The Port of Vancouver is hosting a daylong public hearing on the proposed oil terminal today at Clark College’s Gaiser Hall. More than 100 people had taken lottery tickets to speak and fewer than 40 had spoken before noon.
At stake is an amendment to the port’s lease with Vancouver Energy, the company looking to build what would be the nation’s largest rail-to-marine oil terminal.
Vancouver Energy is asking to extend its permitting deadline for two years, among other cost-saving changes. The company argues the state process was intended to take just a year; the 360,000-barrel-per-day project was first proposed in 2013. Under the current lease, the company’s costs go way up Aug. 1 for a piece of land that likely wouldn’t see construction start until next year, if the project is approved at all.
The port’s three commissioners are expected to make a decision on the lease amendment at a meeting on Friday. Port staff has recommended rejecting the changes.
Port CEO Todd Coleman publicly expounded on why he recommended against the amendment before the hearing started this morning.
“Is three years enough?” he asked. “We also question whether the process is broken. We often see projects in Washington get stuck in quagmires.”
Coleman said he remains in support of the project, but didn’t see an apparent consensus among commissioners in supporting the amendment.
It is likely that Commissioner Brian Wolfe will cast the deciding vote later this week. He has said he isn’t sure how he’ll vote on the amendment. Commissioner Jerry Oliver appears in favor of the project and Commissioner Eric LaBrant opposed.
Opponents donning red shirts appeared to outnumber project supporters, though both sides made their points clear within the first few dozen comments. Union representatives, business organizations and others spoke in favor of the jobs and revenue tied to the project. Environmental groups, doctors and other opponents cited rail safety, the risk of spills, climate change and other environmental concerns.
“You don’t always have an opportunity to … change the direction of where you’re going,” said state Rep. Sharon Wylie, a Vancouver Democrat who urged the port to deny the lease amendment. “This decision is one of those opportunities.”
But the state Building Trades Council had a different message: “Don’t backtrack now.”
The state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is finalizing its environmental review and preparing for five weeks of adjudication on the project this summer. Eventually it will deliver a recommendation on the project to Gov. Jay Inslee, who gets final say on the terminal.
Opponents have urged the port to take a vote on the full lease, since it can now be terminated without penalty. Supporters continue to champion the jobs and other economic benefits the terminal could bring.
Follow reporter Brooks Johnson at Twitter.com/readbrooks for updates throughout the day.
