Letter to the Editor Re: Zenith Energy

The time is now for Portland City Council to stop Zenith Energy’s transporting fossil fuels into and out of our city. Zenith Energy brings Bakken and toxic tar sands crude oil on “bomb” trains through the Columbia River Gorge, Vancouver, and Portland, loading it onto ships bound for refineries. Oil trains explode.

Zenith came to Portland in late 2017, buying an asphalt company, Arc Logistics, and using Arc Logistics' asphalt permits to operate Zenith's crude oil business. This sneaky tactic, though legal, was in clear violation of the intent of Portland’s 2016 ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Even worse, during this past year of the pandemic, Zenith has continued to be a bad actor. It has started construction on its site without a stormwater permit in violation of the Clean Water Act. Besides that, Zenith’s is still operating under an out-of-date Air Quality permit intended for an asphalt company! In order for Zenith Energy to get these permits, Portland City Council must sign off that this project is compatible with Portland’s Land Use goals. 

Portland City Council has the power to act now for the safety and health of all of its residents and for the survival of our planet. The City Council must declare that Land Use Compatible Zenith IS NOT.