60 Minutes to Stand Up to Bomb Trains

60 Minutes to Stand Up to Bomb Trains

By Dan Serres Conservation Director 

Over 15 terrifying oil train derailments, fires, and spills have taught us a clear-cut lesson: Oil trains are unsafe. People from all over the Pacific NW know this fact. Now, it’s time for Oregon agencies to stop giving oil train companies the benefit of the doubt.

On May 5, 2020, we hosted a virtual presentation “60 Minutes to Stand Up to Bomb Trains” as a part of the “Love Your Columbia Community” online series. Columbia Riverkeeper extends a special thank you to Stand Up to Oil Coalition partners Ryan Rittenhouse, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, and Elijah Cetas, Center for Sustainable Economy, for co-presenting.

Columbia Riverkeeper Staff Attorney, Erin Saylor, shared information about the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) comment period regarding the draft air pollution permit for Global Partners’ Port Westward facility, also known as the Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery, and how the public can engage on this issue.  

Here are three ways to get involved:

1. ACT: Click here to send DEQ a public comment.
2. SPEAK UP: Participate in DEQ’s online public hearing on Wednesday, May 13 at 6:00 p.m. Instructions for joining the webinar are found in the public notice. 
3. Stay Connected: Love Your Columbia Community, is a new series of online support and activism during these hard times featuring inspiration, conversations on digital platforms, and fun activities for kids.

We’ll be in touch with you as the oil industry continues to push forward new plans and schemes to increase oil-train traffic through our region, and let you know how you can help. If you are able, please donate today to Columbia Riverkeeper and together we will continue to fight for the Columbia River. Now, more than ever, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to stop fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Watch: “The Crude Gamble of Oil by Rail: Bomb Trains” six years later, this Vice video story still rings true: