Port of Vancouver Commission District 1 candidates Don Orange and Kris Greene expounded on and, in some cases, defended their politics during a meeting with The Columbian’s editorial board on Friday.

The closely scrutinized race is seen by some in the community as a referendum on the fate of the Vancouver Energy oil terminal, the controversial crude-by-rail terminal proposed at the port that would be capable of processing about 360,000 barrels of oil per day.

The state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is examining the project and will make a recommendation to the governor whether the project should be built. Gov. Jay Inslee will make the ultimate determination whether it will or not. However, the port and Vancouver Energy are in a lease that automatically renews every three months and can be canceled by either party so long as enough notice is given.

Orange has campaigned heavily on canceling the lease between the port and Vancouver Energy and correcting what he alleges is a historic lack of transparency by the port commission.

Greene, meanwhile, has campaigned on boosting business-linked educational opportunities within the port, and fostering the port’s economic development.