Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has reversed his earlier stand encouraging Pembina Pipeline Corporation to construct a propane export terminal in the heart of the city.  Speaking before the Port of Portland, he announced the abrupt change, reportedly how an endorsement could affect his reelection campaign next year.

Hales’ announcement comes just prior to President Barack Obama’s visit to Portland for a fund-raiser later today.  Here are links to coverage by Oregon Public Broadcasting,  as well as Willamette Week.

We are elated to see that Mayor Hales has felt heat from voters and put the throttle of his captain’s position in full reverse.  And the skepticism I expressed if the plan were put forward will not see fruition.

For the time being, the pipeline plan is scheduled to be considered by the city council on June 10.

To show our appreciation for their hard work in putting this issue before Portland votes, here is a press release issued jointly by the Climate Action Coalition and Portland Rising Tide, prime movers in political environmental activism here:

The thin, green line blocking fossil fuel exports got a little bit thicker today after Mayor Charlie Hales reversed his position on a large propane export project proposed for the Port of Portland Terminal 6.  Mayor Hales had previously supported the project but changed his mind after widespread community opposition threatened to turn the terminal into a major issue in his upcoming reelection campaign.

At present, the June 10th public hearing still stands and the four remaining Portland city commissioners have not spoken publicly about their positions on the project.  Days earlier, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray declared opposition to Shell’s arctic drilling rig and denied a permit for the rig to dock at the Port of Seattle after community activists threatened to blockade it with a flotilla of kayaks.

This is good news to climate activists and community members demanding that we heed scientists’ warnings and leave fossil fuels in the ground.  “This is a step in the right direction. Now we need to take a few more steps and ban all fossil fuel exports so we can get closer to climate stabilization in my lifetime!” said Lucinda Drake, 14, of Sunnyside Environmental School who testified at the Planning and Sustainability Commission’s hearing about the Pembina Propane Terminal in May along with several of her classmates.

Noah Brown, 13, added, “I appreciate the Mayor changing his decision on the propane terminal. It is affecting the youth’s future and it means a lot to me that he would listen to us about these issues.  In the future, for all the youth, we need to move toward a fossil fuel free state.”

The Climate Action Coalition, a coalition of grassroots groups that has been organizing community opposition to the project since early fall, and its member groups are calling on Mayor Hales, the Portland City Council, and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to prohibit all new fossil fuel infrastructure in Portland and Multnomah County, and to work with leaders throughout the Pacific Northwest to take strong action on climate change.

Opposing Pembina is just the start. The Climate Action Coalition is calling on leaders in Portland to oppose all fossil fuel terminals, including those already in operation. Earlier today, individuals associated with member group Portland Rising Tide, along with Laborers International Union of North America member Tim Norgren, blockaded and oil train route to Arc Logistics in NW Portland in order to show opposition all fossil fuel export projects in the Pacific Northwest, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would threaten worker and environmental standards throughout the Pacific Rim.

The Climate Action Coalition will keep putting pressure on the Port of Portland to withdraw their support for Pembina’s proposed propane export terminal.