Ironic? ‘Green’ City Could Become a Major Coal Port
- Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:07pm by
Liz Klimas
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Bellingham, Wash. is 20 miles south of the Canadian border. The city is the 12th largest in the state and is known for its investment in parks and preserved spaces, support for culture and arts, and its marine district.
It’s a town that, according to National Geographic, makes green power purchases, supports building efficiency and places an emphasis on buying local. All-in-all, most would say this is an eco-friendly, green town, like many of the cities around the Seattle region.
But during the last few months, the town has been battling against an energy producing resource that seeks to pass through its town and establish a marine port to meet Asia’s demand for energy. The resource is coal and, depending on who you talk to, coal is either the darkest of environmental enemies or a clean resource with a bad rap.
(Photo: via National Geographic Paul Anderson)
As National Geographic reports in its series exploring energy issues, the $500 million Gateway Pacific Terminal, a project of port operator SSA Marine, would provide a link between coal being shipped from Wyoming and Montana to Asia. The coal industry, SSA Marine, and other supporters assert that allowing this project would result in more than 1,200 permanent jobs and $200 million per year in economic revenue.
Earlier this year, former Whatcom County Council member Craig Cole Coal was quoted in The Bellingham Herald as saying, “We’re a debtor nation. We owe the Chinese 3 trillion dollars. We can’t continue like this. We have to bring cash into the country.”
But as you might expect, many in this eco town are hesitant and/or against having freight trains carrying coal pass through their town, exporting 48 million tons of coal per year. National Geographic reports this concern is not only for the effect it would have on their marine ports and surrounding land, but the fact that Asia would be burning what many consider an emissions-heavy fossil fuel.
Aside from meeting environmental opposition to the project in general, SSA Marine is also coming under fire for for clearing land and violating the states Clean Water Act. The Western Front reported more earlier this month:
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue SSA Marine [earlier this month] for “gross negligence and illegal behavior clearing of 9 acres at Cherry Point this past August.” This is filed under the citizen suit provision of the Clean Water Act.
[...]
Bob Ferris, executive director of RE Sources, a nonprofit environmental education organization, did not mince words in accusing the company.
“They violated county law, they violated state law, and they violated federal law,” Ferris said. “The feds have acknowledged that this is a violation of the Clean Water Act but haven’t taken any steps.”
SSA Marine Senior Vice President Bob Watters has expressed doubts regarding the nature of the lawsuit and said RE Sources and its supporters have motives beyond the Clean Water Act.
“RE Sources opposes further industrial development at Cherry Point in spite of the fact that the Whatcom County shoreline and zoning ordinances have for decades designated it as the place for more good jobs,” Watters said in a press release in early October, in response to the announcement of the lawsuit against SSA Marine.
More than 800 residents rally against the coal port. (Photo via LeeUniversal.blogspot)
National Geographic notes that the city, just a few years ago, was winning award for its green initiatives limiting use of fossil fuels, but then economic hardship took its toll. Mayor Dan Pike is reported as saying that the allure of job creation makes the project “hard to say no to,” but that he ultimately believes redevelopment plans for the waterfront, as opposed to a rail line that would block it off, will create more long-terms jobs.
National Geographic goes on to report that while the United States is an abundant source of coal, only about 10 percent that was mined last year was exported to other sources outside the country.
Public events are still being held among residents and local officials to discuss the impact of the project. The next one sponsored by Sierra Club and a local environmental group, the Edmonds Beacon reports, is this Wednesday, Oct. 26.
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Comments (73)
Scarab Sport
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:36pmThe people protesting need to step back and look at the big picture. However, it probably wouldn’t make a differnce. It is the not in my back yard mind set. So, what is wrong with shipping coal. It is not even getting burned here. Think back to the industrial revolution in this country when things were actually being manufactured here in the USA. Look around in the northeast and you can still see some of the gigantic factory buildings that were one used to manufacture almost every product you can imagine from steam locomoties to clothing. What did all of these factories have in common? They all burned coal, including the steam locomotives, without any pollution control equipment or environmental regulations. Almost all of the homes used coal fired boilers. The first house I purchased had a gas fired boiler. However, it once had a coal boiler because the coal bin was still in the basement with some coal. Did our ancestors survive and prosper in the midst of all this coal fired pollution? You bet they did. Now people freak out about state of the art coal fired plants with emission controls. They are obsessing about a little carbon dioxide gas. Go ahead with all this nonsense and there won’t be any jobs left in this country. Only so many people can collect welfare before the the system collapses. All this coal is going to China to fire their coal fired electric plants. If they can’t get it here they will go to other countries. Resulting in even less jobs here in the USA.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 5:25pmGood posts, thanks. These people also need to take into consideration that China is growing and thriving without any thought to harming their environment. Perhaps if this goes through and this area can turn around their economy it will help other states to change course and figure out that we too can use coal to bring back our economy and lower the costs that have skyrocketed under Obama. what is that old saying, “The proof is in the pudding” Maybe Americans need to see that there is hope by going back to some basics that the EPA and the progressives have done their best to destroy. The fact that we owe China so much money and that they are becoming the most powerful nation in the world because they are using our past techniques to thrive might open a few eyes. The time has come to draw a line in the sand to do what is necessary for survival. These bleeding hearts groups are bringing us down and suffocating any chance of the US to be independent from the dependency we now face with China.
Report Post »keithmichigan
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 5:41pmI couldn’t have said it any better. I am old enough to remember Gary Indiana when they made steel using Coal and it was really smoky but the people actually had Jobs. Now here in this country we can burn Coal much cleaner than any other Country in the World. But we send it off to a Country that will burn it dirty and then it still goes in the atmosphere.
Report Post »loadingmyclips
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:18pmYes, things are pretty well all twisted around. I guess that we have to find new technology .
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:48pmIsn’t it nice that they are going to mine the U.S and export a lot of it (most of it), because Lord knows there won’t be very many coal-fired power plants in America? And all kinds of people will eat it up that there will come of it 1000′s of jobs. Well, there will be but just not the good paying jobs you think there will be. You know what I think? I think they are going to give nations, that’s right give nation resources because all the U.S debt.
Report Post »heyjim55
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:34pmWhen you press liberals about policies like this sooner or later they will admit it’s more about destroying the economic system and the country than their green agenda. I live just south of this town about a 40 minutes drive and I can assure you that this is little San Francisco it has the same sort of people and many are actually transplants from the bay area. Everything in this story is true and it doesn’t stop there, these people live in bubble filled with hemp and granola it‘s also a college town Western Washington University with it’s Fairhaven district full of ultra Leftists and organic muncher’s they run things there and anything on their hit list will be opposed with help from Seattle. You will know you are in Lib ville when you enter that town and walk around and see the people and local businesses including the hint of pot in the air and the smell of patchouli oil and arm pits.
Report Post »don young
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:30pmuntil obama puts a stop to them with real high taxes.
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:29pmSadly,
Report Post »But……What Ever It Takes…! We can not swap the least expensive energy for the most expensive energy like obumer and the Dems want !
Magni3d
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:26pmI live in Bellingham Wa. All those 800 zombies protesting and many many more who could not attend because they were waiting for their welfare check haven’t got the good sense to wipe after using the bathroom with out government instruction. These people are everywhere, they are so convinced that they have no future except under the government thumb, that they don’t realize that with this coal terminal they and their families could get themselves off the government teat.
I’m a welder, or at least I try to be the Obama economy has not made it easy to keep a job. But I’ll be dammed if I ever apply for welfare, or shoot myself in the foot by protesting something like this that could “Liberate” so many people in my own community.
The answer to 1985 is 1776.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:47pmYo Magin3d:
Report Post »Looks like a nice area.
This stuff always reminds me of a squirrel on the road that can‘t make up it’s mind which way to go and gets run over by the car that doesn’t slow down.
I live in Pa… a state with huge coal deposits, many people could be put to work… it’s sad. I am all for taking care of the planet, and love the outdoors. This fear has just got people running scared and shut them down.
lobster
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 8:21pmBack in the old days, fifties to y’all,there were no emission controls on coal plants or home furnaces. The black used to go every where. The only thing bad about that stuff is it looks bad as it is only unburned carbon. Regardless of what the dufusses at the EPA say that stuff isn’t harmful only ugly. The chinese don’t use any pollution control at all on their plants and the air gets awful, remember when the Olympics were there they had really bad air. The new scrubbers we put on effluent stacks from coal-fired oplant removes about 99% of the junk. The rabblerousers from the EPA are screaming about the tiniest amounts of mercury that really doesn’t do what they say. Most of their screaming is to justify the lower IQ of inner city kids, I.E. lead, is not air related but parent related.
Report Post »moosebeeusa
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:19pmIf the stupid governor Christy Gregoire wasn’t bot off by the greenies they could build a coal fire plant and the small amount of emissions would blow back to Canada.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:17pmThe only way we can slow any of this crap down is convince the democrats in the house and the senate come Nov, they are history. They are history but until they hear enough people speaking it, they are not gonna stop Obama. The GOP can’t stop Obama because # 1 there isn’t enough of them and # 2 because of the race card. The democrats have to stop him if he gets stopped!
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:33pmWe stop the democrats(socialists) by defeating them in 2012. We vote obama out. Conservatism, not the establishment GOP is the answer. The establishment democrats and republicans are the problem, not the solution
Report Post »landman1
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:15pmHow mindlessly stupid to export coal to China because we can’t burn it here. IS China not part this world? Burn it there or here, it makes no difference unless you know that we make every effort to be as eco friendly as possible and they don’t. It just makes me tremble to see idiots stopping the use of our natural resources here while enriching other countries economies abroad. Man has been burning coal ever since fire was discovered. Please…somebody, step up and be a leader. Let‘s get this country back on track before it’s too late. The brainless are gaining traction. Now is not the time to be squemish. Somebody has to act!! GET ACTIVE in stopping LIBERALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »keithmichigan
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 5:54pmYes burn it clean here or sell it to foreign country where they burn it dirty. Kind of stupid on our part.
Report Post »Maxim
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:12pmI live in Bellingham, [ home of Beck's graduating High school ]. Re Sources is the “Sustainability” organization, the Director, Bob Ferris, is a phoney decepticon who denies that his organization pushes Agenda 21 via The City of Bellingham‘s and Countie’s ICLEI membership. The propaganda about the coal port and trains is unbelievable! I hope a real major news source such as the BLAZE, looks into this and exposes the truth about the proposed port. You can see Bob Ferris’s YOUTUBE videos on deindustrialization and ask yourself if you believe anything this guy says, and watch out for “Sustainability”, Agenda 21, in your community, nothing but economic vandalism!
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 9:16pmI have relatives who live 1 house away from the train tracks where coal trains pass by every half hour. I never noticed any coal dust. Ferris is exaggerating or lying.
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:09pm‘
Isn’t Coal a naturally occurring, organic product of the earth?
.
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:21pmyep.
Report Post »sweetgold
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:04pmGo Washington !!!! Don’t you dare do this ! You don’t need 1200 permanent jobs and an ongoing added cash flow of $200 million dollars. Us regular folks are proud of you !!!
Report Post »robino
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:46pmNot those kind of jobs anyway. The people of Bellingham are much too educated for that.
Report Post »davidjbloom93
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 8:01pmIn case you didnt reads the article, the coal comes from Wyoming and Montana. It is shipped through WA.
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:01pmIf you people think that this will happen you are nuts. The Commie / Enviorowhackos will tie this project up in courts for the next 20 years . Besides who needs 1200 jobs.
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:57pmYeah, ironic, yeah. I guess when push comes to shove, CAPITALISM RULES!
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:54pmI’d bet those 800 residents are also saying the “Republicans are blocking the jobs bill.”
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:01pmI believe to be fair…these 800 should be excluded from any benefits the town may get from the coal line. I don’t want that kind of “blood money” from Gaia on their conscience.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:05pmoh yes they are. a very close family member attended that western wa university in bellingham. they specialize in enviromental sciences, also known as teaching people soap is bad. its a stinky bunch out there
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:53pm.
Report Post »Look at the picture, not a shaved armpit in the whole lot. Except for Skippy, but we won’t talk about him…….
Tired-of-fools
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:53pmI think that Al Gore should get involved. This is an outrage. We need to set the example and tell other countries what to do just like Obama does to us. Maybe Obama should be the first “World King and Almighty Ruler”. Come on Barry, take the lead on this. Or maybe this could be part of the Jobs Bill and the firefighters and teachers could work at the port loading the coal. If it adds 1200 permanent jobs, there would be less robberies and rapes. That’s what Joe Biteme would say. Maybe they should talk to the local 4th graders.
Report Post »thegodfather
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:52pmLook at them…raised fists…just extend the fingers and yell “Heil Hitler”!
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:48pmIsn’t this the way it always is and always will be?
Report Post »Fossil fuels financially supporting green energy failure!
Conservative122
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:45pmGood! At least we’re taking advantage of natural resources in our own country.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:55pmHow is shipping our coal to China and not using it here, taking advantage of our resources?
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:43pm@Rational Man
since the lefty EPA and all the “not in my backyard” types dont like coal, the market for it is less friendly in the US. So if Americans are too good for coal then what is wrong with doing the next best thing with natural resources? selling them? Coal not being used or sold is just dirty black rock. And a waste.
Report Post »Doug in Seattle
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:43pmWhy not use the existing Robert’s Bank Coal Port 30 miles north of Bellingham? It has existing rail links and can handle the largest bulk carriers. It could also be expanded (if needed) much cheaper since it is not in an urban area.
Of course it is in Canada.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:50pmYou just answered your own question……………
Report Post »NW Libertarian
Posted on October 25, 2011 at 1:55amActually there are already 6 trains a day passing through Bellingham t Roberts Bank. The rail line was here before most of the town, There is no standing for the city to complain. Coal is inert and harmless, there are much nastier things going through by tank car. We have no more right to have a say than we do if the coal was going by truck up I-5 through town.
Report Post »Blaine45ACP
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:41pmThe New Coal is just as green as anything else, and we have hundreds of years worth of it. Asia, on the other hand, does not embrace the clean coal thing…..Why the Hell are we not using OUR coal for green power in THIS country??
Report Post »dogpatch65
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:45pmOh, i don’t know, now that the Vatican is asking for a “global authority” to regulate currency and banking, I don’t expect the green movement to matter much longer:
Report Post »http://markamerica.com/2011/10/24/unholy-alliance-between-church-and-state/
Doug in Seattle
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 4:50pmNew coal is the same old coal. There are technologies used now that weren’t in place 50 years ago.What these do is scrub out the SO2 and few other emissions that some thought caused acidic lakes.
All coal is black or dark brown and leaves dust behind. Burning it produces trace amounts of mercury which some think is much worse than the same stuff produced by burning trees.
Burning coal also produces CO2, a colorless, odorless trace gas that is harmless to people and essential to plants, including all food plants. Some folks think this is pollution and are willing to destroy our modern civilization to prevent it from causing someting nobody has ever proved can happen outside of a computer.
Report Post »keithmichigan
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 6:34pmThank you Doug and All.
Report Post »I totally agree
progressiveslayer
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:39pmIsn’t that nice,we can export coal but can‘t use it here because Barry doesn’t like coal,remember his,‘you can build a coal fired plant but I’ll see to it that the costs are so high you‘ll go out of business’
Report Post »I’m paraphrasing of course but you get the point,his green energy BS will fail just like it did for Spain.
The Marxist has to make fossil fuels cost more than they should so we’ll be forced to use green energy,it’s all BS.
Biscuit Feed Bubba
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:33pmGo green, you are mean.
Go coal, you’ve got soul.
(Greenies are mere communists)
Report Post »keithmichigan
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 6:42pmYou go Biscuit Feed
Report Post »I just couldn’t help but think that some of us should go to the occupy rallies and chant what you said
lukerw
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:33pmIf there were no radicals… alike the 50′s… this would be a nice place to live.
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:30pmIgnorance is bliss, so they say, hence the smile on all their faces.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on October 24, 2011 at 3:38pmThanks to Obummer’s war on energy, we now just ship our coal to Asia, where it will be converted into power for others, instead of us, and having what little impact on the environment as it would had it been used domestically. This pres has to go.
Report Post »