To the editor:
We applaud the Bainbridge City Council for not only passing a resolution to restrict the transport of oil through our state, but actually strengthening the draft we presented.
Recently citizens in Benicia, California, concerned about oil transport in their area, cited the Bainbridge resolution as support for their town passing a similar resolution — proving that actions taken on our island can have a beneficial and significant rippling effect.
Two years ago oil trains began arriving in our state destined for refineries and ports carrying primarily fracked crude from the Bakken deposits in North Dakota. Bakken crude is more flammable than traditional crude and oil tanker cars have proved to be susceptible to derailment even when traveling at reduced speeds. There have been five major derailments and explosions since July of last year when 47 people were incinerated in Quebec near the Maine border and hundreds of smaller incidents including a recent derailment in Seattle.
Plans call for the greatly expanded movement of Bakken and Tar Sands oil through our state and along the full length of the Sound. A single major spill by rail or tanker vessel in the Sound could cost our economy $10.8 billion and negatively impact 165,000 jobs according to the Department of Ecology.
A credible argument has yet to be made that any of this is good for our state. Coal and oil train traffic is already preventing other Washington businesses from getting their products to ports or markets in other states. Amtrak is experiencing serious scheduling problems and this situation will only get worse as oil train traffic increases. And there are few jobs created by fossil fuels transport and potentially many more jobs destroyed.
Our safety, our economy and our environment continues to be threatened by the plans of the fossil fuels industry to turn Washington into a giant thoroughfare for transporting coal, oil and, eventually, liquefied natural gas. It is up to citizens to work for the creation of programs and regulations that protect both our state and our shared environment. To become involved in this and other related issues, please contact us at climateactionbainbridge@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.
WENDY JONES AND ERIKA SHRINER
Co-Chairs,
Climate Action Bainbridge
