Seattle City Council members heard testimony on a resolution Tuesday urging the Port of Seattle to reconsider its controversial decision to host Shell Oil’s Arctic drill rigs.
The resolution warns that allowing Shell to use Terminal 5 in West Seattle will cause “disruption, division and direct conflict with the Port’s stated values and policies.”
Tuesday's hearing served as a venue for environmentalists to voice their opposition to the Shell lease. A group of activists that calls itself The Raging Grannies took the opportunity to give testimony with song, as the group has done at other public meetings.
Not everyone was there to speak or sing out against the plan.
"The precedent being set by actions like this is working to undermine the decision making of our working ports across the state, said Joshua Berger with the Washington Maritime Federation. "For Seattle to remain a thriving and viable maritime city it cannot continue to set a hostile tone towards our ports and maritime sector."
Even if the resolution passes, it won’t stop the lease from moving forward. But on Monday city officials made public their determination that Terminal 5 is permitted for use as a cargo terminal, not for parking drill rigs. That means the Port will need to apply for new permits if it wants to host Shell’s drill rigs.
EarthJustice and other environmental groups have sued the Port to rescind the lease. The rigs are expected to arrive late next week. Activists are planning a kayak flotilla in protest.
Copyright 2020 EarthFix. To see more, visit .
