Near a dock at the Port of Vancouver where crude from the proposed oil terminal would be loaded onto ships.
Conrad Wilson / OPB
In the Vancouver region, there is arguably no issue more hotly felt than the proposed Tesoro-Savage oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver. The Port commission has been criticized for approving a lease to the company in 2013 without what many opponents felt was a proper public process. Business groups and some labor unions support the project because of the economic development and jobs that it would bring. But environmental groups and others have raised concerns about the safety of oil trains in the wake of oil-related disasters in the U.S. and Canada.
The issue has drawn no less than seven candidates for an open seat on the three-member Port of Vancouver commission — a remarkably high number for this race.
GUESTS:
- Aaron Corvin: Port and economy reporter for The Columbian newspaper
- Brian Wolfe: Port of Vancouver commissioner (pre-recorded)
- Jared Larrabee: General manager of Vancouver Energy and project manager for Tesoro-Savage (pre-recorded)
- Dan Serres: Conservation director for Columbia Riverkeeper
- Dave Byers: Washington State Department of Ecology oil spill planner
- Barry Cain: President of Gramor Development
- Lisa Ross: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Eric LeBrant: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Bill Hughes: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Peter Harrison: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Bob Durgan: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Scott Dalesandro: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
- Nick Ande: Candidate for Port of Vancouver commission
Editor's Note: After the show, a few audience members who we weren't able to fit into the hour, stuck around to give their comments on the proposed oil terminal and related issues.