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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2015)
OPINION 4A Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Astoria City Council does the heavy lifting In Verizon tower choice, it’s impossible to satisfy all constituencies W hen the newly elected President John Kennedy assem- bled a Cabinet that was glittering with Ivy League de- grees, House Speaker Sam Rayburn was unimpressed. After Vice President Lyndon Johnson expressed his amazement at this group’s collective brilliance, Speaker Rayburn said: “They may be every bit as intelligent as you say, but I’d feel a whole lot better about them if just one of them had run for sheriff once.” Rayburn’s colorful allusion was that high level presidential appoin- tees often have no appreciation for where the rubber meets the road — for the mundane basis of govern- ment and politics. If you watched the Astoria City Council grapple with the Verizon tower issue — through Derrick DePledge’s reporting — you got a taste of what makes the councilor’s job dif¿cult. In a nutshell, the coun- cil could not satisfy all constituen- cies in a matter such as this. But the physics of the Verizon matter were direct. As Assistant City Manager Brad Johnston said, the council in 2013 directed city staff to move the Verizon tower off Coxcomb Hill. And in the last ¿scal year, the council set the completion of emer- gency communications as a goal. Adam Haas, of Converge Communications, told the council that erecting a monopole in Shively Park was “the lesser of the evils.” That is another way of saying that politics is the art of the possible. DePledge noted that council ap- proval is only the ¿rst step. The city Planning Commission and Historic Landmarks Commission will also have their say. Meanwhile, councilors made a decision. In a matter this thankless and dif¿cult, that is admirable. Federal regulators should take close look at Oregon LNG, oil-by-rail F The era of taking fossil fuel companies at their word is over ederal regulators play increas- ingly powerful roles in shaping the Lower Columbia River’s future as communities ¿nd ourselves on the front line of international energy transportation. There are indications that one key agency will work to allow ma- jor projects to proceed, while some others won’t automatically rub- ber-stamp plans. This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a draft report saying Oregon LNG’s proposed $6 billion terminal and pipeline project would harm the environment. Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Park Service voiced worries about potential damage from a plan to build the nation’s biggest oil-by-rail terminal on the Columbia River in Vancouver, Wash. In each case, agencies and proj- ect proponents can highlight ways in which harm can be minimized or avoided altogether by careful designs, safety practices and oth- er steps. Regarding Oregon LNG plans, the typically pro-develop- ment FERC appears willing to be convinced that the project can be made safe enough to proceed. FERC’s analysis fails in several respects. For example, FERC con- cludes that ¿shing boats forced out of the way of LNG tankers can sim- ply return to what they were doing immediately after ships pass, with- out suffering any adverse effects. This assumption betrays a lack of understanding of how ¿shing boats operate. Signi¿cant interruptions are not so easily accommodated. FERC also appears to attach lit- tle importance to hazards associat- ed with storing large quantities of lique¿ed natural gas on a shoreline subject to massive subduction zone earthquakes and tsunamis. The agen- cy’s report concludes the project can be made to “provide acceptable lay- ers of protection that would reduce the risk of a potentially hazardous scenario from developing into an event that could impact the off-site public.” This sounds all too much like the bland assurances of absolute safety made for Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plants before an earthquake and tsunami turned them into a radioactive wasteland. The EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can — and should — also prepare their own ¿ndings and rec- ommendations for the LNG facility. In contrast to FERC, EPA said of Vancouver oil terminal plans that they would violate the federal Clean Water Act and should not be allowed to go any further until de¿ciencies are addressed. The National Park Service expressed reservations about how oil development will impact the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. NPS also expresses the broad- er view that going along with a big new fossil-fuel facility will harm more-distant national assets such as ice ¿elds in Glacier National Park. Corporate memories and con- sciences are short, Without ¿rm and consistent enforcement of strict rules, environmental compliance will slide. Taxpayers and local communities too often are left to deal with pollu- tion and cleanup costs after accidents occur. Agencies must hold a ¿rm line and place the burden on fossil-fuel companies to prove they have the as- sets and staying power to make good on promises. Oregon LNG, which lost a court battle last week with the Army Corps over a property-rights issue, deserves particularly rigorous scru- tiny to make sure it is able to do ev- erything it claims. The era of taking fossil fuel companies at their word ended for good when the Arctic started melting. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015 New Yorker story draws attention I I MPRESSIONS just want to thank The New Yorker magazine for letting us all know that a hugely destructive earthquake and tsunami could hit us at any time. If it hadn’t been for that story, we on the North Coast might nev- er have realized the danger we are in. It’s not like I and other local journalists — including author Bonnie Henderson, who wrote the book, “The Next Tsunami: Living on a Restless Coast” — haven’t been writing about this for many years. Entitled “The Really Big One” with a subhead, “The earthquake that will devastate the Pacific Northwest,” the story, written by Kathryn Schulz in the July 20 New Yorker, is accompanied by a topo- graphical map of the West Coast of North America in red. At the coastline, from south of the California border extending to beyond Canada, the map looks like it has been ripped apart; a wide jag- ged band of white — resembling a huge wave — covers all of the West Coast and heads east. The caption next to the illustra- tion says, “The next full rupture of the Cascadia Subduction Zone will spell the worst natural disaster in the history of the continent.” Scary, huh? I have followed the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami story for over eight years. My first story in the spring of 2007 included an interview with Rob Witter, formerly of the Oregon De- partment of Geology and Mineral Industries (now with the U.S. Geo- logical Service in Alaska), who had just discovered that sand originally from the beach in Cannon Beach had been thrown about a mile east of what is now U.S. Highway 101 during a past tsunami. Witter made the discovery after filtering soil and determining its properties and age in several areas between the beach and forest east of town. State geologists created a new map for Cannon Beach, showing that land higher than 30 feet in el- evation wasn’t as safe as experts originally thought. The tsunami in- undation zone now reached 80 feet high. With that news, the research in- tensified. Oregon State University Coastal and Ocean faculty, along with staffers from Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, roamed the coast, seeking clues re- vealing the potential intensity and destructive path of the next Casca- State geologists drew new tsunami maps for all of the Oregon Coast. And at each step, I and other reporters were there, updating our readers and listeners on the latest developments. Some people paid attention and prepared. Others ig- B Y nored it. Until The New Yorker N ANCY writer discovered that the West M C C ARTHY Coast faced potential, overwhelm- ing disaster. “When the next full-margin rup- ture happens,” Schulz wrote, “that region (the Pacific Northwest) will suffer the worst natural disaster in dia earthquake and tsunami. They wrote reports about the the history of North America.” It sturdiness of local schools and oth- will kill 13,000 people and injure er buildings. They created a model another 27,000, she says, citing the of the city of Cannon Beach in Or- Federal Emergency Management egon State’s wave research labora- Agency’s estimates. Shelter will be tory, knocked it down with model needed for 1 million people. But we already knew that, didn’t tsunami waves and studied their effect, then recreated the town and we? Well, at least the rest of the na- tion knows now. started all over again. My question is this: Will The They created a computer simula- tion of Seaside, showing how long New Yorker story make any differ- it would take a tsunami to reach ence in our urgency to prepare for shore, then Necanicum Drive, then an event that, geologically speak- the highway and Wahanna Road ing, could happen any time? I hope and how many people would die as so, because, to be honest, no matter how much we local journalists cov- the waves washed over them. A similar computer simulation ered it, our stories never garnered was done for Cannon Beach, as as much attention as this one story well, showing how many people has. But what’s might make it going to be in- across the Fir teresting on a Street Bridge My question is whole other and to high this: Will The level is the lo- ground on the cal fallout from north side, as New Yorker the July 28 New well as to other Yorker’s fol- elevated areas in story make low-up story to town. any difference Schulz’s origi- A year after nal article. the 2011 tsuna- Schulz an- mi hit Japan, the in our urgency swers principal from to prepare for questions several that Kesennuma Ju- nior High School an event that, arose following her initial story. in the Tohoku geologically This is what she region told the advises tourists: story of how his speaking, “If you are school, at an el- an out-of-town- evation of 150 could happen er planning to feet, became a spend a night in shelter for six any time? the tsunami zone: months. At least don’t ... Go to the 16,000 people died in the 9.0 earthquake and re- coast by day, for sure. But if you’re sulting tsunami, considered to be staying overnight, book a vacation the most devastating natural disas- rental, hotel room or campsite out- side the inundation zone.” ter ever to hit Japan. For the coastal towns that de- Locally, residents in Seaside, Cannon Beach and Gearhart creat- pend on overnight visitors, this ed committees and prepared for the New Yorker story might portend Big One. They conducted drills, another, immediate disaster. Nancy McCarthy recently re- stored supplies, trained Communi- ty Emergency Response Teams and tired as editor of the Seaside Sig- continued to perform myriad other nal and the Cannon Beach Gazette. tasks to ensure the public’s safety. Her column appears monthly. Trump’s allure: Ego as ideology may win through sheer de- perience this invisibility. termination, but she’s not a He appeals to members of the alienated middle class natural ¿t for this moment. (like those folks in Canar- hen America is growing A career establishment ¿g- sie) who believe that nei- ure like Joe Biden doesn’t and happy, the country ther the rich nor the poor stand a chance. He’s a won- is sort of like a sprinter’s track. derful man and a great pub- have to play by the same As Robert H. Wiebe put it in his lic servant, but he should not rules they do. He appeals to people who are resent- classic book “The Segmented run for president this year, ful of immigrants who get for the sake of his long-term Society,” when things were what they, allegedly, don’t reputation. David going well the diverse country deserve. On the other hand, Brooks But Trump’s support comprised “countless isolated bumper-car politicians lanes where Americans, singly thrive. Bernie Sanders is swimming base is weird. It skews slightly more the tide. He’s a conviction poli- secular and less educated than the av- or in groups, dashed like rows with tician comfortable with class conÀict. erage Republican, but he doesn’t draw of racers toward their goals.” Many people on the left have a gener- from any distinctive blocs. Unlike past In times of scarcity and alienation, alized, vague hunger for fundamental populisms he’s not especially rural it’s more like bumper cars. Different systemic change or at least the atmo- or urban, ethnic based or class based. groups feel their lanes are blocked, so spherics of radical change. He draws people as individuals, not they start crashing into one another. The times are perfect for Donald groups. Unlike past populisms, his main ar- The cultural elites start feuding with Trump. He’s an outsider, which ap- the ¿nancial elites. The lower middle peals to the alienated. He’s confronta- gument is not that the elites are corrupt class starts feuding with the poor. tional, which appeals to the frustrated. or out of touch. It is that they are mo- A few decades ago the sociologist And, in a unique 21st-century wrinkle, rons. His announcement speech was Jonathan Rieder studied what was he’s a narcissist who thinks he can fascinating (and compelling). “How then the white working-class neigh- solve every problem, which appeals stupid are our leaders?” he asked rhe- borhood of Ca- to people who torically. “Our president doesn’t have narsie, Brooklyn. in challenging a clue,” he continued. “We have peo- Never before People there times don’t feel ple that are stupid,” he observed of the were hostile both con¿dent in their leadership class. have we In other words, it’s not that our to their poorer understanding of experienced a their surround- problems are unsolvable or even hard. black neighbors, who they felt ings and who It’s not that we’re potentially a nation moment with threatened their crave leaders in decline. The problem is that we don’t have a leadership class as smart, community, and who seem to be. so much public to the Manhattan Trump’s pop- competent, tough and successful as elites, who they alienation and ulism is pretty Donald Trump. Measured in standard political felt sold them out standard. He ap- them from above. so much private, peals to people terms he is not ideologically consis- We are now who, as Walter tent. As Peter Wehner pointed out, assertive living in a time of Lippmann once he’s taken so many liberal positions economic anxi- put it, “feel rather he makes Susan Collins look like Bar- and fragile ety and political like a deaf spec- ry Goldwater. But ego is his ideology, alienation. Just tator in the back and in this he is absolutely consistent. self-esteem. three in 10 Amer- row. ... He knows In the Trump mind the world is not icans believe that he is somehow divided into right and left. Instead their views are represented in Wash- affected by what is going on. ... (But) there are winners and losers. Society ington, according to a CNN/ORC poll. these public affairs are in no convinc- is led by losers, who scorn and disre- Con¿dence in public institutions like ing way his affairs. They are for the spect the people who are actually the schools, banks and churches is near most part invisible. They are managed, winners. Never before have we experienced historic lows, according to Gallup. if they are managed at all, at distant Only 29 percent of Americans think centers, from behind the scenes by un- a moment with so much public alien- the nation is on the right track, accord- named powers. ... In the cold light of ation and so much private, assertive ing to Rasmussen. experience, he knows that his sover- and fragile self-esteem. Trump is the This climate makes it hard for the eignty is a ¿ction. He reigns in theory, perfect conÀuence of these trends. He won’t be president, but he’s not an establishment candidates who normal- but in fact he does not govern.” ly dominate our politics. Jeb Bush is When Trump is striking populist aberration. He is deeply rooted in the swimming upstream. Hillary Clinton chords, he appeals to people who ex- currents of our time. By DAVID BROOKS New York Times News Service W