"Good Jobs Now" describes BP Cherry Point Refinery, provider of approximately 850 jobs, producer of aviation fuel for airports in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver and 20 percent of all gasoline sold in Washington State. I believe the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal could endanger safety at BP Refinery.
GPT's five half-mile long, 60- to 80-feet high, open coal storage piles would be located within one mile of BP Refinery. It's estimated that each year over three million pounds of coal dust would escape into the air from GPT's open coal storage piles. Prevailing winds would blow GPT's coal dust directly onto BP Refinery structures. Since accumulated coal dust on railroad tracts is known to cause train derailments, accumulated coal dust on BP's mechanical/electronic sensors, gauges, switches, valves, etc. could cause disastrous malfunctions at BP Refinery.
GPT's coal dust hazards for BP Refinery must be included as part of the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement. When Whatcom County Council members study the EIS and vote on permits for GPT, they must consider whether it's worth endangering our valuable business neighbor, BP Cherry Point Refinery and its current 850 jobs, for the sake of GPT's 89 jobs in 2016 (and no more than 213 jobs in 2026) while never providing any commodity to our community.
Perhaps it's time we, responsibly, re-think..."Good Jobs Now."
Michael Crum
Birch Bay
