The Critical Energy Infrastructure hub, otherwise known as the tank farm, is a six mile stretch on the banks of the Willamette river where 90% of Oregon’s fuel is stored on seismically unstable land. A major earthquake is predicted to unleash fires, explosions, and toxic spills at the hub that would vastly exceed the scope of the Deep Water Horizon disaster. On April 16 a press conference was held to present an open letter from 75 community based organizations to state officials and legislators, demanding action to mitigate this potential catastrophe. The conference was moderated by Nikki Mandel and featured a panel of experts and activists, which included Michael Pouncil from the Portland Harbor Community Advisory group, Nancy Hiser, from the Linnton Neighborhood Association, Chris Voss, Director of Emergency Management at Multnomah County, Patricia Kullberg, from Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Jay Wilson, former chair of the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission. This segment includes a recording of the press conference, lightly edited for length and clarity. For more information see Multnomah County’s report: CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis.
- KBOO