Public has longer to weigh in on Vancouver oil terminal plan

The state agency reviewing a proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver says it’s giving the public more time to comment on the project as part of an environmental-impact evaluation.

The scoping period, launched Oct. 3 and originally scheduled to wrap up Nov. 18, will now last until 5 p.m. Dec. 18. The process aims to determine what will be examined in an environmental impact statement.

The extended time for public remarks includes a public meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 11 at Center Place Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place in Spokane Valley.

The state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is conducting an examination of the oil-by-rail transfer facility, proposed by Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies. The companies want to build an operation capable of handling as much as 380,000 barrels of crude per day.

The project “is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment,” according to EFSEC.

As a result, the council says, an environmental-impact statement spelling out the project’s impacts must be prepared.

The council will eventually make a recommendation to Gov. Jay Inslee, who has the final say over whether the project gets built.

During the scoping period, written comments may be submitted by email at efsec@utc.wa.gov or by mail to Stephen Posner, interim EFSEC manager, Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, P.O. Box 43172, 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98504-3172.

All scoping comments must be received by EFSEC no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 18.