Protesters block railroad tracks in Washington state to halt oil trains

Matt Johnson of Seattle stretches after climbing out of his tent on the train tracks leading to the Tesoro refinery on March Point during Break Free PNW, early Saturday morning, May 14, 2016. (GRANT HINDSLEY, seattlepi.com) less Matt Johnson of Seattle stretches after climbing out of his tent on the train tracks leading to the Tesoro refinery on March Point during Break Free PNW, early Saturday morning, May 14, 2016. (GRANT HINDSLEY, ... more Photo: GRANT HINDSLEY, SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: GRANT HINDSLEY, SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Protesters block railroad tracks in Washington state to halt oil trains 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

SEATTLE — Hundreds of climate activists on Saturday marched to the site of two refineries in northwest Washington state to call for a break from fossil fuels, while a smaller group continued to block railroad tracks leading to the facilities for a second day.

Protesters in kayaks, canoes, on bikes and on foot took part in a massive demonstration near Anacortes, about 70 miles north of Seattle, to demand action on climate and an equitable transition away from fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

A day before, about 150 activists had pitched tents and set up camp on nearby railroad tracks to block the flow of oil flowing to the nearby Shell and Tesoro oil refineries.

“We can’t wait anymore. We’ve got to do things now,” Clara Cleve, 76, of Edmonds, said Saturday. “Direct action is very effective. My grandchildren are not going to have a place to live unless we move quickly now.”

Cleve said she planned to spend another night in a tent on the tracks and was prepared to be arrested for trespassing if necessary.

The protests are part of a series of global actions calling on people to “break free” from dependence on fossil fuels. Similar demonstrations were taking place in Los Angeles and Albany, N.Y., on Saturday and in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

In upstate New York, climate activists gathered at a crude-oil shipment hub on the Hudson River in an action targeting crude-by-rail trains and oil barges at the Port of Albany. A group of activists sat on tracks used by crude oil trains headed to the port. Albany is a key hub for crude-by-rail shipments from North Dakota’s Bakken Shale region.

In Washington state, organizers are targeting two refineries that are among the top sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Tesoro has started shipping Bakken crude oil to its refinery, and Shell is proposing an expansion project that would similarly bring in Bakken crude oil by train.

Officials with both Shell and Tesoro said they respect the right of people to demonstrate peacefully, and that safety is their highest priority.

BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said no trains were scheduled through Saturday but he declined to say whether any are expected to run Sunday.

“We had anticipated this and therefore adjusted scheduling with customers,” Melonas said. “At this point, we’re allowing the protest on our property.”

The tracks, which connect BNSF’s mainline to Anacortes, serve the two refineries, as well as other customers who ship animal feed, steel and lumber by rail, Melonas said.

Skagit County spokeswoman Bronlea Mishler said authorities are monitoring the situation. Crowd estimates of the march range from several hundred to 1,000 people, she said.