Time to speak up or forever hold your peace.

The oil companies Tesoro and Savage are proposing to build the largest crude oil transit terminal on the West Coast at the Port of Vancouver, Washington. It would be nearly half the capacity of the Keystone XL pipeline and would transport crude oil by rail from the Bakken fields in North Dakota and tar sands in Canada, directly through Spokane and on to Vancouver, Washington.

With the capacity for a staggering 360,000 barrels of crude oil per day, this proposed oil transit terminal would require at least four mile-and-a-half long trains per day. For communities along the rail line, including Spokane, the consequences of a project of this magnitude are significant. Additional rail traffic through our region raises numerous concerns, especially because the train cars will be carrying crude oil.

Tesoro/Savage now must get approval from Governor Inslee because the quantity of oil proposed for shipment is so large. The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) will make a recommendation to the Governor on the unprecedented project and then the Governor will make the final decision to deny or approve the terminal. The EFSEC is coming to Spokane on Dec. 11th to hear the community's concerns regarding how this project could affect our watershed and our well-being.

Here are the details for the hearing and your chance for written comment:

-Wednesday, December 11th 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Provide public testimony at EFSEC's public scoping hearing at the Centerplace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place in Spokane Valley.

-Wednesday, Dec 18th Deadline for submitting your concerns to EFSEC. Submit written comments by email, or in hard copy to Stephen Posner, EFSEC Interim Manager, Energy Facility Siting Evaluation Council, P.O. Box 43172, 1300 S Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, Washington 98504.

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