorandum – May 22, 2015 http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/4_JD_Letter_USACE_1June2015.pdf Overview drawings http://skagitcounty.net/PlanningAndPermit/Documents/Tesoro/CPUP_Overview_Dwgs (2015-05-22).pdf