For a large segment of the Grays Harbor population, crude oil shipping facilities simply aren’t an option.
They said the facilities could kill migrating shorebirds, ruin the area’s fishing economy, decimate the local environment and even lead to loss of human life.
The protesters take nearly every available opportunity to voice their disapproval for the crude-by-rail facilities proposed by Westway Terminal Co., Imperium Renewables and U.S. Development, showing up at Hoquiam City Council meetings, Port of Grays Harbor meetings and even holding signs on street corners.
A Thursday night meeting hosted by the City of Hoquiam and the state Department of Ecology was no different. The dissenters showed up in force. About 70 concerned citizens from the Harbor and beyond packed into the Hoquiam High School cafeteria, and 44 of them took the microphone to voice their concerns — which took about three hours.
Several local elected officials — including Rep. Dean Takko of Longview, Grays Harbor County Commissioner Frank Gordon, Quinault Indian Nation President Fawn Sharp, Cosmopolis Mayor Vickie Raines, Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler — were also in the crowd. But only Gordon and Sharp took the opportunity to voice their opinions.
“Quinault opposes oil on Grays Harbor and is in this fight to win,” Sharp said. She left the meeting soon after making her comments.
The gathering was intended as a scoping meeting to help Hoquiam and Ecology compose a list of topics to study while creating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Westway and Imperium projects.
Jerry Thielen, a consultant hired to facilitate the meeting, reminded the group several times that the purpose of the meeting wasn’t to voice opinions, but to help with scoping.
“It’s not so much about whether you like or dislike this project,” Thielan said. “This meeting is for people to make suggestions of things to look at.”
But nearly all of the people who took the microphone to make suggestions took the opportunity to voice their general disapproval for the projects.
“Build it and they will come. But we say don’t build it, deny the permit,” said Zoltan Grossman of Olympia.
Many of the commentors expressed safety concerns, and many referenced oil train explosions from the past year. Hoquiam resident Brian Sterling asked who would have the responsibility of fighting oil fires when they happen.
“I do not believe that our communities have the resources to fight large-scale oil fires,” Sterling said.
Another common worry: the state of the railroad tracks running between Centralia and Hoquiam. Many of the commentors speculated that the tracks can’t withstand increased rail traffic.
Wes Brosman said the tracks are in such a state of disrepair that they could easily be dismantled by vandals.
“This track could be sabotaged by a set of tools and a clever 12-year-old,” Brosman said.
Many of the concerned citizens said they would like to see a copy of a oil spill response plan from Puget Sound &Pacific Railroad, the company that runs the short-line railroad between Centralia and Hoquiam.
The projects have also spawned concern about shorebirds, which use Grays Harbor as a resting place during their yearly migration. Janet Strong of McCleary explained that the area needs to remain healthy in order for the bird migrations to continue.
The third project, by U.S. Development, which is just starting the permit process, would be near the Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge at Bowerman Basin.
“It’s an important link in the Pacific flyway where millions of birds fly through each year,” Strong said.
Others worried that the oil storage facilities would make Grays Harbor a target for terrorism.
All parties agreed that the impact of the oil shipping projects on all communities — from Centralia to the beaches — needs to be carefully studied.
“It’s not just Hoquiam, it’s not just Aberdeen, it’s all the communities up and down the line,” said Ron Figlar-Barnes, who ran unsuccessfully in 2013 for a Port Commission seat on a platform opposing the oil projects.
The agencies are in early stages of performing the analysis, and the process could take as short as a few months or as long as several years.
“It’s hard to say how long it will take while we’re still making a list of what we’ll study,” said Diane Butorac, Southwest regional planner for Ecology.
Another scoping meeting will take place April 29 at Centralia High School, located at 813 Eshom Road, from 5 to 9 p.m.
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