By Mark Edward Nero
Officers with Coast Guard Sector Columbia River have initiated
civil penalties against 13 environmental activists who last month invaded an established
safety zone around a Shell-contracted vessel in Portland, the US Coast Guard said
Aug. 3.
The 13 cited were part of a blockade off the St. John’s Bridge
in Portland on July 29 set up to delay Shell’s Arctic icebreaking vessel, the MSV
Fennica, as it attempted to leave the Port of Portland.
The activists, who are with Greenpeace, were cited under the
Code of Federal Regulations for being in a federally-regulated safety zone established
between July 22 and July 30.
On July 22, the Coast Guard established 100-yard safety zones
around Arctic drilling and support vessels, and 500-yard safety zones while transiting.
“While the Coast Guard supports peaceful protest activity upon
domestic waters, the actions of these individuals violated federal law,” said Capt.
Daniel Travers, captain of the port and commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia
River. “We are holding these individuals accountable because their safety zone violations
created an extremely dangerous situation and unnecessarily put protesters and law
enforcement personnel at risk.”
The climbers secured themselves in place suspended from the bridge
and displayed banners with slogans including “#ShellNo” and “Save the Arctic.”
Although Coast Guard officials could have sought a maximum civil
penalty of $40,000 for each entry into the zone or day the individuals violated
the zone, the recommended penalty for each citation was $500. The Coast Guard Hearing
Office in Arlington, Virginia will determine the final penalty.
