Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

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Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

• Martin Donohoe

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Plans

• Powder River Basin coal, cheap, export to China
  and India (to supplement national uses and
  European/Australian exports)
• Federal land, cheap
• Americans own most of Powder River Basin (40 of
  Americas coal supply)
• 2/3 of coal extracted from public lands

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Coal Economics

• Cheap
• Sold for as low as 1/ton (usually
  non-competitively)
• U.S. price 9/ton sold to China for 80
  -123/ton
• Uncompetitive leasing and poor oversight have
  cost U.S Treasury 29 billion since 1982

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Coal Economics

• GAO found BLMs coal lease program does not
  account for the higher price of coal when it is
  exported
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee,
  Interior Department, and looking into royalty
  payment evasion (companies valuing coal at low
  domestic prices, rather than those fetched
  overseas)

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Plans

• 100 million tons/yr
• 26 trains/day
• 4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars per train)
• 12 barges/wk

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Plans

• Would dramatically increase U.S. coal export
  capacity
• 2006 - 50 million tons/yr
• Current - 127 million tons/yr
• With proposals - 200 million tons/yr
• Through Columbia River Gorge (National Scenic
  Area)

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48 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
15-30 mmt/yr coal
44 mmt/yr coal
8 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
Total 150 mmt/yr coal
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Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Respiratory diseases (including Black Lung
  Disease)
• Heart disease
• Cancers
• Low birth weight
• Birth defects

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Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Depleted aquifers, decreased land for ranchers
  for grazing, dust pneumonia in cattle and horses
• Deception

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DECKER MINE DECKER, MONTANA
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Accidents

• Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years
• 250 deaths/yr in U.S. from all rail transport
  accidents
• Vancouver barge hits coal chute coal ship breaks
  in two off South Africa
• Mississippi River Barge hit railroad bridge,
  leaking oil

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Accidents

• Runaway train disaster in Quebec (2013)
• West Virginia surfactant spill pollutes river
  (2013)
• Risk of fires at coal terminals
• Water intensifies blaze special equipment and
  firefighter training required

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• Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH

Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near
Baltimore, Ohio (2012). Photo from Reuters.
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Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(2012)
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The same trains that would carry coal through the
Pacific NW Wisconsin, 2013
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Coal-laden ship breaks up off coast of South
Africa (2013)
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Westshore Coal Terminal in BC (2012)Photo from
CKNW News Talk 980.
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Fire at Westshore Coal TerminalBritish Columbia,
2013
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Accidents(Preventable)

• Sago and Upper Big Branch (West VA) mine
  explosions/cave-ins
• Elk River (WVa) coal terminal leak/contamination
• Others

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Trains

• Large increase in wear and tear on RR tracks
• RR limited by federal law from paying more than
  5 costs for improvements in at-grade crossings,
  bridges, tunnels, overpasses
• Costs will be borne by local municipalities,
  state and federal taxpayers

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Deception

• Ambre Energy mislead Port of Longview (5 million
  tons/yr internal documents up to 60 million
  tons/yr re-applied at 45 million tons/yr)
• Port of Coos Bay admonished by judge for
  attempting to prevent Sierra Club form obtaining
  public records re proposed terminal

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Deception

• Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the Alliance
  for Northwest Jobs and Exports
• Calls the group a grassroots effort
• Has referred to the sacred wetlands of the Lummi
  Nation (Gateway site) as basicallyan industrial
  area

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Deception

• Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the Alliance
  for Northwest Jobs and Exports
• Group created and largely funded by coal industry
  and its allies
• Hennessey Vice-President of Corporate and
  Public Affairs at Edelman (worlds largest PR
  firm, best known for decades of work on behalf of
  Big Tobacco)

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Health Effects

• Diesel particulate matter
• impaired lung development
• pulmonary inflammation and lung cancer
• increased risk of heart attacks/strokes/cancer/ast
  hma (ER visits and hospitalizations)

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Health Effects

• Diesel particulate matter
• increases cardiopulmonary and all-cause mortality
• developmental neurotoxin
• Perinatal exposure increases risk for autism
  spectrum disorder, ADHD-related symptoms

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Health Effects

• Coal Dust
• Up to 645 lbs. (3) lost per car during transit
• Surfactant decreases, but does not eliminate, risk

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Health Effects

• Coal Dust
• Chronic bronchitis/emphysema/pulmonary fibrosis
• Exposure to heavy metals
• 3-fold increased risk of cancer in coal terminal
  workers in Australia
• Organic gardeners/farmers

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Plumes of coal dust can often be seen from
passing coal trains. When standing near the rail
lines, I have often had to avert my face when a
loaded coal train passes to avoid being pelted
with coal particles. William VanHook, Assistant
VP, BNSF
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Coal Dust Escape645 lbs without surfactant97
lbs with surfactantBNSF Study
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Health Effects

• Noise
• Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, increased
  BP, arrhythmias)
• Stroke
• Cognitive impairment in children
• Exacerbation of mental health disorders
• Sleep disturbance (fatigue, HTN, arrhythmias,
  accidents and injuries)

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Health and Environmental Effects

• Worst effects on
• Communities of color, children, older adults, and
  low income citizens
• Native Americans
• Tribal fishing sites (Native American fish
  consumption up to 10X U.S. avg. of 14 lbs/yr)
• Organic gardeners
• Quality of life for all

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Frequent, Long Train Crossings

• Delayed EMS and fire department response times
• Effect on heart attack/stroke/trauma victims,
  police response to crimes
• Portland Fire Department response times already
  poor
• Houseboat fire
• Increased accidents, traumatic injuries, and
  deaths

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Increased ground level ozone
• Mercury and other heavy metals
• Neurotoxin
• Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD
• 300,000-600,000 women of reproductive age with
  toxic levels
• 18 of Mt Bachelor mercury from Asian power
  plants

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Air pollution
• 200,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.
• 4.1-6.8 million worldwide
• 2.1 3.3 million (outdoor air pollution)
• 2-3.5 million (indoor air pollution)
• Government program promoting coal use in Northern
  China may cut life expectancy of 500 million
  people by average 5 yrs

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Global warming
• 400,000 deaths and 5.0 - 5.5 million
  disability-adjusted life years lost per year
  (WHO, UN Environment Program)
• Expected to double by 2030
• Weather extremes

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Global warming
• 2013 report from Power Consulting every 140
  million tons of additional Powder River Basin
  coal exported will cause a net rise of 200-240
  million tons of CO2 when burned in Asia

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True Cost of Coal

• U.S. 502 billion in fossil fuel subsidies in
  2012
• Subsidies for polluting energy sources greater
  than 12 times subsidies for renewables (excluding
  military costs)
• Much internalized as industry profits
• The public health costs of coal alone are more
  than double the U.S. average retail electricity
  rate
• When subsidies and externalities taken into
  account, renewables look great

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Jobs

• Progressives (who oppose coal exports)
  traditionally support unions, green energy jobs,
  living wage, health insurance for all, etc.
• Coal exports - Short-term, unhealthy jobs
• U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese and Indian jobs

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Jobs and Property Values

• Effect on local retailers and their often low
  wage employees
• Seattle study predicts rail crossing congestion
  could cost up to 455,000/yr in lost revenue plus
  an additional 475 million in diminished real
  estate values for commercial residential, and
  industrial properties located within 600 ft of
  the tracks
• Negative effects on tourism

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Jobs

• Jobs program for pulmonologists, special ed
  teachers, and morticians

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Multnomah County Health Department Analysis

• 9 of population suffers from asthma.
• Coal dust may travel 1/3rd to 1 1/4 miles from
  train tracks.
• Almost 1/3 of population lives in areas that
  either border or cross rail lines that could
  carry coal and already experience a high burden
  of air pollution and noise disturbance from
  industrial sites, roads, and trains

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Multnomah County Health Department Analysis

• Communities of color, children, older adults, and
  low income citizens most likely to be affected
• Cumulative delay of up to two hours per day at
  each rail crossing and delays in emergency
  response times expected
• Precautionary principle invoked, calls for HIS
  and EIA

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Public Opposition

• Have indicated concern or disapproval of coal
  export proposals
• 600 health professionals
• 400 local businesses
• 220 faith leaders

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Public Opposition

• Have indicated concern or disapproval of coal
  export proposals
• Multiple Oregon and Washington municipalities,
  Portland and Seattle mayors, Oregon and
  Washington governors
• Northwest Tribes (Lummi Nation and Yakama Nation)

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Public Opposition

• Over 1,000 people attended Oregon DEQ hearings in
  12/12
• Impressive state capital rally 3/13
• Hearing and rally re Port of Morrow Project
  (7/13)
• Other events gathering huge crowds in OR, WA, and
  BC

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The Latest

• 2013 Environmental groups announce intent to sue
  Burlington Santa Fe Railway and several coal
  companies for violations of federal Clean Water
  Act
• Most coal plants in violation of Clean Water Act

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The Latest

• 2013 Army Corps of Engineers (federal permitting
  agency)decides NOT to consider local or global
  health and environmental effects of coal burning
• Despite having concluded on prior review that
  coal train pollution adversely impacts wetlands

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The Latest

• 2014 DEQ approves air quality, water quality,
  and construction storm water permits for Boardman
  terminal, but requires new water quality permit
• Project also requires permits from Department of
  State Lands and federal Army Corps of Engineers

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Coal export prices down 40 over summer, 2013
  (80-90/ton)
• Investors abandoning coal
• Goldman Sachs Report The window for profitable
  investment in thermal coal is gradually closing
• Goldman Sachs Infrastructure Partners owns 49 of
  parent company pursuing Gateway Pacific Terminal

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Kinder Morgan abandons plan to build coal export
  terminal on Columbia River at St Helens
• Ambre Energy to renegotiate deal to take over
  Decker Mine in Montana
• Ambre having financial problems
• Cloud Peak Energy fails to bid on large deposit
  Kiewit bid (21 cents/ton) rejected by BLM

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Chinese demand expected to drop with development
  of nuclear and renewables
• Chinese government states countrys air pollution
  situation is grim and is harming peoples
  health and affecting social harmony and
  stability
• China bans new coal plant production near
  Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (summer, 2013)
  and promises to close at least 2,000 small coal
  mines by 2015
• World Bank and U.S. sharply restricting funding
  of (overseas) coal plants (2013)

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Desperation

• Supporters using amoral logic of someone else
  will sell it to them similar to tobacco
  exports

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The Latest

• Many new coal terminals planned for Gulf of
  Mexico (if Pacific NW plans do not work out)
• 60 additional trains per week, could move 700,000
  barrels oil/day (proposed Keystone Pipeline
  830,000 barrels/day)
• Last Oregon coal plant (Boardman) to close in 2020

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The Latest

• Plans to use railways and terminals to transport
  Canadian Tar Sands and North Dakota Bakken Oil
  Field fracked oil through Pacific NW for export
• Pipelines on wheels
• 2008 9500 carloads thru Pacific NW 2012 over
  200,000 the future more

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What You Can Do

• Join Power Past Coal Coalition
• Volunteer
• Call Governor Kitzhaber or his Citizen
  Representative [phone]
• Contact DEQ and DSL

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What You Can Do

• Continue to demand a full spectrum Environmental
  Impact Statement (EIS) and Health Impact
  Assessment (HIA)
• Demand a halt to all proposals

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Conclusions

• Coal is a dying 19th Century technology with
  Dickensian effects on human health and the
  environment
• The consequences of coal transport through the
  Pacific Northwest and its subsequent burning in
  Asian power plants is bad for the Northwest, the
  United States, and the world

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Conclusions

• U.S. needs an energy policy for the 21st century,
  using clean technologies that provide long-term,
  well-paying, and safe jobs

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Günter Grass

• The first job of a citizen is to keep your mouth
  open.

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African Proverb

• If you think you are too small to have an
  impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in your
  tent

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Special Thanks To

• Regna Merritt, Margie Kircher, Andy Harris, Susan
  Katz, and others at Oregon PSR
• regna_at_oregonpsr.org
• Laura Stevens and others, Oregon Sierra
  Club/Beyond Coal Campaign
• Alan Lockwood, National PSR
• Thousands of concerned citizens who have
  volunteered their time and energy

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Resources

• Power Past Coal http//www.powerpastcoal.org/
• Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign
  http//content.sierraclub.org/coal/
• Coals Assault on Human Health (Physicians for
  Social Responsibility) http//www.psr.org/resourc
  es/coals-assault-on-human-health.html

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Resources

• Oregon PSR Resources http//www.psr.org/chapters/
  oregon/environmental-health-/proposed-coal-exports
  .html and http//www.psr.org/chapters/oregon/envir
  onmental-health-/

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Resources

• Full cost accounting for the life cycle of coal
  (Ann NY Acad Sci 2011121973-98. Available at
  http//solar.gwu.edu/index_files/Resources_files/e
  pstein_full20cost20of20coal.pdf

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Contact Information

• Public Health and Social Justice Website
• http//www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org
• or
• http//www.phsj.org
• Martin Donohoe
• martindonohoe_at_phsj.org