Goal: Generate Comments to DEQ and Governor Kotek
Plan: Oregon DEQ will soon open the comment period for Zenith Energy’s Air Quality Permit. This permit is required for Zenith’s continued operations. Public comments have been instrumental in eliminating numerous regional fossil fuel proposals during the past decade.
Willamette Riverkeeper’s Urban Conservation Director Bob Sallinger will be on hand to guide us with our letters to Governor Kotek in urging her to take an active role in protecting our environment and the climate.
This time, we will combine a shorter-than-usual panel session with a comment-writing workshop. Following the panel, we’ll distribute talking points, provide tips for writing effective comments and move into small table groups—and get to writing! Not necessary, but feel free to bring your laptop.
WHO:
Rumble Panel:
Bob Sallinger. Urban Conservation Director with Willamette Riverkeeper
Kate Murphy. Community Organizer with Columbia Riverkeeper
Nick Caleb. Climate & Energy Attorney with Breach Collective
WHY:
Rumble On The River community forums bring together expert voices to explain the risks of having 90% of Oregon’s fuel stored within Portland’s city limits. The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub, a 6-mile stretch of aging tank farms, stands on an earthquake liquefaction zone on the banks of the Willamette River. The CEI Hub poses serious health, safety, cultural, social justice, economic and environmental risks to every Portland neighborhood and the entire Northwest region. Zenith Energy stores and transports oil through the CEI Hub.
CO-SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
350PDX — Alliance for Democracy —Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association — Braided River Campaign — Breach Collective — Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association — Columbia Riverkeeper — Cully Neighborhood Association — EcoFaith Recovery — Extinction Rebellion PDX — First Unitarian Portland — Havurah Climate Action Team — Human Access Project — Kenton Neighborhood Association — Linnton Neighborhood Association — Mosquito Fleet — Mt Tabor Neighborhood Association — Neighbors for Clean Air — Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club — Oregon Conservancy Foundation — Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility — Pearl District Neighborhood Association — P.E.S.T. Projection — Portland Audubon — Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group — Portland Harbor Community Coalition — Portland Jobs with Justice — Portland Raging Grannies — Portland Youth Climate Council — Portland Youth Climate Strike — Portsmouth Neighborhood Association — Sauvie Island Neighborhood Association — St. Johns Neighborhood Association — Sunrise Movement-PDX — Willamette Riverkeeper
Background
Jay Wilson’s CEI Hub GoogleEarth Flyover Video More here.
"Cascadia Earthquake Could Release Deadly Chemicals, Endangering Much Of Multnomah County".OPB. 10/20/2023. April Ehrlich
Background on the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub and Zenith Energy,
"Once A Braided River", an audio documentary by Barbara Bernstein
The Multnomah County Commission contracted EcoNorthwest to study the “Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub”.
Here is the executive summary of the report issued in Feb 2022