From the Editorial Board of The Columbian:
For four years, Gov. Jay Inslee has declined to express an opinion about a proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver.
Regardless of how creatively the question was asked, Inslee has said only that he needed to see the reports and the recommendation from the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council before rendering a decision. Expressing judgment before seeing the evidence would poorly serve the people of the state and violate his duty as governor — in addition to lending credence to possible legal challenges.
Now that the process is finally grinding toward a conclusion, we trust that Inslee will weigh the evidence and reject the construction of a terminal at the port. On Tuesday, EFSEC finalized its recommendation to the governor that the project not be approved; Inslee has 60 days to render a final decision.
Public opinion seems to be sharply against the proposal. In two elections for positions on the port’s board of commissioners since the terminal was approved, anti-terminal candidates have won easy victories. [Note: ILWU Local 4 opposes the proposed oil terminal and successfully worked to elect anti-oil terminal candidates.]