Nancy Hiser moved to Linnton in 2013 and appreciates the beauty it affords. As a Neighborhood Emergency Team member committed to educating residents about disaster preparedness, the realities of the CEI Hub quickly became overwhelmingly clear. She asks, "Why are our communities subject to the pollution and dangers the oil industry poses?"

Shawn Looney grew up in St. Johns, in North Portland. She has long lived near the “tank farms.” Over time, she realized the potential dangers they pose. After moving to Linnton in 1999, with the CEI Hub up close and personal, the need for safety became paramount. The bottom line is that the tanks can’t be made safe in their current location. “Tank the tanks” became the mantra.

Laurel joined the team as an intern while going to school at the University of Oregon, and she decided to stay on as a volunteer after graduating and moving to Portland. She is passionate about environmental justice after reading so much about how pollution hurts our most vulnerable populations. After exploring Linnton and smelling the awful smells near the CEI hub, she knew she had to continue this work.

David Labby joined Tank the Tanks after going on a tour of Zenith in 2024 and meeting up with Nancy Hiser and other Linnton activists.  Reading the DEQ Seismic Vulnerability Assessments submitted to DEQ, he realized the only real way to increase the safety of the CEI Hub is to minimize and phase out what is currently stored there.  He is a fifth-generation Portlander and a retired physician.

Maria Miller was a student at the University of Oregon studying Environmental Studies. She is passionate about advocating for environmental health and protection, and using social media as a tool to do so. She interned for Tank the Tanks in the Spring of 2025, before graduating.

Paula Dougherty took her N PDX sixth-grade students to Outdoor School each year, where they learned to become citizen scientists by learning about and advocating for healthy and safe environments. Back in the classroom, they practiced their skills as they inquired into the health and safety risks of the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub. They concluded that the 300 million gallons of fuel stored in unsafe tanks on unstable ground should be spread out and moved. Paula has stepped back from Tank the Tanks but keeps in touch.

Pam Nicholls spent much of her 20s and 30s in the High Sierra. She is in love with this world. Her inspiration to be involved with Tank the Tanks arose from participation in the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund’s Democracy School, which brought the four women together to address the urgent need to educate the public about the dangers of the Hub. Pam has since moved back to the Bay Area and stays connected with the team.