Councilors consider proposed resolution to oppose oil train transports through Bend

(Update: Adding video, comments)

Would be symbolic stance; other council discussion topics include fireworks, wildfire defense, transitional shelter site

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- At Wednesday evening's Bend City Council meeting, councilors listened to a committee's recommendations to pass a proposed resolution in opposition to oil trains transporting their product through Bend.

The city's Environment and Climate Committee also presented background research to councilors, looking at the possible risks and hazards of oil transport by rail.

In 2019, Secretary Elaine Chao of the U.S. Department of Transportation submitted a report to Congress on risks associated with truck, rail and pipeline transportation of oil. The study provides data on the total volume shipped and spilled across the transportation modes from 2007 to 2016.

Rail had the highest percentage of total volume transported and spilled over that timeframe, with more than seven times the percentage spill rate, compared to the other two modes.

The committee says that oil being transported through Central Oregon is generally headed south, and typically ends up in California.

Based on their research, the committee claims that this information suggests that oil transported through Central Oregon does not contribute to products consumed in Oregon.

City Senior Management Analyst Cassie Lacy suggested using the term "fossil fuels," instead of oil in the resolution, in order to have a more encompassing approach, including liquefied natural gas.

"So by changing it to 'fossil fuels by rail,' it would just be making the resolution more inclusive of those other hazardous fuels," Lacy said. "One of the main concerns is liquified natural gas, so when we were putting the resolution together, we were using models from other cities that have done similar resolutions in the past. Liquified natural gas was only approved for rail transport in 2020, so it wasn't a concern at the time."

The proposed resolution will come back before councilors for more discussion and a possible vote on June 2. It appears there is no direct course of action the council can take that would affect rail shipments, so this would be more of a symbolic stand against fossil fuel transport by rail through the city.

On another topic, councilors discussed the use of illegal fireworks in Central Oregon, as the Fourth of July approaches.

Legal fireworks are only those that are sold in Oregon.

Fire officials provided their upcoming public awareness campaign while also urging residents to report any illegal fireworks at their email address fireworks@bendoregon.gov,

With the rampant wildfires last summer, Bend Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Trish Connolly says to leave the 'big show' to the professionals.

They also discussed a wildfire resiliency public campaign, called "Own the Zone." Connolly stressed that managing small fires and embers from fireworks is critical to reducing the ignition of a wildfire.

"Typically, people have this idea of this big fire that's coming across the forest and enters into communities and burns houses down," Connolly said. "But the truth is that over 50% of houses ignite from embers that fall from that fire onto a home -- let's say a roof full of pine needles, leaves, material, or vegetation around that home."

Connolly added that embers can travel a mile ahead of a fire, so homeowners should take measures to create defensible space.

The city has also been pursuing the purchase of a hotel for conversion to a shelter through Project Turnkey, and entered into two purchase and sale agreements earlier this month.

The city says no matter what happens with these motels and state Project Turnkey funding, they will remain committed to increasing options for temporary, transitional, and workforce housing in Bend, including through public and private partnerships in the Bend Central District.

Two motions were passed unanimously. In one, Councilor Gena Goodman-Campbell moved to direct staff to negotiate with the owner of the Bend Value Inn (on Division Street) to extend the due diligence period and negotiate the sales price consistent with the direction provided in executive session, to further investigate the condition of the facility and the availability of Project Turnkey or other funding.

This passed with a unanimous vote, as did a motion to terminate the potential purchase of the Rainbow Motel on Franklin Avenue, the other recent candidate for a possible shelter. A Bend Chamber representative urged the city not to turn that spot into a shelter, saying private investment and redevelopment in that area could create hundreds of units of workforce housing.