On May 13th, the Willamette Week reported that Zenith had quietly withdrawn its permit request to construct three new pipelines under Front Avenue. The City had denied that permit in fall of 2019 based on its no-new-fossil-fuel-infrastructure policy. Zenith still plans a $24 million expansion of its storage capacity, which it claims will be used for renewable fuels. Advocates continue to organize against Zenith’s continued operation and any expansion.
As Daphne Wisham from the Center for Sustainable Economy put it, “it is common practice for oil companies to request a permit for ‘renewable’ fuels, and once that permit is authorized, to flip the terminal back to transporting crude oil. So we remain vigilant about this ‘renewable fuel’ permit, regardless, and intend to keep the pressure on Portland’s lone crude oil terminal until it is closed for good”.
