On June 3, 2016, the small town of Mosier in the Columbia River Gorge, near Hood River, made regional and national news of the most unfortunate kind. Firefighters battled for 14 hours to contain a dangerous oil fire from a derailed 96-car Union Pacific train carrying highly flammable Bakken crude oil. One year later, Mosier’s groundwater is still contaminated, and oil and railroad companies are seeking to expand oil and coal train traffic through the Columbia River Gorge, a National Scenic Area, despite opposition from Columbia River treaty tribes, the town of Mosier, and many larger cities along the potential route.
On this special edition of Locus Focus we observe the one year anniversary of the near-disaster in Mosier. We are joined by Columbia Riverkeeper's conservation director Dan Serres and Mosier mayor Arlene Burns.
On the first anniversary of the Mosier oil train derailment, people are gathering at the Mosier Community School, 1204 Historic Columbia River Highway (US-30 E) in Mosier at 12:00 pm, Saturday, June 3, 2017, to send a clear message of support for Mosier, as well as other communities along the rail lines like Vancouver, Spokane, and Portland, and tribal communities who are standing up to oil. Speakers will start at 12:00 pm, followed by a community walk to the Columbia River.
Raise your voice against the proposed Tesoro-Savage oil-by-rail terminal proposed to be build in Vancouver, WA which would be the largest oil-by-rail terminal in North America. On June 7, 2017, Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) will hold its final major hearing about the Tesoro Savage oil train terminal. The hearing runs from 1 - 4 pm and 5 - 9 pm. There will be a rally outside Gaiser Hall from 4 - 5 pm.
Clark College, Gaiser Hall
1933 Fort Vancouver Way
Vancouver, WA 98663
- KBOO