By Daphne Wysham and Bob Sallinger

On March 25, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries released a shocking report estimating that impacts from a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could "include as many as 27,000 injuries ranging from minor to fatal, as many as 85,000 people needing shelter, and as much as $37 billion in building damages."

This study followed the agency's 2012 report that found a magnitude 8 or 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could have catastrophic consequences for the critical oil and gas storage tanks and electrical infrastructure in Northwest Portland's industrial area. Shockingly, current building codes do not adequately address the seismic deficiencies of existing fossil fuel infrastructure. Despite the glaring oversights and appalling safety issues highlighted in the 2012 report, the industries that make their home in Northwest Portland -- many fossil fuel-oriented -- have simply refused to make safety improvements. In Oregon, building codes are set at the state level, and yet officials have neglected to initiate rulemaking processes to require seismic upgrades.

If the State of Oregon and fossil fuel industry refuse to take these risks seriously, local government must continue to utilize its legitimate authority and act to protect Portland's residents. In January, the Oregon Court of Appeals issued its ruling in Columbia Pacific v. City of Portland. The case was based in part on a constitutional challenge to Portland's Fossil Fuel Terminal Zoning Amendments filed by the Portland Business Alliance, Western States Petroleum Association and Columbia Pacific Building Trades. In finding the city's code constitutionally sound, the Court ruled that Portland has a legitimate local interest in limiting the risk of a catastrophic accident due to the number of very large fossil fuel terminals in a moderate-to-high-risk earthquake liquefaction zone.

Instead of working with the city to reduce the risk of harm to residents and the environment, the fossil fuel industry and their friends at the Portland Business Alliance have signaled their intent to appeal the decision.

Moving forward, city leaders can adopt policy that would require industry to pay the full cost for the risks of their dangerous infrastructure by posting a bond equivalent to a worst-case disaster scenario. That cost would be significantly reduced if businesses invest in seismic resilience measures. This approach, a Fossil Fuel Risk Bond program, shifts the costs of unacceptable risks to our community and environment back to the company profiting from dangerous activities.

At a time when we're taking long overdue steps to clean up decades of toxic industrial pollution -- such as the 10-mile long Superfund site in Portland Harbor -- the seismic deficiencies of our local fossil fuel infrastructure threatens far greater ecological damage.

Presently, the public continues to be exposed to enormous financial burdens and known risks to the health, safety and lives of all who live within the blast radius of infrastructure in the Northwest Industrial District. City leaders can and should take further steps to protect their residents and natural assets.

Daphne Wysham is Climate Justice Program Director at Center for Sustainable Economy and Bob Sallinger is the Conservation Director at the Audubon Society of Portland.

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