Climate Action Coalition Calls on Port Commission to Join Hales in Rejecting Propane Terminal
Portland, OR: A $500 million proposal by Pembina Pipeline Corporation, the largest pipeline company in the Canadian tar sands, to build a propane export terminal in the city of Portland appears to be dead in the water. After initially welcoming the proposal, then facing widespread opposition from Portland residents, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales announced on May 7, 2015 that he would request Pembina withdraw their proposal. When Pembina insisted on pursuing their proposal in consultation with the Port Commission, Hales’ office announced on May 12 that the public hearing scheduled for June 10, 2015, to discuss the Terminal 6 Environmental Overlay Zoning Code and Map Amendments had been canceled and would not be rescheduled.
With both Mayor Hales’ public opposition to the proposal and no hearing or vote scheduled on the proposal by City Hall, it seems to be all but certain that the Pembina propane terminal is no longer viable.
However, in a public display of defiance, the Portland Port Commission issued a statement claiming it remains interested in pursuing the proposal with Pembina. In response, members of the Portland-area Climate Action Coalition, a coalition of environmental, faith-based, and social justice groups from the Portland area, flooded the hearing room of the Port Commission on the morning of May 13, letting them know they were displeased with the Port Commission’s lack of respect for the will of the people.
“We commend Mayor Hales’ for his rejection of this major fossil fuel infrastructure proposal in response to widespread opposition from Portland residents and we condemn the Port’s assumption that it should defy the will of Portland residents in order to cater to a wealthy foreign corporation,”
Said Daphne Wysham, director of the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network. “The Pacific Northwest is known worldwide as a climate leader; the worst perpetrators of climate destruction, the fossil fuel industry, have no future here.”
Hales’ about-face on Pembina came on the heels of many similar rejections of new fossil fuel infrastructure proposals by citizens and elected officials throughout the Pacific Northwest. “With Mayor Hales reversing his position on this extremely hazardous terminal and cancelling the hearing, the Climate Action Coalition can now focus our attention on making sure all other government bodies in our region uphold our will and work with us in meeting and exceeding our climate targets, starting with the Portland Port Commission,” said Nick Caleb, an attorney with Other Children’s Trust. “We will not sacrifice our climate leadership for the benefit of one of the largest pipeline companies in the Canadian tar sands.”
“The people of Portland resoundingly said, ‘No!’ to Pembina and thankfully, Mayor Hales listened,”
Said Adriana Voss-Andreae, director of 350PDX. “Pembina is turning a deaf ear to us, so we intend to make sure they and their allies at the Port Commission hear the voice of the people, where we will tell them to pack up and move back to Alberta.”
Portland was awarded the title of “climate champion” by the White House in 2014, a status only a handful of cities around the country have obtained. The Climate Action Coalition intends to push the City to be a true and lasting leader on climate change, nationally and internationally, starting with no new fossil fuel infrastructure, divestment from all fossil fuel companies, and making the Portland Climate Action Plan as strong as possible.
Written by Daphne Wysham and Nick Caleb of the Climate Action Coalition (CAC) May 13, 2015. The CAC is comprised of eight (and growing) groups in Portland, Oregon concerned with climate change, including 350PDX. For more info about the CAC, please visit this website.
Watch this video of Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director of the Audubon Society of Portland, giving testimony at the Port of Portland!
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Testimony at Port of Portland Pembina Hearing
/in Video /by Chris Palmer