A second candidate has announced his bid to become the next Port of Vancouver District 1 commissioner.
Kris Greene announced his intentions to run on Friday. If elected, he would replace Commissioner Brian Wolfe, who doesn’t plan to run for re-election.
“I bring a lot of community and business background. I can help the port attain some really great things,” Greene said. Adding that one of his goals is to attract businesses that will support the community, especially those that will offer mentoring programs in the schools.
Greene’s announcement marks his first foray into politics. He’s been a local insurance agent for about 20 years and lived in Vancouver for about as long. He currently serves on the East Vancouver Business Association board as the director of government affairs. He’s been an active member of several other community groups including the Evergreen School District Foundation.
Greene spoke highly of the port’s condition and that he wants to build on the “successful accomplishments of current and former commissioners.”
Aside from the need to bring in more businesses, Greene said he saw little about the port that needed to be improved.
Possibly the biggest difference between Greene and his opponent Don Orange, the only other candidate to announce so far, is the Vancouver Energy oil terminal.
If it’s built, the terminal will be capable of transferring 360,000 barrels of oil per day from an average of four 120-car trains per day traveling through the Columbia River Gorge into marine vessels destined for West Coast refineries.
Orange has been an outspoken critic of the port commission and its continued support of the project.
In contrast, Greene said he supports the terminal and the decisions the port has made on it so far.
“If they can do it safely, intelligently and thoughtfully it’s a good program,” he said. “I think it’s important we have the strongest safety voice with the terminal we can have. I think the terminal is going to be built here in Vancouver. If not, it’s going to be built somewhere else, and then we don’t have the voice of safety and leverage with Vancouver Energy or Tesoro.”
Vancouver Energy’s lease with the port is up for renewal again in June, and every three months thereafter, unless either party decides to terminate. But Greene believes the terminal’s fate will be decided before the election.
The state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is now reviewing the project and is expected to give a recommendation to Gov. Jay Inslee in the coming months. Inslee will then have two months to decide the fate of the project.
