No toxic highway

The Daily Astorian ran an editorial on June 26, “ Chemical plant fails the sniff test,” about the perils of using our beautiful Columbia River to haul hazardous chemicals, such as methanol, from the proposed plant upriver in Kalama, Washington. On July 6, the Astorian ran an editorial on shipping oil on the Columbia, “ Oil-by-rail project carries too much risk.” Thank you to the Astorian for spotlighting these issues.

On July 7, an oil tanker ran aground near Skamokawa, Washington, carrying millions of gallons of witches’ brew including ethanol, glycol and oil. Fortunately this did not result in catastrophe since none of the cargo leaked into the river.

Think this an unusual occurrence? Think again. In the last year there have beens four other groundings on this stretch of the lower river. Luckily, no environmental harm was reported for any of these cases. How much longer will our luck hold?

It is time we call a halt to these disastrous proposals upstream which use the Columbia as a “toxic highway” to transport products overseas. Our global economy promotes the depletion of our natural resources to the highest bidder, driving up prices for Americans and endangering our environment — including the river which offers us a livelihood — just to fill the pockets of others.

The Columbia is much more valuable than to serve as a “highway” of hazardous products.

John Green

Gearhart