By Janine Gates
As the blockade of a Union Pacific train carrying
ceramic proppants in downtown Olympia continues into its sixth evening, Port of
Olympia executive director Ed Galligan issued a brief press release written and
released late Wednesday evening:
“The Port of Olympia is continuing to monitor a
blockage located on a privately-owned rail line outside of Port facilities,
where protestors have essentially halted interstate commerce for Port and other
local business customers (e.g. Mottman Business Park).
“Given the location and nature of these impacts, any
future response or resolution will be coordinated by appropriate local, state
and federal authorities. The Port’s top
priority is to see this situation resolved peacefully and ensure the safety of
all involved, including Port staff who have also been subject to intimidation
via recent vandalism at the Port’s administrative offices.
“The Olympian has reported that the Port’s
involvement in the shipping of fracking sands is one of the stated reasons behind
the current protest. While the Port
respects differing opinions, it is important to note that Port Districts are
regulated by the Shipping Act of 1984.
The act requires ports to move all cargos deemed safe and legal.”
It is unclear why Galligan would single out The
Olympian newspaper as the sole source for his information. The protesters and other
community members have made it abundantly clear to the Port that the shipping
of ceramic proppants is one of the reasons for their protest.
At least two commissioners have been in direct communication with the protesters, and all, including Galligan, have received letters from community members about the issue.
At least two commissioners have been in direct communication with the protesters, and all, including Galligan, have received letters from community members about the issue.
Many concerned individuals were
present and spoke at the port commission meeting on Monday night during public comment, and an autonomous group at the rail blockade issued a
public letter to the port that was sent to the port and reprinted in a Little Hollywood article Wednesday morning.
Commissioner
Downing’s View
Little
Hollywood asked the three Port Commissioners over the past weekend about
the rail blockade. E.J. Zita’s statement was published in a previous article. Commissioner
Bill McGregor has not yet responded.
Received on Wednesday, here is Port Commissioner Joe
Downing’s statement about port cargoes:
As a Port Commissioner, I am bound by two things:
the Shipping Act of 1984, and the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution,
both of which prohibit states or local agencies from interfering with
interstate (and international) commerce.
On a more personal level, I will not act in conflict with the law of the
land: 48 out of 50 states allow fracking, as does the federal government. Fracking in general has allowed the United
States two very big dividends:
1) We have
less greenhouse gases from energy production, due to more reliance on natural
gas, and less on coal;
2) We are
less reliant on Middle East oil, and that makes going to war over oil that much
less likely – the last oil war in Iraq and Afghanistan cost 4,400 American, and
500,000 Afghan and Iraqi lives.
Not only that, but the public has implored the Port
to improve its bottom line by making the Marine Terminal more profitable. So, how can we decline cargo when we are
uniquely positioned to accept proppant cargo from China, and to export logs
grown from many different private land tracts?
I appreciate the citizens who come to Port meetings
to voice their concerns. I continue to
believe that the great majority of people who live in Thurston County want me
to a) use my best judgement in Port matters, and b) diversify, not divest, the
cargoes of the Port.
For
more information about the Port of Olympia, ceramic proppants, and the rail
blockade, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.
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