RES 2014-18 REGARDING OIL TRAINSRESOLUTION NO. 2014 - 18
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, to protect
the health, safety and economic wellbeing of our local citizens and all citizens, and to protect our
environment from the potential of oil spills from increased rail and maritime traffic along and
throughout the Puget Sound.
WHEREAS, the City of Bainbridge Island is committed to the protection of its citizens from
natural and man -made disasters, and to the protection of the environment, including without
limitation the environmental health of Puget Sound; and
WHEREAS, increasing oil transportation by rail to ports on the eastern shore of Puget Sound
increases the likelihood of rail accidents that would directly impact the Sound; and
WHEREAS, there have been five major derailments of trains carrying crude oil since July,
2013, which have caused immeasurable loss of life and property, and immeasurable
environmental damage; and
WHEREAS, oil - carrying vessel traffic from Western Washington ports is expected to greatly
increase commensurate with the increase in transportation of oil by rail; and
WHEREAS, a catastrophic spill of oil whether from a rail accident or a maritime casualty has
the potential of wreaking havoc on the entire Puget Sound ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, Bainbridge Island has approximately 53 miles of critical Puget Sound shoreline,
and would be particularly affected by any mass oil disaster in or near Puget Sound, and
WHEREAS, the increase in oil transport by rail is and will increasingly prevent other
Washington businesses from making use of rail transport and create serious delays for passenger
rail which adversely affects the economy, businesses and citizens of our state;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, THAT:
1. In light of the threat o}'damage to persons, property and the environment, tThe City of
Bainbridge Island strongly urges the Congress to fund and direct and the U.S. Department of
Transportation to adopt regulations increasing oil tank car design safety standards and safe
operation regulations for petroleum product shipments and aggressively phase out older
model tank cars used to move flammable liquids that are not retrofitted to meet new federal
requirement.
2. The City of Bainbridge Island strongly urges the Washington Department of Ecology and the
Military Department Emergency Management Division, in collaboration with the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Coast Guard and local government emergency response
entities, to assess the impact to public safety, the environment, the economy, and traffic of oil
transport by rail along Puget Sound and through the State of Washington.
3. The City of Bainbridge Island requests that the Governor of Washington State, the
Washington Department of Ecology, the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation
Council, and any other relevant state agencies refrain from permitting projects that would
expand the capacity for petroleum export out of the state or otherwise increase the number of
trains, vessels or pipelines carrying oil near Puget Sound and other Washington communities
until the cumulative environmental and safety impacts of these projects are studied and
addressed.
4. The City Manager is urged to review with all appropriate city departments and regional and
state agencies what resources are available and what response plans are in place in the event
of oil spills into Puget Sound and along our coastline.
5. The Council directs the City Manager to forward this resolution to all individuals,
governmental units and agencies specifically named in this document, to all of our
Washington state and federal elected representatives, and to any other Agencies or
officials which in his discretion he believes may benefit from knowledge of this
resolution.
PASSED by the City Council this l 1`" day of August, 2014.
APPROVED by the Mayor this I lt" day of August, 2014.
Anne S. Blair, Mayor
Rosalind D. Lassoff, City�lerk
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: July 16, 2014
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: August 11, 2014
RESOLUTION NO.: 2014 -18