Thank You, But. Governor Inslee Must Put Action Behind Rhetoric
by Darren Moore
A coalition of almost 80 community and environmental groups have co-signed a letter sent to Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, urging him to take more specific action on environmental issues.
The coalition’s call to action came after Governor Inslee signed a bill that banned hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the state, a move that was widely praised. However, it was the Governor’s statement regarding two contentious fracked gas projects, the Tacoma liquefied natural gas plant, and the Kalama methanol production facility, that garnered the most attention. Inslee declared that he could not in good conscience support the continued construction of these facilities, based on the most recent scientific evidence regarding the environmental effects of fracking.
The Governor’s announcement was a welcome surprise to many, particularly the Puyallup Tribe and allies who have been opposing the Tacoma LNG project for years without support from elected officials. The coalition letter, which the Governor received on the same day as his announcement, applauded Inslee for standing with Northwest Tribal nations, locally impacted communities, environmental advocates, and health professionals opposing the Tacoma LNG facility and Kalama methanol refinery. However, the letter emphasized that stopping these facilities is the only way for Inslee to gain the political traction he might be looking for, through these announcements. Words, they say, are not enough.
The coalition’s letter urges Inslee to direct the Department of Ecology to oversee the process of supplementing the Environmental Impact Statement for the LNG facility in Tacoma and to reject the Kalama methanol refinery lead agencies’ inaccurate and incomplete environmental analyses.
The Puyallup Tribe has consistently voiced opposition to the Tacoma LNG facility, which is being built on mudflats in an earthquake, lahar, and tsunami zone, not only making it a violation of the the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854, but also a clear and present danger to the health and future of the tribe.
Citizens along the shores of the Salish Sea/Puget Sound have refused to bend on the issue of fracked fuels and polluting industries. Protectors say the pollution is affecting everyone’s health, negatively impacting neighborhoods, and leading all living things toward extinction.
The Port of Tacoma took a different view to Inslee’s announcement, stating that while they appreciate the desire to move beyond fossil fuels, they believe that no real-world alternative to fossil fuels exists for powering cargo vessels that ‘drive the economy.’ Puget Sound Energy also made a dismissive post on their Tacoma Clean LNG page, stating “Yesterday’s words from the governor netted a lot of media attention, but our Tacoma LNG project remains on track.”
Overall, while Inslee’s statement is a positive step, it is clear that more needs to be done to back up these words with action, as demanded by the growing coalition of groups fighting against these facilities in the Pacific Northwest.
