— from the office of Senator Kevin Ranker —
Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island,[on April 1, 2016], issued the following statement regarding two [recent] public health victories..
“The decision by SSA Marine to halt the environmental review process for a coal terminal at Cherry Point could lead to a significant environmental and community health victory in Washington State. It would have not been possible without the hard work of the Lummi Nation and thousands of activists and community members who continue to fight tirelessly to block the largest coal export facility from being built in our backyard.
“I share the concerns now being raised by SSA Marine over treaty and fishing rights for sovereign Tribal Nations. We must honor our treaties and protect our valuable resources.
“This news comes on the same day that Gov. Inslee signed into law a bill I co-sponsored and have worked on for three years to begin the decommission and clean-up of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 in Montana. This bill will not only mitigate costs for rate payers and work towards reducing high-polluting coal facilities, it will also work with those in Montana who need job retraining.
“I applaud the work that has been accomplished by all sides on coming to a conclusion during this three-year process. I am very proud to have played a role in this effort and will continue to make great progress with our counterparts in Montana moving forward.
“The work on transitioning to a cleaner energy economy must continue. These two actions help us continue to position our state for a clean and healthy future for our children.”
