Washington Conservation Voters endorsed port commissioner Bill Bryant for his 2011 election campaign. But after hearing Bryant’s comments on the environmental protests against the port’s decision to host Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet, made to a roomful of Republicans last Thursday, the president of Washington Conservation Voters, Shannon Murphy, now says Bryant is “out of touch” with “core Washingtonian values.”
Bryant, a Republican, is up for reelection on the port commission this year, and he’s also said that he’s considering a run for governor.
Here’s the full statement:
When Washington Conservation Voters endorsed Bill Bryant in 2011, we looked forward to working with an elected official who said he believed in both a strong economy and a healthy environment. But Commissioner Bryant’s recent comments show he is out of touch with these core Washingtonian values.
It’s disappointing to hear how flippant Commissioner Bill Bryant was about the concerns of the voters he represents. The Commissioner’s comments completely disregard the importance of a transparent process, public hearings, and an environmental impact assessment. Leaks or spills from Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet put the health of Puget Sound, and our shellfish and tourism industry, at risk. And supporting Arctic drilling flies in the face of all of Washington’s efforts to combat climate change.
If Commissioner Bryant is considering a run for Governor, he should know that Washingtonians won’t accept putting the oil industry’s reckless pursuit of short-term profits ahead of our long-term economic and environmental health.
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