Plans to build a shipping terminal near the mouth of the Columbia River to export Rocky Mountain coal to Asia have resurfaced — and this time the proposal is bigger than ever. Read more.
Coal train issue draws scrutiny in Puyallup, Sumner
Puyallup and Sumner leaders are voicing concerns about traffic congestion and other problems that proposed increases in coal trains through East Pierce County could cause. The cities are adding to regional worries that at least 18 trains per day will be added to Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks for exporting…
OPINION: Set the environmental bar high on coal transport and export
From the boisterous meeting at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, it was clear residents from far and wide want the broadest possible review of plans for a coal port near Bellingham. The intimate gathering of thousands last week was the final of seven sessions — in Bellingham, Friday…
Bellingham residents at odds over coal proposal
BELLINGHAM – This progressive college town is known for its stunning scenery, access to the outdoors and eclectic mix of aging hippies, students and other residents. But lately it’s turned into a battleground in the debate over whether the Pacific Northwest should become the hub for exporting U.S. coal to…
Epic Northwest battle: Defining how big a deal coal ports are
It is being called “unprecedented” but it seems to be rolling out as its authors had intended, perhaps the biggest experiment in environmental democracy the Northwest has ever seen. That would be the “scoping” process to determine what effects the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal north of Bellingham would have on…
Study: Coal Trains Would Hit Property Values Hard
A new study commissioned by Seattle-based Climate Solutions concluded that a proposal to run as many as 18 1.6-mile-long coal trains a day through Seattle to a new coal terminal in Bellingham could cost property owners along the route as much as $265 million in lost property values. The report…
Coal Trains Could Delay Downtown, SoDo Traffic By One to Three Hours a Day, Study Finds
Building the nation’s largest coal export terminal outside of Bellingham, Washington, could delay traffic in Seattle at eight key points in Belltown and SoDo by one to three hours, significantly impacting commuter traffic and emergency vehicles’ response times, according to a traffic study released today and commissioned by the City…
Fight over coal exports builds in Northwest communities
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The progressive college town of Bellingham, Wash., is known for its stunning scenery, access to the outdoors and eclectic mix of aging hippies, students and other residents. But lately it’s turned into a battleground in the debate over whether the Pacific Northwest should become the hub for…
Reject plan for coal export terminals – it’s the neighborly thing to do
Coal companies want to build enormous export terminals in Washington state to ship coal through our region to Asia. While permitting such coal terminals may sound like a mere technical matter, it is not. This is a decision that affects the future of our region and our world. Read the…