By Seth Daniel
Last Thursday morning, four organizations—three based locally and one operating statewide—joined forces to press the ExxonMobile terminal in Everett regarding preparedness for climate-related natural disasters. The push involved GreenRoots, La Communidad, NOAH, and the Conservation Law Foundation.
Workers at the Beacham Street office location found themselves facing an unexpected crowd of environmental activists intent on delivering correspondence to management. Confusion reigned as staff tried to process what the gathering wanted.
The letter, accompanied by 11 pages of resident signatures, was read aloud and laid out concerns to Exxon’s leadership. “We live in Everett, Chelsea, East Boston and adjacent communities and are deeply concerned with potential impacts from the Everett Terminal along the Mystic River should a hurricane, super storm Sandy or other significant weather event happen in the Greater Boston area,” “As proximate neighbors to your facility, we want to know if Exxon has an evacuation plan, a plan to address the impacts of petroleum products flowing into our rivers and neighborhoods and how Exxon will communicate these measures to residents of our communities. As you are aware and have admitted in your own communications, our climate is changing. Exxon’s Everett facility, and our communities, will be on the front lines as sea levels rise and storms increase in frequency and intensity. A spill from you facility—which will be caused by an intense rain event or by storm surges washing over your property—would have catastrophic effects on our watershed and our communities.”
The activists congregated in the small lobby, hoping for direct contact. When the terminal manager finally appeared at the doorway, he peered out briefly.
John Valinch, representing Chelsea GreenRoots, approached him to hand over the letter and requested acceptance.
The manager refused to take it.
“I will decline to take the letter, but I will get you the right information as to where to you can direct it. This is a work environment and work is being done today. We are concerned too. Many of us work here and live here…I’m going to ask you to leave now and not block the way. Actually, this is a restricted terminal area and you aren’t supposed to be here.”
Members of GreenRoots, La Communidad, NOAH, and the statewide Conservation Law Foundation then affixed the letter to the glass door where it would remain visible to those inside.
Several specific requests formed the substance of the correspondence.
The organizations sought:
- Exxon’s Facility Response Plan and all attachments and exhibits in a non-redacted form.
- Exxon’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plan and all attachments and exhibits in a non-redacted form.
- Exxon’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and all attachments and exhibits in a non-redacted form.
- Engineered site plans for the past 10 years.
- Any and all documents showing how the facility is responding to climate change impacts, including storm surges.
In addition, the letter extended an invitation for Exxon to join quarterly business roundtable discussions with GreenRoots and its partner organizations.