Speak out at next oil train hearing | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published 10:34 pm Saturday, October 25, 2014

To the editor:

We are living with immense risk. Highly explosive oil trains up to a mile long are rolling through our towns and beside Puget Sound. The current volume of oil will multiply dramatically if planned oil refineries and ports are built along the coast.

The potential for disaster is very high. The oil rail cars are generally single hulled and have derailed and exploded repeatedly over the last few years. A small town in Quebec was incinerated by one of these exploding trains. 47 people died.

What if a train explodes by CenturyLink Field, or in any of the small towns along the route? A spill in the Sound or Columbia River would be catastrophic.

This surge in oil train traffic has also hurt Washington businesses. Wheat crops are delayed getting to port. Farmers in Central Washington has been impacted by increased rail costs of shipping produce to the Midwest.

It’s time to speak out about this risky and irresponsible policy. Governor Inslee has scheduled public hearings about oil train safety. Please join us at the Olympia hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. It will be at the Red Lion Inn, 2300 Evergreen Parkway Drive SW. For carpool information, contact ClimateActionBainbridge@gmail.com or call 206-201-3420.

Given the magnitude of risk from these trains, the benefits to the state are negligible. Tell Jay, this is a bad deal for Washington state.

ELLEN LOCKERT

Bainbridge Island