Multnomah County commits to study financial assurances for CEI hub, urges state coordination on risk-bond bill

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution directing county staff to investigate how the county could require financial assurances from operators of the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) hub.

Presenters said the CEI hub holds more than 90% of Oregon's liquid fuel in a cluster they described as roughly 630 tanks with a cited maximum capacity of about 350,600,000 gallons. Hayden Farris, policy director for Commissioner Moyer, told the board that a major Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could cause ruptures and releases at the hub with regional-scale public-health and emergency-response consequences, and that the county currently lacks sufficient financial resources to respond to a worst-case release.

The resolution convenes the health department, emergency management, risk management, the Office of Sustainability and purchasing to evaluate policy options and determine feasibility of requiring financial assurances similar to language in a draft county ordinance. Next steps listed in the resolution could include convening a project team, assessing county costs for a worst-case scenario, issuing requests for information, and recommending implementation and enforcement approaches.

During public testimony, residents and advocates praised the county's leadership and urged collaboration with the state. Nikki Mandel, who said she facilitates the statewide CEI hub coalition and represents the Respond Coalition, urged the county to support the state risk-bond bill (HB 4100-3), noting the bill would require bulk terminals in Multnomah County to submit certificates of financial responsibility by March 31, 2027, give local governments representation on the rule advisory committee, and provide DEQ enforcement tools. She said an initial per-facility cap in the bill of $300 million could translate to a substantially larger total financial-responsibility pool at the county level as rules evolve.

Commissioners emphasized that county work is an interim step toward a potential ordinance and that they intend to engage stakeholders, including those most likely to be affected. Commissioner Singleton, the resolution sponsor, and Commissioner Moyer, the second, said they support parallel state action and will press to ensure public-health impacts are included in state legislation. The resolution passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

Next steps: staff will convene an internal project team, estimate county response costs for a worst-case release scenario, and return recommendations to the board for further action and potential ordinance drafting.