Stop Shipping Fracked Oil and Gas

Oregon doesn't currently have any fracking facilities, and there's no reason to support such a dangerous business. Fracking (hydro-fracturing) is the process of blasting shale with a mixture of water and chemicals to release energy. The blasting contributes to earthquakes, and only 30-50% of the fracking fluid is recovered; the remainder of the toxic chemical mixture is left in the ground, spreading to groundwater - and into people's drinking water. Furthermore, shipping oil on trains increases the possibility for oil spills. In March of 2013, a derailed train spilled up to 714 barrels of oil.

Oregon is also proposing to import liquify natural gas, in the process increasing carbon dioxide usage by up to 30% compared to currently used domestic and Canadian natural gas. The proposed pipeline on the Columbia River would import fracked natural gas, liquify it, and export it. To build and run the liquifying terminal, rivers would need to be dredged, the process would use billions of gallons of water, the pollutants would affect water quality and air quality, and public safety would be reduced.

This is clearly a hazard to human health and the environment; Oregon needs to stop supporting the fracking industry immediately, and move to safer sources of energy.