Bob Callahan — Candidate for City Council, District 4
Candidate statement:
We must deliver on our climate promises. The first and most important climate issue facing Portland is the CEI-HUB on the Willamette river in Linnton.
The Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub is located along the north reach of the Willamette River. Most of the liquid fuel for the state of Oregon and for PDX comes through the hub via pipeline, barge and are stored in tank farms. These were constructed before Portland’s seismic vulnerability was widely understood and before it was known that area is in a liquefaction zone. When an earthquake hits this area, it could potentially cause the tanks to “sink, split, tilt or leak” among other things. The risks to the nearby communities, the critical infrastructure, and the environment could be catastrophic.
Discussions about how to address this situation often include suggestions to move the CEI hub but that would not only be tremendously difficult, and moving the HUB might not actually solve the problem, just move the problem to another location. Therefore, my recommendations include the following:
• Require seismic upgrades for all facilities in the CEI. That includes tanks, the pipeline and other facilities. The question is who (if anyone) has the authority to require it? (*see some of the regulating agencies below) According to the Oregon Solutions process document, state agencies have limited regulatory authority over liquid fuel hubs, and what exists is not well understood. Some interviewees report they know of no authority to make fuel companies mitigate for a CZE event.
• Limit risks. It is unclear what we can and/or should control to limit risks. Vehicle movement? Train travel? Hazardous materials? Prohibit expansion?
• Develop an emergency response plan for a catastrophic event. How can we protect the community of Linton? How can we protect Forest Park from igniting and burning through the West Hills? How can we keep the fuel that feeds the Oregon economy and airport moving to help with recovery? How can we prevent a spill in the Willamette and Columbia Rivers that would harm fish, wildlife and endangered species? What would be the effect on the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup?
The CEI-HUB is a huge challenge, but one that we must tackle for the sake of Portland, the communities that live nearby, for Oregon’s economy, to protect fish and wildlife and the continued livability of this area and Portland.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
Will you ensure the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) remains climate-focused in line with what voters intended?
Yes
