[Vision2020] Bellingham, Wa. City Council Passes Resolution Jun. 2010: "Whereas... Canada's Tar Sands Generates Three Times More Global Warming Pollution..."

[Ron Force]

Bellingham has its own issue coming up:
http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/20272/Bellingham-s-first-debate-on-coal-for-China-project-reflects-growing-tensions/

...The first public debate on the construction of a giant coal-shipping terminal north of Bellingham made it quite clear that opposing forces are, well, like trains running on separate tracks, with increasing frustrations on all sides.

Developers of the proposed $400 million project at Cherry Point north of Bellingham talk about jobs — up to 213 to 280 permanent longshore jobs.

Opponents, an increasing segment of the city, want to talk about the impact of an additional 18 to 20 trains every day, a mile-and-a-half long and very loud and heavy, running through some of the city's most valuable property.

The twain did not meet Wednesday as SSA Marine, the developer for Gateway Pacific, faced off with ReSources for Sustainable Communities in an hour-long session at Bellingham City Club. An audience of nearly 400, the hall's capacity, reflected rising interest in an issue that essentially ran under the public's radar for months.

What is frustrating for proponents, opponents, and the community in particular is the fact that the coal-terminal project itself is less controversial (although it does face serious opposition on environmental grounds) than the idea of routing so many huge trains through the city....


 
Ron Force
Moscow Idaho USA


________________________________
From: Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 2:19 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Bellingham, Wa. City Council Passes Resolution Jun. 2010: "Whereas... Canada's Tar Sands Generates Three Times More Global Warming Pollution..."


Those who think Moscow is dominated by progressive environmentalists should consider how a city council that is truly environmental in philosophy 
might respond to the Canada tar sands bound mega-loads passing through their city limits.  Even if a resolution such as the following from Bellingham, Washington has little impact on actually stopping tar sands development, it sends a message to the community regarding the seriousness of the problem of tar sands development impacts on climate change, and that even those operating on the level of city government should address the issue and accept responsibility:
 
Draft of Bellingham resolution specifically against Canada tar sands oil:
 
http://www.cob.org/web/COUNCIL.nsf/0/CC4D3E2B2B770E4B882577370074AF88/$File/07jun2010_AB18877.pdf?OpenElement
 
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City of Bellingham steers away from tar sands oil
 
http://bbjtoday.com/blog/city-bellingham-steers-tar-sands-oil/7594#
by Ryan Wynne
Filed on 09. Jun, 2010 in News
By Ryan Wynne
The Bellingham City Council passed two resolutions Monday intended to gently steer the city away from using tar sands oil. The resolutions were passed just weeks after council renewed a 10-year franchise agreement with Trans Mountain Pipeline, which transports some of the controversial oil in a pipeline running through Bellingham.
Tar sands oil is seen as controversial due to environmental effects that result from mining and processing it, and before council voted to approve the franchise agreement, community members spent three council meetings urging them not to renew.
So, on Monday, councilmen were met with applause when they unanimously approved a resolution promoting energy alternatives to fossil fuels, in particular high carbon fuels such as those derived from Canadian tar sands sources.
Council was met with less visible audience enthusiasm just minutes later when it unanimously passed a resolution that could affect the city’s next fleet vehicle fuel supply contract. That resolution would give preference to refiners that don’t use tar sands oil.
While the first fossil fuel resolution was passed with very little discussion, the second raised some concerns.
Councilmen Terry Bornemann said the measure seemed sudden considering the fleet fuel contract won’t be up for renewal until 2014. Bornemann said that would give them plenty of time to get feedback from city staff and that council should wait for that feedback.
“It’s not for another five years,” Bornemann said. “I don’t understand the rush.”
But Councilman Michael Lilliquist said the resolution only sets forth goals, not restrictions. It is a commitment to look in another direction, he said.
Councilman Barry Buchanan said he was concerned with potential costs to the city that could result from avoiding tar sands fuels.
Councilman Jack Weiss responded that economic costs shouldn’t be the only ones considered; environmental and social implications should also be weighed.
To allay concerns, Councilman Seth Fleetwood recommended adding the phrase “where such effort is reasonably feasible” to the resolution, which was enough to convince all seven councilmen to approve the resolution.
Next time the city considers fuel contracts for Bellingham fleet vehicles, “where such effort is reasonably feasible,” fuels with higher than normal greenhouse gas footprints will be avoided, those with higher than average environmental or social impacts will be avoided, fuels produced by refineries taking feedstock from Canada’s tar sands will be minimized, and preference will be given to fuels with lower than normal greenhouse gas footprints.
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