Review begins for Shell’s proposed oil-by-rail project near Anacortes

  • Associated Press
  • Tuesday, October 13, 2015 9:47am
  • Business

ANACORTES — Washington state and Skagit County officials are beginning an environmental review of a proposed oil-by-rail project at the Shell Puget Sound Refinery near Anacortes.

Royal Dutch Shell wants to build a rail spur from existing railroad tracks to handle about 60,000 barrels of crude oil a day, or a maximum of six trains a week. Trains would bring crude oil from the Bakken fields of North Dakota to replace some of the supply Shell currently gets from Alaska’s North Slope.

A hearing is scheduled in Mount Vernon on Tuesday as the state and Skagit County begin the first step of a lengthy review. Hearings also are planned in Anacortes and Lynnwood.

County officials concluded in 2013 that there weren’t significant impacts from the project. But groups appealed and a county hearing examiner in February ruled a full review was needed.

Shell appealed that examiner’s decision but a Skagit County Superior Court judge dismissed Shell’s lawsuit in May.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.