Dear Customer, April 1, 2016
The Port of Longview, WA board of commissioners has unanimously voted to discontinue all discussions with Houston based Waterside Energy LLC that sought to build the first oil refining on the West Coast in more than 25 years and construct a propane and butane terminal capable of handling 75,000 bbld. Waterside proposal outlined a 30,000 bbld refinery with the capacity to also produce 15,000 bbld of bio–fuel .The rejection follows commissioners voting down a previous LPG proposal by Sage Midstream (Houston) last March to construct an export terminal at the port following community and environmental group opposition.
The most recent project promised to provide 700 construction jobs and 180 full–time jobs. The combine crude and bio–fuel refinery attempted to capitalize on the West Coast’s demand for cleaner burning fuels., and that clean fuels component initially intrigued many, including some environmental groups and state officials.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce notes that hydraulic fracturing’s safety record is so good that not even a study funded by an anti–hydraulic fracturing foundation could find evidence that it contaminates drinking water. The Chamber explains that in 2012 the University of Cincinnati started testing Ohio wells to determine if hydraulic fracturing was causing water contamination.
But in early February professor Amy Townsend–Small of the University of Cincinnati, head of the Ohio water testing project, revealed her team’s findings to the Carroll County Concerned Citizens, a group of local anti–fracturing activists. “The good news is that our study did not document that fracking was directly linked to water contamination,” Townsend–Small reported. An audience member then asked if the university was going to publicize the results of the study, noting that had the findings been unfavorable to drilling, that would have been national news. “I’m really sad to say this, but some of our funders, the groups that had given us funding in the past were a little disappointed in our results,” Townsend–Small answered.
Port officials announced their agreement with Pembina in September 2014, saying the project would produce 800 temporary construction jobs and up to 40 permanent positions, while generating nearly $9 million in taxes a year split between the city, Multnomah County and Portland Public Schools. Hales lauded the deal, saying it met the city’s goals of growing the economy and “holding industry to very high environmental and public safety standards.” But the following May he reversed course, saying a review led him to the conclusion that Pembina had not made a strong enough case relating to environmental standards.
The evenings are still cool so heaters should still be coming on to heat your homes. Our drivers are now finishing up the March fills and will in April and the first of May making the final drop for the winter season. In July 2016 the drivers will be making a summer fill for our Hot Water accounts. Any Will Call accounts should plan for another fill this winter. Budget accounts should keep up with payments and any balances should be paid off in full in May. Any Budget credit balance, will be carried forward for the year of 2016–2017. To prepare for the next winter now is the time to upgrade appliances whether heaters and water heaters. Contact our salesman Ryan Buller for any bids needed in this area. Thank you for your business this past March.
Cordially, John Buller and Sons
