Comments

1
Unless these folks start doing the same at car showrooms, this all just stinks of NIMBYism.
2
@1: I havent heard anyone suggesting Shell's arctic drilling fleet should moor at another port instead. I believe protesters hope all communities refuse Foss' and Shell's business. It's not "not in my backyard;" it's "no."
3
I'd be interested in interviews with some of these activists to learn more about the general theory of this movement. Is its purpose to increase the marginal costs of drilling for oil? Is it symbolic? Stuff like that. Its all a bit puzzling.

This isn't an "I'm concerned" or a rhetorical question. Its sincere curiosity.

Fossil fuel is so mighty, any victory against it at all probably justifies itself.
4
You want real management and accountability at the Port? Rescind the tax district and force that den of cronyism and corruption to stand on its own two feet.
5
@3 Drilling in the Arctic is extremely costly and risky. So far Shell is the only company to even consider it and their previous attempt was a disaster. Mooring at the Port of Seattle is much safer and cost-effective than mooring at Dutch Harbor year round. One of the ideas is that denying them this port could either prevent this years drilling season or even force a reconsideration of the Arctic endeavour that has cost them billions of dollars and yet to see a drop of oil. Plus it sends a huge message to the feds who have to decide on whether or not to approve Shell's lease despite significant climate and environmental concerns.

So its both symbolic and practical. This is one of those cases where increasing the marginal costs could kill the project.
6
The answer to the commissioners' dissembling about potential costs for breach of contract and lawsuits is simple... Then you shouldn't have intentionally circumvented public disclosure rules to make a deal that you knew would be politically unpopular, but you did... so now you have to be the group of commissioners who go into your next campaigns (whether for reelection or higher office) with the stain of having made a decision that ended up costing millions in public funds, all for the sake of appeasing a deep pocket corporation. That SHOULD be their political legacy because of how they chose to execute the office they were elected to.
7
Thanks, callidan.

@4 - I'm curious how rescinding the tax authority would make the port commission more inclined to decline cash money from corporations.
8
In the next election, we need to vote out this entire POS Commission, and replace them with people who will respond to the broader community instead of just sucking up to corporations.

Courtney views the POS as a pit stop on her climb to continue the Gregoire Dynasty, and was happy to escape this meeting by doing an errand for Microsoft. Creighton has a well documented anger problem, and stalked an ex-GF even after, fearing for her life, she obtained a protective order against him. His attitude toward the global environment is just as brutal.
9
@1 and @3 your indifference, flawed logic, and laziness is what enables predatory corporations to ruin the planet without facing opposition.

10
Whoever runs against these turkeys gers my vote AND my campaign donation. Fuck these commissioners.
11
@1 Drilling in the arctic isn't zero sum for supply, its simply a profit center for shell, since they aren't taxed appropriately and as of 2014, the US is a exporter of oil right now thanks to the cheap shale in the dakotas. Oil companies like the arctic because there are less people around to pay off when it goes sideways unlike the gulf of mexico. Ask google about how well the valdez spill was payed out. ( pro tip, it's still in court! )

The "Protesters are just hypocrite sandal hippies who drive" slur doesn't hold a ton of water if you are keeping track of global commodity markets, OPEC, or the FUCKING PRICE OF GAS RIGHT NOW IDIOTS.

@10 Commissioners don't get paid enough for it to be a full time job, so they are basically professional cronies, or industry moonlighters. The last alt candidate ( Rob Holland ) who got the job, got kicked out of office for dodgy expense reports, and not knowing how to write off bribes donations like the establishment.

Every port meeting should be like this. The port runs like narissistic assholes. There plans hinge on every other port and canal in the world failing and them running all shipments for the west coast, and every spending decision follows it. They fund themselves through property tax. They needed bertha for freight to canada, they spend millions on infrastructure so trucks can drive frieght through the city, They are so profitable, they had to GIVE AWAY CRANES and rent to hanjin so they would stay. The port needs to concentrate on running the airport, and breaking even on shipping operations, ( without taxing the city ) and forget about their self-aggrandizing policy making.
12
I have another suggestion. If you all are so against oil, ban the zoning of gas stations and prohibit any oil trucks from entering city limits. If you don't do this, then you are fucking hypocrites. No oil comes from a perfect location. If you are willing to use the oil but attack the people who produce it, you are a hypocrite.
13
@5: Oil sands then, right? It doesn't face the risk of a gulf or arctic oil spill.

I swear, the people in this thread are the same ones who don't know where milk comes from before the grocery store.
14
They got to the meeting on light rail - much of our transit is electric from wind & hydroelectric or biodiesel hybrid

Face it, fossil fuels are over

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