PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Climate activists rallied against Zenith Energy in Northwest Portland on Saturday, calling for an end to the company’s transport of oil through the city.
The protest, which took place at the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub along the Willamette River, was held six years after a train derailed in Mosier in the Columbia River Gorge, spilling thousands of gallons of crude oil, igniting and filling the sky with black acrid smoke.
Organizers estimated about 100 protesters attended the event, chanting, dancing and condemning Zenith Energy for its role in moving fossil fuels through the metro area.
The energy company stores oil at its Portland terminal, near the banks of the Willamette, which protesters said creates a hazard as it is a liquefaction zone.
According to Zenith Energy’s website, “The Portland Terminal is capable of receiving, storing, and delivering heavy and light petroleum products via Panamax sized vessels, railroad and truck loading rack. The Portland Terminal also offers heating systems, emulsions and an on-site product testing laboratory.”
Protest organizers said given the sheer amount of trains that pass through the area carrying oil, Oregonians are “very lucky that nothing worse than the Mosier derailment has occurred.”
“Besides the danger of exploding trains, Zenith pollutes our air, threatens our water, and in the case of an earthquake, the tanks could collapse and set the Willamette River on fire,” said Extinction Rebellion activist Margaret Butler in a prepared release. “We want Zenith to stop appealing the court decisions, stop polluting, stop operating. In brief: Cease and desist.”
The energy company released the following statement to KOIN 6 News:
“Zenith Energy is a leader in the growth of renewable diesel, a product that emits up to 80% less carbon than traditional fossil fuels,” said Zenith’s Vice President of US Operations West Grady Reamer. “The renewable diesel we store serves many local governments and transit agencies in Portland and surrounding areas, helping the state reduce its carbon footprint. Our plan is to fully replace traditional diesel with renewable diesel, utilizing existing infrastructure to advance the region’s climate goals.”