{"id":22245,"date":"2016-06-04T15:33:36","date_gmt":"2016-06-04T22:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=22245"},"modified":"2016-06-04T15:54:29","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T22:54:29","slug":"oregon-suddenly-became-a-cruder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/06\/04\/oregon-suddenly-became-a-cruder\/","title":{"rendered":"Oregon Suddenly Became a Cruder Place"},"content":{"rendered":"

It saddens me to report that there was an oil spill and fire in a train carrying super-volatile Bakken Crude  adjacent to the Columbia River, and that it is now in the river itself.  Officials say it has been contained, but what they call contained never means eliminated, so it will be in the river, poisoning the ecosystem for decades.<\/font><\/p>\n

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A Union Pacific train carrying volatile Bakken crude oil<\/a> derailed in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge Friday afternoon, sparking a large blaze and prompting evacuations and road closures around the nearby town of Mosier. No deaths or injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

KATU TV reported<\/a> that as many as four rail cars ended up engulfed in flames. A Union Pacific spokesman said oil leaked from at least one car, though according to an Oregon Department of Transportation statement<\/a> released last night, “no oil or fire suppression water has reached Rock Creek, the Columbia River, or its tributaries.” ODOT officials added that Union Pacific crews had placed booms across Rock Creek and the mouth of the Columbia River as a preemptive step.<\/p>\n

The derailment generated a large fire, and plumes of smoke filled the sky. Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper, observed the blaze. In a statement sent to ThinkProgress, he characterized the incident as “a terrible situation.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

From <Think Progress<\/a>><\/font><\/p>\n

Governor Kate Brown held a press conference last night<\/font><\/p>\n