Democrats at the state convention passed two resolutions related to construction of a terminal to export coal. The following Democrats were asked to oppose construction of the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point:
• U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen of Everett
• Sen. Maria Cantwell
• Sen. Patty Murray
• Gov. Chris Gregoire
• Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark.
The resolution also states: “The Democratic Caucus of San Juan County, Washington recommends that in light of the many known and expected adverse effects of the proposed Pacific Gateway Terminal on our environment, health, and economy, that its development not be allowed to proceed.”
A second resolution was passed that called for a programmatic environmental impact statement to be conducted (in English, that means to study the potential impacts of building coal-exporting terminals throughout the Pacific Northwest, rather than one project-specific study looking at the Gateway Pacific Terminal project). An attorney for SSA Marine, which is proposing to build the terminal, recently sent this letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers arguing against a programmatic study and for one that focuses solely on the project.
Read the letter here.
