Mistrust and disagreement on the risks and benefits of a proposed Vancouver oil terminal were on display Wednesday night at a community meeting aimed at bringing all sides in the controversial issue together. And most of the mistrust seemed directed at Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies, the two businesses that want to handle as much as 380,000 barrels at the Port of Vancouver.In July, 46 people were killed and a town destroyed when an oil train exploded in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada. Several accidents have happened since then in North Dakota, Alabama and Virginia.
Cager Clabaugh, president of International Longshore and Workers Union Local No. 4, based at the Port of Vancouver, said his members also oppose the Tesoro-Savage proposal. Oil exports would take up space currently being used for wind energy shipments, Clabaugh said.
The union has also clashed with Tesoro-Savage officials, who say they want to bring in Teamsters instead of ILWU members to work at their planned port project.
