Members of the public on Tuesday again urged the Port of Vancouver to abandon its lease for a proposed oil terminal, but commissioners were mum on the topic that has seen unanimous support turn into an uncertain majority among the port’s three elected officials.
“Please be our heroes and cancel the lease now,” said Alona Steinke, referring to the port’s agreement with Tesoro Corp. and Savage Cos. for a 360,000-barrel-per-day rail-to-marine oil terminal.
The commissioners, who occasionally respond to public comments later during their meetings, made no mention of the lease.
Absent Tuesday was Commissioner Brian Wolfe, who was laid up following a surgical procedure. He said last week he wasn’t sure how he would vote if he’s again faced with a decision on the oil terminal lease.
That makes him a potential swing vote on the three-member commission who many would like to sway.
“I encourage everyone to write a letter to the commissioners,” Linda Armstrong said at the meeting. “Let them know they will back them, they will be successful” if they cancel the lease.
Language in the lease has left the door open for the port to terminate the agreement by Aug. 1 without financial penalty, since the permitting process now underway will extend past that date. But it isn’t clear whether the port must take up the lease again or if it simply has the option to.
“We haven’t yet received a request from Vancouver Energy to change the lease, so we don’t know whether the commissioners will be addressing it at an upcoming meeting,” said port spokeswoman Abbi Russell.
The lease was twice approved 3-0 in 2013.
Opposition to the terminal over safety and environmental concerns has been widespread. Supporters have pointed to billions in economic benefits and the jobs the terminal could bring.
