EVENT: Two Local Vigils in opposition to Keystone XL Pipeline Monday FEB 3.

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Al Bergstein
Local support of the nationwide protest to  send the message to President Obama that Keystone XL fails his climate test and he must reject it.
The No KXL protest vigils are organized by CREDO, Rainforest Action Network, and the Sierra Club, and supported by 350.org, The Other 98%, Center for Biological Diversity, Oil Change International, Bold Nebraska, Energy Action Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Hip Hop Caucus, Overpass Light Brigade, Environmental Action, League of Conservation Voters, Waterkeeper Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Forest Ethics, Forecast the Facts, and others.
There will be a peaceful vigil on MONDAY,  February 3rd at two locations:
Port Angeles: Corner of West First and Valley Streets from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.  Sponsored by Olympic Climate Action  (http://olyclimate.org)
Port Townsend: Haller Fountain at Taylor and Washington Streets from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  Sponsored by Fossil Fuel Action Northwest, see their Facebook page.

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Jack Knox: Dump the rhetoric, prepare for oil spill – Times Colonist

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Al Bergstein

The best analysis on us yet. We (the NW Straits Initiative and the Jefferson County MRC ) put on this very training a few months ago here in Port Townsend. We are the front lines against the out of control Canadians. And even they admit it.

Listening to Barack Obama give his State of the Union address, you could just about envision the oil tankers sliding past Victoria. Or maybe not, depending on who’s reading the tea leaves. In any case, our neighbours across Juan de Fuca Strait are taking no chances. They’re preparing for an oil spill. Spurred on in part by the Kinder Morgan pipeline proposal, U.S. authorities on the Olympic Peninsula are getting down to the nuts and bolts of what to do if the black goop hits the beach. For this is what suddenly alarmed Americans are dealing with now that dependable if dull Canada, the Ned Flanders of North America, has suddenly gone Breaking Bad: Ford, Bieber and bitumen, baby — the Canucks have gone rogue.

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/jack-knox-dump-the-rhetoric-prepare-for-oil-spill-1.807248

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Tankers, barges and trains, oh my: The growing fossil-fuel threats in Washington – Crosscut

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Al Bergstein

While not immediately dangerous to the Peninsula, the increasing push to get crude oil shipped out from west coast ports here and in BC is intense and non stop. Here’s a good overview of the problem.

Vast amounts of crude oil, primarily from the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota, is being transported by rail throughout the United State and Canada. Eleven rail terminals are in various stages of completion in Washington state in anticipation of receiving this “shale on rail.” The public and regulators need to take a closer look at the big picture.

Fred Felleman opines.

http://crosscut.com/2013/11/12/environment/117378/oil-trains-fred-felleman/

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EVENT -FREE: Oil Spill Preparedness and Response: Free Public Workshop – Port Townsend – Nov 9

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Al Bergstein

 

bullhorniconPreparing for an oil spill in our local waters is the focus of an educational workshop on local agency and community preparedness and response on Saturday, November 9, 2013 from 9 am – 3:30 pm at the Northwest Maritime Center (431 Water St) in Port Townsend.  Here’s the story.  Sign up if you want to be prepared to help out when a spill happens.

Organized by the Northwest Straits Foundation in partnership with state, federal and local agencies, the purpose of the workshop is to inform and engage the public so that local citizens know who will be in charge, how decisions are made, how citizens can provide input to improve preparedness and response, and what training is needed to assist if an oil spill occurs.  Chrissy McLean, Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s Marine Program Coordinator and local Marine Mammal Stranding Network Coordinator, emphasized, “It’s important for people to understand how complex and organized an oil spill response needs to be. It takes an intense amount of organization and preparation to respond properly to an oil spill incident.”

Local, state, and federal agency staff that serve as “Incident Command” during oil spills will describe how they make decisions and what actions are needed to protect valuable natural and community assets.  U.S. Coast Guard, WA Department of Ecology, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tribal and Jefferson County Emergency Management representatives will describe the process and decisions they have to make in the event of an oil spill.

Information about upcoming volunteer training opportunities will also be presented.  Community members often want to volunteer to help in response to an oil spill, but oil spill response work can be dangerous and a health hazard, so it is critical that community volunteers have prior training. Al Bergstein, Chairperson for the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, advises, “Untrained volunteers who helped with the Exxon Valdex oil spill have had long-term health-related issues associated with working in these hazardous environments. We all want to help protect wildlife and marine habitats, but we need appropriate training to be safe and protect ourselves as well as the environment.”  At this workshop, attendees will also receive information about trainings and how they can help before, during and after an oil spill.  Upcoming volunteer training opportunities include workshops on recovering and caring for oiled wildlife, and hazardous materials training (“HAZWOPER”) in order to be ready to help out on the beach.

This event is free, but registration is required.  RSVP to Michelle Lim, Northwest Straits Foundation, at lim@nwstraits.org.  Lunch is not provided; please bring your own lunch.

This event is sponsored by the Northwest Straits Foundation, the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the City of Port Townsend and the Northwest Maritime Center.

 

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