By Shaun Hubbard

Thank you to the Journal and Emily Greenberg for writing the article about the Shell refinery proposed expansion, “Proposal to deliver crude by rail prompts concerns over shipping,” Oct 20, 2014.

For San Juan Islanders for Safe Shipping (aka Safe Shippers), “concerns” is too mild.

While mainlanders are vocal in their insistence on safe rail transport of coal and crude oil, Safe Shippers are islanders who advocate for the protection of our waters. In the entire U.S. portion of the Salish Sea, San Juan County is surrounded by the greatest risk of a major oil spill—both the existing oil spill risk and the future risk if the new and expanding terminal project proposals are approved.

The Shell refinery expansion is just one of a myriad of fossil fuel transport projects proposed in our region. Washington state’s other four refineries have already received approval for rail facilities.

The potential for the refineries to act as terminals (loading crude received by rail directly onto vessels) cannot be overlooked, especially if the federal ban on U.S. crude oil exports is lifted.

Two export terminal projects—planned for the shipment of U.S. coal—are awaiting draft environmental impact statements: the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point, which, if approved, would mean an additional 487 bulk carriers per year traversing our islands’ waters; and the Millennium Bulk Terminals in Longview, which has the potential to negatively affect the Columbia River salmon population upon which our endangered Southern resident killer whales feed. We all know what the whales mean to our island way of life.

Safe Shippers are also keeping an eye on Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project just north of the border. In addition to tripling the capacity of its existing pipeline from Alberta to Vancouver, the permit application for this expansion includes increased pipeline capacity to Washington state refineries.

Safe Shippers and other island groups and individuals—including our County Council—will be submitting comments next March to Canada’s National Energy Board, regarding the Kinder Morgan project application.

What we intend to say is that an additional 408 tankers a year (seven times greater than Kinder Morgan’s current vessel traffic), transporting Alberta Tar Sands crude oil through our waters, poses too much risk. Too much risk to the healthy marine environment that is the foundation of our county’s economy, and too much risk without an adequate plan or funding to pay for the cleanup of a spill on the shores of our homes and public beaches.

Any and all of these projects would mean increased vessel traffic with its inherent increase in the risks of marine accidents and oil spills, including air and sound pollution. Every one of these consequences has the potential to inflict long-lasting damage to these islands and our quality of life.

If you would like to add your voice along with other islanders asking for prevention, protection and mitigation from these accumulating threats, please e-mail me at: islandersforsafeshipping@gmail.com. Thank you.