OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) — Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has announced his Counsel for the Environment will oppose the proposed crude oil terminal in Vancouver.
The state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) currently is reviewing the Tesoro Savage Vancouver Energy Distribution terminal. After review, the council – as mandated by state law – will recommend to Washington’s governor either that he should approve or reject the project.
“Protecting the environment and public safety are top priorities of my office, and we considered the evidence presented with the care those priorities demand,” Ferguson said. “The bottom line is that the potential benefits of this project are dramatically outweighed by the potential risks and costs of a spill.”
Ferguson’s office previously commissioned an expert review of the project. This review resulted in serious questions about derailment data, emergency response plans and the potential impacts to the Columbia River – an icon and important natural resource for the state with its fisheries and other habitats.
If completed, the Tesoro Savage Facility project would lead to 365 crude oil vessel trips down the Columbia River. Additionally, 3,000 oil trains would run through the state to service the facility.
Ferguson’s office believes that given the weight of evidence presented the project is not in the interest of the citizens of Washington.