The Vancouver City Council is expected to vote tonight on an ordinance that would prohibit bulk crude oil storage and handling facilities and oil refineries, because of safety concerns.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at city hall, 415 W. Sixth St. An hour prior, opponents of Vancouver Energy’s proposal to build a vast crude oil handling facility at the Port of Vancouver will rally across the street, in Esther Short Park.
The ordinance before the council would not affect the Vancouver Energy proposal, which is under review by the state Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council. Nor would it affect an active proposal by NuStar Energy, whose preliminary application is already in review. That project involves receiving an average of 22,000 barrels of crude oil daily by rail at NuStar’s two bulk tank terminals in Vancouver, at the port and at 5420 Fruit Valley Road, and shipping it out by barge.
To come up with a recommendation for the city council, Vancouver city staff researched other cities, homing in on Bellingham and Hoquiam, both of which limit fossil fuel commodity refining and storage. Bellingham prohibits petroleum processing and storage of a barrel or more at a time. Hoquiam prohibits bulk crude oil storage and handling facilities.
The meeting is open to the public. Public testimony was heard on the plan last week.
