BOC-MFSA_05142013_webVANCOUVER, Wash. – The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, July 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. for a workshop on a possible lease with the Tesoro-Savage Joint Venture for a proposed crude oil handling facility at the port. The workshop, open to the public, will be held in the commission room at the port’s administrative building, located at 3103 NW Lower River Road, Vancouver.

The workshop, originally scheduled for July 9, was rescheduled to July 22 to provide additional time for lease negotiations to occur; and the meeting time was adjusted in response to recent public comment before the commission that many would prefer an evening meeting, allowing those occupied during the day to attend.

The fifth in a series, the July 22 workshop is aimed at providing information to the commissioners as they consider a proposal by the port’s longtime tenant Tesoro to construct and operate a crude oil unloading and loading facility at the port. In partnership with the logistics company Savage, Tesoro is proposing to bring North American crude oil to the port by rail where it would then be transferred to marine vessels for transport to refineries in such places as California, Washington and Alaska.

During Monday’s workshop, commissioners and port staff will review and discuss elements of the proposed lease. Previous workshop topics include Marine Safety, Rail Safety, the Washington State Energy Siting Evaluation Council permitting process, and an overview of the proposed Tesoro-Savage project. Information and links to televised coverage for each of the workshops can be found on the port’s website at www.portvanusa.com.

It is anticipated that the proposed lease will come before the commissioners for possible action during their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 23, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

As always, commission workshops are open to the public and interested parties are welcome to attend. The public may also provide comment during all regularly scheduled board meetings, which occur on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 9:30 a.m. at the port’s administration building. In addition, messages to the commissioners can be shared by telephone, email and regular mail. Click for more information on how to communicate with the port’s Board of Commissioners.

For those community members not able to attend Monday’s workshop, the meeting will be televised live on CVTV (cable channels 21 and 23) beginning at 7 p.m. It also will be streamed live on www.cvtv.org and will be archived the following day on the same website for future viewing.

– POV –

The Port of Vancouver USA is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, and its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.