Green Groups Sue Port of Seattle
A coalition of environmental groups has sued the Port of Seattle over a leasing agreement to host Shell Oil’s Arctic drilling fleet, claiming the deal was negotiated in secret and may pollute the port. They argued that the port needed to allow more public involvement and violated two state laws. The Port of Seattle earlier this month signed a two-year lease for 50 acres across from downtown Seattle to Foss Maritime, the company that will manage Shell’s drilling fleet here in Seattle at Terminal 5. That terminal has been empty since last summer because the port is planning to overhaul it to allow bigger cargo ships. So this is a temporary use to generate about $13 million. The groups allege that the port violated state environmental laws when it did not do a review.
J.M. Martinac Sues Ferry System
According to reports, a Tacoma shipbuilder sued Washington State Ferries, claiming the state tried to "obstruct, frustrate and otherwise delay" the process of acquiring four new ferries from the shipbuilder. A ferry official generally denied the claim and said the state is pressing ahead to build the boats. The suit, filed in King County Superior Court on behalf of J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., asks for unspecified damages and is one of an ongoing series of disputes with the state ferry system. A recent statement from the ferry system said Martinac and two other shipbuilders were technically and financially capable of building the boats.
