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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2012)
News Elections One World Crafts continued from page 1 pot measure by a significant margin, at the state level it went down with a no vote of 54.83 percent. More votes were cast in that one measure than in any other mayor, Charlie Hales drew more than twice the votes of challenger Jefferson Smith. Wednesday morning’s unoffi- cial count shows Hales pulling slightly over 62 per- measure on the Oregon ballot — 1,408,700 people weighed in on it. In national offices Oregon saw the Pacific Green Party’s presidential candidate Jill Stein place third in the state. Green candidate for Congress 3rd District, Woody Broad- nax, also placed third statewide, right behind the Republican and Democratic candidates. In the race for Portland cent compared to Smith’s 30 percent. Fritz was reelected with slightly over 58 percent of the votes; Nolan posted just over 40 percent. The State Supreme Court, Position 3 race was the rare example of a hot competition between judges, with Richard C Baldwin pulling ahead of Nena Cook, with 93,847 votes to Cook’s 87,192. PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED Jay Inslee narrowly bested Rob McKenna in unofficial results – despite a controversial last- minute ad campaign by the Seattle Times newspaper in support of McKenna Nala and Gabriela, both 10 look at some of the Tibetan crafts being sold by Xamexeano at the One World Crafts Fair at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Sunday, Nov. 4. The annual event encourages people to help foster economic justice by buying fair trade products and crafts made by artisans locally and in cooperatives in developing countries. Coal continued from page 1 Project supporters say it’s not practical to lump the projects together. Only some ports will be built, they say, and each has differ- ent circumstances. ``Most of the people who are proposing that just view it as an opportunity to grind everything to a halt,’’ said Craig Cole, a spokesman for developer Seattle-based SSA Marine. ``We are expecting a very full review of the impacts of this project.’’ Even as environmental reviews have start- ed for three coal-export projects at Cherry Point, Port of Morrow, Ore., and Longview Wash., the Army Corps of Engineers hasn’t decided whether it’ll conduct a broader environmental review for all the projects. ``We haven’t made that determination yet,’’ said corps spokeswoman Michael and companies such as Peabody Coal, Arch Coal and Ambre Energy with stakes in the Northwest projects. ``That coal can be sent through Washington and Oregon ports in a way that’s environmentally responsible.’’ Several union leaders and some lawmak- ers say the region can’t afford to turn down well-paying jobs. The company says the $665 million project will create 1,250 per- manent direct and indirect jobs and generate $11 million in tax revenues; critics are skep- tical. ``Some groups have demonized a natural resource and they think nobody on the plan- et should burn this material. I disagree. We need jobs,’’ said Mike Elliott, chairman of the state’s Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. izer. The Sierra Club is also running TV ads in Eastern Washington to warn of risks. It has plans to run more ads statewide and in Oregon. The Cherry Point area is noted for exten- sive herring spawning grounds. It’s also known burial grounds for the Lummi Nation. The tribe recently came out against the project. ``We do not want any further distur- ty Councilman. He said the company plans to follow the highest environmental stan- dards. ``The hoops that the company has to jump through are very extraordinary. They’re really high. You have to prove that you can avoid impacts, minimize them or mitigate them,’’ Cole said. But neighbors and others who gathered in Cindy Franklin’s living room for a letter- The Army Corps of Engineers hasn’t decided whether it’ll conduct a broader environmental review for all the projects Coffey. ``We’re not saying yes and we’re not saying no either.’’ Two other projects are proposed in Ore- gon at Coos Bay and St. Helens. Another in Grays Harbor County, Wash., was shelved over the summer, after the developer decid- ed to explore other terminal uses. Meanwhile, a trade group that includes the three largest U.S. coal producers has been running TV and newspaper ads to tout jobs, tax revenues and other economic ben- efits. ``We feel that someone is going to supply the coal to the ports that need it. ... The question is: where is that coal going to come from?’’ said Lauri Hennessey, a spokes- woman for the Alliance for Northwest Jobs & Exports, which includes BNSF Railway Trains already carry coal from the Rock- ies through the state for export through British Columbia. But Bellingham resident Lynn Berman and others fear the increase in coal shipments — about nine mile-long trains a day — could threaten fisheries, cre- ate health problems and foul the area’s nat- ural resources. ``It’s such a bad idea,’’ said Berman, who worked the phone bank one afternoon in the field office in downtown Bellingham set up by ReSources, a local group that has been organizing against the project. ``I think it will impact everyone in this community.’’ Volunteers have made 32,000 phone calls and hope to make tens of thousands more to educate people about the project, said Matt Petryni, Power Past Coal Campaign organ- Trains already carry coal from the Rockies through the state for export through British Columbia. bance,’’ said Jewell James, who manages writing workshop that same afternoon the tribe’s sovereignty and treaty protection weren’t so sure. ``I’m afraid that this new race to get all office. ``It’s also a treaty rights issue. This always has been a major fishing and har- this coal out of the ground, sell it under the guise of energy independence ... is going to vesting site for our fishermen.’’ On a recent afternoon, SSA Marine’s Cole destroy our atmosphere,’’ said Franklin, 59, pointed to the site, near marine terminals for retired business consultant and environmen- two oil refineries and an aluminum smelter. tal activist. ``It’s about the burning of the ``This site has been intended for this pur- coal being a major contributor to climate pose,’’ said Cole, a former Whatcom Coun- change. We need to do all we can to stop November 7, 2012 The Seattle Skanner Page 3
