Decision by Global Partners to Scale Back Albany Terminal Crude Oil Operations Good News for River and Region
Hayley Carlock, Environmental Advocacy Director, 845 891 3148, hcarlock@scenichudson.org
HUDSON VALLEY—Global Partners’ announcement today that it will be scaling back crude oil operations at its Albany terminal and has withdrawn plans to handle heavy tar sands crude is a major victory for the entire Hudson Valley.
In 2012, Global quadrupled the amount of explosive Bakken crude oil it handled at its facility, turning Albany into a crude oil hub and dramatically increasing the amount of this dangerous cargo transported by train and barge down the Hudson River. Global’s crude oil operations also gave rise to ill-advised proposals for crude oil pipelines and 43 new barge anchorages on the river. The transport of this dangerous cargo on the Hudson and through communities along the river created a serious danger to our environment and public safety. Scenic Hudson and its partners have spent the past four years fighting this threat at the federal and state levels, including challenging Global’s crude oil permits in court.
“After four years of tireless advocacy to stop the crude oil superhighway on the Hudson, all communities along the river can breathe a sigh of relief today,” said Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan. “Transport of tar sands crude oil on the Hudson could have devastated the river’s ecology, and at its peak, over 25 crude oil trains and several barges per week traveled down the Hudson, through dozens of communities, posing grave threats of explosions and spills. We commend Governor Cuomo for his leadership on this issue. DEC’s refusal to issue Global its permit to handle heavy crude and decision to treat Global’s plans as a new permit requiring a full environmental review surely played a major role in today’s announcement.”
Scenic Hudson Director of Environmental Advocacy Hayley Carlock added, “Today’s announcement from Global is a significant step in the right direction. The enormous amount of crude handled by Global between 2012 and 2016 turned the Hudson River into a virtual pipeline for the explosive material that caused 43 deaths in the Lac-Megantic rail tragedy in 2013. A permanent, enforceable reduction in this volume will mean the threat of a similar incident in the Hudson Valley is greatly reduced. DEC should treat Global’s application as a new permit and require a full environmental review to determine whether any crude at all should be handled at the Albany facility. Scenic Hudson will remain vigilant to ensure that a full review of Global’s operations occurs.”
About Scenic Hudson
Scenic Hudson helps citizens and communities preserve land and farms and create parks where people experience the outdoors and enjoy the Hudson River. We also bring together people, businesses and government to protect the river and natural resources that are the engines of the valley’s local economies. Started in 1963 by a handful of citizens who cherished the simple pleasures of the outdoors along the Hudson, Scenic Hudson is credited with launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today, in the face of new challenges and the effects of climate change, we are dedicated to making the Hudson Valley a great place to live, work and play. Our focus is on strengthening and maximizing benefits all can enjoy from the region’s great assets—beautiful open spaces, working farms, and vibrant cities and town centers.
