Hey everyone,
Following multiple derailments of Norfolk Southern’s trains over the past few months, the National Transportation Safety Board is opening a special investigation into the company’s safety practices. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Norfolk Southern has prioritized their bottom line over the safety of their employees and local communities, lobbying heavily against safety regulations and spreading misinformation to cover up the dangers of their practices.
Here in Portland, Zenith Energy has a similar history of spreading misinformation while running dangerous trains through our communities. And similarly, if one of those trains were to derail, we would face dire consequences to our health and safety.
Our local officials should be doing whatever they can to remove oil trains from Portland and hold Zenith Energy accountable, but instead they’re allowing Zenith to expand its operations. At the end of last year, the City of Portland approved a land use permit for Zenith, paving the way for the company to continue transporting crude oil by rail for 5 more years. With this approval, the City turned its back on nearly 50 neighborhood associations, Multnomah County, 20 state legislators, dozens of environmental and community organizations, and thousands of Portland residents who all said NO to Zenith’s oil trains.
Do you live in the blast zone of Zenith’s oil trains?
We need to send Portland City Council members a reminder that they swore an oath to protect and serve the people of Portland, NOT a Texas-based oil company whose business plan destroys the climate and threatens our city’s very existence. It’s important we continue to keep the pressure on the City and make our message loud and clear:
Call & email City Council to demand they rescind the LUCS Permit for Zenith Energy:
- Commissioner Carmen Rubio: 503-823-3008, comm.rubio@portlandoregon.gov
- Commissioner Dan Ryan: 503-823-3589, commissionerryanoffice@
portlandoregon.gov - Commissioner Rene Gonzalez: 503-823-4151, gonzalezoffice@portlandoregon.
gov - Commissioner Mingus Mapps: 503-823-4682, mappsoffice@portlandoregon.gov
- Mayor Ted Wheeler: 503-823-4120, mayorwheeler@portlandoregon.
gov
In gratitude,
350PDX Staff & Community
Take Action
For quick actions like petitions, check out our Take Action Page. Take the Pledge of Action for more updates.
Tell your Legislators to Support Climate Justice in the 2023 Legislative Session
Right now, we have an opportunity to win important changes across all of Oregon in the 2023 Legislative Session. 350PDX has a list of bills we’re urging our Senators and Representatives to champion during the session. If passed, these bills would have sweeping, tangible benefits for our communities and our climate. Join us in calling on our legislators to champion these bills!
Call on your Legislators to Support Key Bills for Building Resilience
Take action with the Building Resilience Coalition for clean energy! The statewide coalition includes climate justice, public health, family, and youth organizations, business, labor, faith, and frontline communities, and thousands of Oregonians. We are advocating for legislative action to promote healthy, affordable, resilient homes and buildings that run on clean energy.
Homes and buildings are our first line of defense against climate harms, like extreme heat and wildfire smoke and the second largest source of climate pollution in Oregon. We can’t wait any longer for safer homes and buildings that protect us from climate extremes, provide life-saving cooling, and reduce climate pollution.
Take action for the International Day of Forests!
Yesterday – March 21 – was the International Day of Forests, and folks are taking action all week long to defend our forests! Forests are key tools for taking on climate change. Conserving old growth and mature trees is one of the most powerful—and cost-effective—ways to remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere. But right now, only a fraction of them are protected in the US.
Biden’s Executive Order on Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, etc (EO 14072) presents an opportunity to create a profoundly different future for our priceless federal forests. We need Biden to live up to his promises. Join us telling Biden to protect our forests on federal land to safeguard our communities from the future impacts of climate change.
Phone Zap to Support #StopCopCity Forest Defenders
The fight goes on to defend the Weelaunee Forest and Atlanta community from “Cop City” — a $90 million police-military compound on stolen Muscogee land. Forest Defenders detained at Dekalb County Jail after participating in the protests to #StopCopCity are reporting deplorable conditions including broken toilets, freezing temperatures, flooded cells, and no access to drinking water.
Call to demand the jail address these conditions NOW for the 4th & 6th floor, Pod 4SE 200, and all areas of the jail affected. Learn more here.
Are you an East Portland Resident? Join community members in opposing the Prologis Distribution Center
“We, the members of the East Portland community, strongly oppose the proposed redevelopment of the old K-Mart location at 122nd and NE Sandy Blvd. into a 38-bay distribution center, proposed by ProLogis, Inc. This proposed development poses significant risks and concerns to our community’s health, safety, and well-being.”
Are you a resident of East Portland? Read more about the proposed developed and sign the petition here.
Take action to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline
We need your help to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). The Mountain Valley Pipeline is uniquely risky, has devastated impacted communities, accrued hundreds of environmental violations, damaged Indigenous cultural and sacred sites, and would be a climate disruption nightmare.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued a Biologial Opinon that claims five endangered and threatened species on the MVP’s route will not be significantly threatened by construction. Science and impacted community members disagree. Tell the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject this deeply inadequate Biological Opinion, and not allow construction to proceed!
Events & Opportunities
Briefings on Right Size, Right Now Campaign
Wed, March 29, 1-4pm & Wed, April 5, 12-1pm — come to one or the other, rsvp here for more info
Oregon is at a decision point with the I-5 Bridge. We need an earthquake-safe bridge with public transit, bike and walk solutions. Oregon cannot risk a sprawling boondoggle that will increase air pollution and drive up costs for working commuters. Learn more about our Right Size, Right Now campaign to build the I-5 Bridge, protect our climate and create good union jobs. Join our campaign to educate leaders in the Oregon legislature. RSVP here for one of the Campaign Info Sessions – on March 29 or April 5.
Training: Making Organizing Spaces More Accessible
Wed, March 29, 6-7:30pm — RSVP here
This is the second webinar in the Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance’s Activist Training Series, which is taking a deep dive each month into important but unrecognized organizing skills, including facilitation, resolving conflict, making organizing spaces more accessible, and navigating burnout & building collective resilience. Movements are people-powered, and need the strengths of folks of all different backgrounds & experiences to be successful! What are the barriers to meaningful participation in our organizing spaces & events, and how can we lift them? Register here for ‘Making Organizing Spaces More Accessible’ on Wednesday March 29th 6-7:30pm.
Rumble on the River Community Forum #6: Fighting Zenith Energy and the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub
Thurs, April 20 (doors & Info Tables 6:00pm, Panel 6:30pm) — St Johns Church (8044 N Richmond, Portland) – learn more & RSVP here
Join the next Rumble on the River Community Forum — a series of forums about the fight against Zenith Energy & the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub! Each forum is different in its approach to examining the 6-mile stretch of aging tank farms that line the North Reach of the Willamette River within a seismic liquefaction zone. Learn more about this rumble and RSVP here.
Actions with Don’t Shoot PDX
Throughout the week, across the city – details here
Worker Solidarity Actions
Throughout the week, across the city – visit the Portland Jobs with Justice page for more info. Also see their list of solidarity actions.
New & Updates
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our Community Climate Action Gathering on Saturday! We co-hosted the gathering with the Breach Collective, the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Portland Youth Climate Strike, and were glad to see so many show up to learn more from these organizations about fossil fuel resistance movements both local and national. Stay tuned for more action opportunities, particularly in the movement to Stop Willow!
In love and gratitude,
The 350PDX staff
