The Friends of Celilo Falls joined the Friends of the Columbia Gorge and other opponents of crude oil and coal shipments through the Gorge in testimony today before the Columbia River Gorge Commission. In addition to providing the statement below, we offered verbal comments noting that state and local governments can defeat the federal preemption on the regulation of interstate commerce as a matter of public safety.
We stated that The Friends of Celilo Falls categorically opposes any development that threatens the future recovery of Celilo Falls.
The Columbia River Gorge Commissioners voted to add language to their draft resolution and draft letters to Governors Kitzhaber and Inslee calling for a moratorium on coal and crude oil shipments until certain conditions are met.
The Friends of Celilo Falls endorses the proposed moratorium.
The Friends of Celilo Falls
July 7, 2014
To the Columbia River Gorge Commission:
Greetings:
The Friends of Celilo Falls board of directors supports the Columbia River Gorge Commission’s draft resolution and its draft letter to Governor Kitzhaber and Governor Inslee, with a sense of great urgency.
We are very much concerned about the threats that coal export proposals pose, and we will oppose these and every other future effort to expand the use of the Scenic Protection Area as an increasingly internationalized industrial corridor.
We urge Governor Kitzhaber and Governor Inslee to halt all coal export proposals until the 2014 – 2024 Columbia River Treaty Review is complete and the concerns outlined in the Columbia River Gorge Commission’s resolution are met.
We are also much concerned about the very real threats that the transport of crude oil by train through the Gorge poses to people, housing and infrastructure, and all living beings in the Gorge. We urge Governor Kitzhaber and Governor Inslee to ban the transport of crude oil through the Gorge.
We look forward to working with the Commission in its future efforts to protect the scenic, natural, cultural and spiritual resources of the Gorge and to develop jobs that serve the interest of the Columbia River Gorge as a place, rather than as a route.
Sincerely,
Sean Aaron Cruz
Executive Director
Cc: The Friends of Celilo Falls board of directors
The Friends of Celilo Falls is registered as an Oregon nonprofit
contact: takeaction@friendsofcelilofalls.org
www,friendsofcelilofalls.org
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