This past week, a string of oil train derailments, explosions, and spills across North America dumped pollutants into waterways and neighborhoods; made a mockery of newer and 'safer" tank car models; and underlined the utter madness of transporting Bakken crude and tar sands oil by rail. In response to these latest disasters, 350 Seattle is organizing a rally on Tuesday, near King Street Station.
The rally will take place at 5:30 PM outside the southern entrance to a hundred year-old rail tunnel that extends one mile beneath downtown Seattle. Oil trains currently roll through this tunnel on a daily basis.
We are at ground zero. The developers of the Alberta tar sands, the Bakken oil fields and the Powder River Basin are focused on the Northwest as the cheapest route to reach markets for their crude oil and coal. In the last few years, industry has proposed two large oil pipelines, five new natural gas pipelines, seven coal export terminals, and nearly a dozen oil-by-rail facilities in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. And now, the Port of Seattle has agreed to be home to Artic drilling machinery. If all is permitted, some communities in Washington would see up to 60 trains carrying crude oil and coal, and an unprecedented 4,000 tankers on our waters.
We need to keep saying NO to this unhealthy insanity and YES to clean energy.
Please join us in expressing our profound opposition to oil trains in Seattle and a future that builds out projects that continue our use of global warming causing fuels like oil and coal.
Wear red, and bring your own home-made signs if you'd like; there will also be opportunities to hold oil train props and LED lit letters with the message: NO OIL TRAINS ~ NOT UNDER OUR CITY.
Rally: No oil trains! ~ Not Under Our City
Tuesday February 24th, 5:30 PM
4th Ave. and S. Jackson St, across from King Street Station, Seattle
FB event page is here.
Author Bio
Joëlle engages community members and diverse constituencies—faith, health, youth, parents, business—to make their voices heard for climate solutions. She led the team of organizers to ensure we stopped any coal export from the U.S. West Coast over the past decade. On offense, she co-led the Field team to help pass the 100% Clean Electricity (Clean Energy Transition Act in 2019) and in 2022 collaborated with the Field team to ensure that all new buildings (commercial and residential) will be built with heat pumps per the State Building Code Council. She continues to conspire for good with them on many other local and state initiatives.
Joëlle was the Regional Outreach Coordinator of National Wildlife Federation where she focused on mobilizing hunters, anglers and concerned citizens around solutions to global warming. Previous work with Climate Solutions includes the NW Climate Connections partnership, serving as the Field Assistant for the successful Clean Cars campaign, and Field Director of the Renewable Fuel Standard, which passed in April 2006.
She previously served on the boards of Earth Ministry, Solar Washington, and Sierra Club Executive Committee. She’s currently President of the board of her 3 year-old!
Joëlle is Northwest born and raised who loves to hike, dance, travel and explore the natural world.
Her favorite quote is “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — Mary Oliver
