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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2015)
PAGE 2 | May 15, 2015 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS (International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X) Established in 1900 in Portland, Oregon as a voice of the la- bor movement. Published on a semi-monthly basis on the first and third Fridays of each month by the Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc., a non-profit mutual benefit corpo- ration owned by 20 unions and councils including the Ore- gon AFL-CIO. Serving more than 120 union organizations in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Office location: 4275 NE Halsey St., Portland, Oregon Mailing address: P.O. Box 13150, Portland, OR 97213 Phone: (503) 288-3311 Web address: http://nwlaborpress.org Editor: Michael Gutwig Associate editor: Don McIntosh Office manager: Cheri Rice Printed on recycled paper, using soy-based inks, by members of Teamsters Local 747-M. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Individual subscriptions are $13.75 per year for union members, $20 a year for all others. Send a check for that amount, indicating mailing address and union affilia- tion, to P.O. Box 13150, Portland, OR 97213. For 25 or more subscriptions, group rates of $9.60 a year per person are available to trade union organizations. Call 503-288-3311 for details. CORRECTIONS: See an error? Please let us know at editor@nwlaborpress.org or by phone at 503-288-3311. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PORTLAND, OREGON. CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTICE: Three weeks are required for a change of address. When or- dering a change, please give your old and new addresses and the name and number of your local union. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS P.O. BOX 13150 PORTLAND, OR 97213-0150 Broadway Floral for the BEST flowers call 503-288-5537 1638 NE Broadway, Portland IRS PROBLEMS? • Haven’t filed for ... years? • Lost records? • Liens - Levies - Garnishments? • Negotiate settlements. • Prepare offer in Compromise. Call Nancy D. Anderson Enrolled Agent NPTI Fellow/America’s Tax Expert LTC-1807 www.nancydanderson.com 503-244-2577 140 Mayor Hales ‘blind-sides’ labor after pulling support on $500 million propane gas terminal By Michael Gutwig Editor & Manager Portland Mayor Charlie Hales blind-sided union construction workers May 7 when he abruptly pulled his support for a propane gas export facility at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. Pembina Pipeline Corp. of Calgary, Alberta, signed a letter of understanding with the Co- lumbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council to build the $500 million facility with a union workforce esti- mated between 600 and 800 over two years. Once completed, the terminal would create 35 to 40 perma- nent jobs. That employment was valued at approximately $7.2 million in wages and benefits annually. Additionally, an esti- mated $3.3 million in annual tax revenues would go to the City of Portland, $2.4 million to Mult- nomah County, and $3.1 million to Portland Public Schools. Hales welcomed the an- nouncement last September of a half-billion-dollar investment— the largest single private capital investment in the city’s history, with no taxpayer subsidies. The project also had strong support from the Port of Portland, busi- ness groups, and organized la- bor. The propane terminal drew loud opposition from the envi- ronmental community. Because of the early strong support, the company spent nearly $15 million to comply with various city regulations and requirements of the zoning change process. Pembina needed a zoning change to allow for an above ground pipe be- tween its storage tanks and the shipping berth. [Zoning codes allow for such pipelines at other Port facilities on the Willamette River.] After several contentious public hearings, the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission, on a 6-4 vote, ap- proved the zone change applica- tion, with a condition that Pem- bina pay a carbon fee of $6 million. The recommendation now has to be adopted by the Portland City Council. With the first reading scheduled for June 10, proponents thought they had majority support. “We were totally blind- sided,” John Mohlis, executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, said of Hales’ abrupt change. “What kind of message does this send to other businesses that might be considering Portland?” asked Mohlis, who is also a member of the Portland Devel- opment Commission. “Nothing on this project changed. Pem- bina had millions (of dollars) in- vested, only to have the rug pulled out from under them.” In a press statement, Hales said he had “spoken to countless Portlanders. I’ve studied the tes- timony at the Planning and Sus- tainability Commission. I’ve discussed this with colleagues inside City Hall and in the busi- ness community. I do not be- lieve Pembina has made the case as far as Portland’s envi- ronmental standards are con- cerned. And for that reason, I am asking Pembina to withdraw.” Pembina, in a followup press release, said it would move for- ward with its application. The mayor is one of five votes on the City Council, so proponents of the project are still hopeful they can get a ma- jority. Commissioners Dan Saltzman and Nick Fish are re- garded as supporters. Amanda Fritz is opposed. Steve Novick is undecided. Construction unions are plan- ning a rally and propane gas bar- becue prior to the council meet- ing on June 10. Details had not been finalized at press time. Pembina’s overall plan is to build a rail yard with propane unloading equipment; eight transloading holding tanks to receive propane; refrigeration equipment; two large, refrig- erated propane storage tanks capable of holding up to 800,000 barrels (approxi- mately 33.6 million gallons); facility piping connecting the equipment; a control center, warehouse and maintenance facilities. It wants to break ground by mid-2016 and have the terminal up and running by early 2018.
