Gov. Jay Inslee today notified state regulators that he agrees with their unanimous recommendation to reject Tesoro Savage's application to build a new terminal at the Port of Vancouver.
The decision follows a lengthy evaluation process by the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, which voted last November to deny the permit and last month submitted its recommendation to the governor.
In his letter to EFSEC, Inslee said several issues compelled his decision including seismic risks, the inability to sufficiently mitigate oil spill risks, and the potential safety risks of a fire or explosion.
"The Council has thoroughly examined these and other issues and determined that it is not possible to adequately mitigate the risks, or eliminate the adverse impacts of the facility, to an acceptable level,” Inslee wrote. “When weighing all of the factors considered against the need for and potential benefits of the facility at this location, I believe the record reflects substantial evidence that the project does not meet the broad public interest standard necessary for the Council to recommend site certification."
Inslee also noted that the application was "unprecedented both in its scale and the scope of issues it raised."
"While this process has demonstrated that this particular project is wrong for this particular proposed location, I am confident that our ports will continue to play an important role in regional trade, and providing opportunities for jobs in clean energy."
Tesoro Savage has 30 days to appeal the governor’s decision in Thurston County Superior Court.