Take a Hard Look at the Biggest Oil-By-Rail Proposal in the U.S.

Stand up to massive fossil fuel infrastructure

Despite the growing controversy over exploding oil trains and their obvious potential for disaster, the Army Corps of Engineers intends to rubber stamp the largest oil-by-rail terminal proposed in the US using a one-size-fits-all nationwide permit.

This is unacceptable. 

Let the Army Corps and our federal delegation know that the federal government should take a hard look at the impact of shipping explosive, dirty oil through the scenic Columbia Gorge from the largest oil-by-rail terminal proposed in the United States. 

The State of Washington has begun its review of the terminal, prompting the cities of Vancouver, Washougal and Spokane to intervene in the process, along with the Longshore Workers Union Local 4, Columbia River tribes, and the company behind a proposed redevelopment of Vancouver's waterfront.

With such an array of entities opposing or raising concerns about this project, surely the Corps should review this project’s impacts more thoroughly.

As things now stand, the Corps may authorize the project through a Nationwide Permit, a one-size-fits-all approach typically used for maintenance work. Instead, because the new oil terminal dramatically differs from a routine maintenance project, the Corps should require an individual Rivers & Harbors Act Section 10 Permit, which would allow the Corps to consider whether the proposed oil terminal is in the public interest.

To issue this type of permit, the Corps would prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to assess the potential safety and environmental consequences of shipping 360,000 barrels of oil daily down the Columbia River.

Thank you for all you do to support the Stand Up to Oil campaign!
In solidarity,
 Joëlle Robinson
Field Director Climate Solutions

Communities fight crude regulators and industry collusion- and other news

Environmental groups sue California air district over crude by rail permit

By Rory Carroll    Reuters 01/29/15

Environmental groups on Thursday sued the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District over a permit it issued last year that allowed crude-carrying trains to begin making deliveries at a terminal in Bakersfield, arguing the regulator failed to adequately vet the proposal.


The plaintiffs asked the California Superior Court to declare the permit invalid and stop further operations at the newly opened Bakersfield Crude Terminal in Taft until a full environmental review is conducted. The terminal, which began receiving crude in November, is owned by Plains All American .
In their complaint, the groups point to emails obtained through a public records request that they say show regulators helping the company avoid environmental and public reviews of the project.....    more here

‘Bomb Train’ Suits Seen Slowing U.S. Oil Independence

by Karen Gullo      Bloomberg     01/30/15

(Bloomberg) -- Rail yard projects vital to the flow of crude from the shale oil boom are being waylaid by legal challenges that may slow the march to U.S. energy independence.

Crude-oil handling facilities along rail lines in cities from Albany, New York, to Richmond, California, are mired in lawsuits by community and environmental groups claiming they were kept in the dark about the projects. They accuse local regulators of giving cursory review and rubber-stamping operating permits for proposals that pose threats to their safety and the environment.....  more here

Links:

Climate warriors fight fossil fuels  

01/29/15     MSNBC video    

With the Paris climate talks less than a year away, activists like Rising Tide’s Ahmed Gaya are preparing for a year of escalating action, including more blocked oil trains.

Proposed Oil-By-Rail Expansion At Shell’s Anacortes Refinery Drawing Crowds

Senate approves Keystone XL pipeline; Obama says he’ll veto

Final Report on 2012 Chevron Refinery Fire Calls for Reform in Corporate Safety Culture

Several dozen workers staged a demonstration outside of the meeting before it began and said they didn’t always feel empowered to stop work if they felt the conditions were unsafe. Jim Payne, a representative of Local 5, said the issue is so important to workers that they’ve proposed absolute stop work authority as part of collective bargaining negotiations.

The Dalles joins oil train debate  -  The Dalles City Council has joined Hood River, Mosier and other Oregon towns in urging state officials to pursue greater federal regulation of crude oil transports.  The resolution approved by a unanimous vote Monday, Jan. 26, also recommends that rules be put in place to require that rail companies pay for damages caused by catastrophic fire and explosions following a derailment or accident.