consequences of coal exports through the pacific northwest martin donohoe

Consequences of Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

Martin Donohoe

Plans

• Powder River Basin coal, cheap, export to China and India– Federal land, cheap– Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Committee and GAO looking into royalty payment evasion (companies valuing coal at low domestic prices, rather than those fetched overseas)

Plans

• 150 million tons• 26 trains/day• 4 diesel engines/train• Barges

• Up to 500 lbs. or 3% of coal dust lost per car during transit

48 mmt/yr coal48 mmt/yr coal

8 mmt/yr coal8 mmt/yr coal

10 mmt/yr coal

10 mmt/yr coal

44 mmt/yr coal44 mmt/yr coal15-30 mmt/yr

coal15-30 mmt/yr

coal

Total: 150 mmt/yr coal

Total: 150 mmt/yr coal

Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Respiratory diseases• Heart disease• Cancers• Low birth weight• Birth defects• Etc.

DECKER MINE: DECKER, MONTANA

Accidents

• Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years

• Vancouver barge hits coal chute

• Mississippi River Barge hit railroad bridge, leaking oil

Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH

Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near Baltimore, Ohio.

Photo from Reuters.

Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(July 2, 2012)

Westshore Coal Terminal in BCPhoto from CKNW News Talk 980.

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

Health Effects

• Diesel particulate matter:– impaired lung development– pulmonary inflammation– increased risk of heart

attacks/strokes/cancer/asthma (ER visits and hospitalizations)

– increases cardiopulmonary and all-cause mortality

Health Effects

• Coal Dust:– chronic bronchitis/emphysema/pulmonary

fibrosis– exposure to heavy metals – Organic gardeners– 3-fold increased risk of cancer in coal

terminal workers in Australia

Coal Dust

Coal Dust Escape645 lbs without surfactant

97 lbs with surfactantBNSF Study

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)

Health and Environmental Effects

• Adverse Effects on:–Native Americans

• Yakima Nation tribal fishing sites–Organic gardeners–Quality of life

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, deaths

Consequences of Burning Coal

• Increased ground level ozone• Mercury and other heavy metals

–Neurotoxin–300,000-600,000 women of

reproductive age with toxic levels–18% of Mt Bachelor mercury from

Asian power plants


• Air pollution:

–75,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.

–6 million worldwide


• Global warming:–150,000 - 300,000 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

Jobs

• Support of unions, living wage• Short-term, unhealthy jobs• Effect on local retailers and their often low

wage employees• U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese and Indian

jobs• Amoral logic of “someone else will sell it to

them” – similar to tobacco exports

Jobs

Jobs program for pulmonologists, special ed teachers, and morticians

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

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

Public Opposition

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

Public Opposition

• Have indicated concern or disapproval of coal export proposals:–Multiple Oregon and Washington

municipalities–Northwest Tribes (Lummi Nation and

Yakama Nation)

Public Opposition

• Over 1,000 people attended Oregon DEQ hearings in 12/12

• Impressive state capital rally 3/13

• Other events planned

Upcoming Decisions

• DSL plans 4/1/13 decision on the first application for Ambre Energy project.

• DEQ may issue draft air quality permit for Ambre Energy as early as 4/13.

What You Can Do

• Join Power Past Coal Coalition• Volunteer

• Call Governor Kitzhaber or his Citizen Representative: (503) 378-4582

• Contact DEQ and DSL

What You Can Do

• Demand a full spectrum Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

• Demand a halt to all proposals

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

Conclusions

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

Günter Grass

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

African Proverb

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

Special Thanks To

• Regna Merritt, Oregon PSR– [email protected]

• Laura Stevens, Oregon Sierra Club/Beyond Coal Campaign

• Andy Harris and Susan Katz, Oregon PSR• Alan Lockwood, PSR• Thousands of concerned citizens who have

volunteered their time and energy

Resources

• Power Past Coal: http://www.powerpastcoal.org/ • Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign:

http://content.sierraclub.org/coal/ • Coal’s Assault on Human Health (Physicians for Social

Responsibility): http://www.psr.org/resources/coals-assault-on-human-health.html

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

Contact Information

Public Health and Social Justice Website:http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org

orhttp://www.phsj.org

Martin [email protected]

consequences of coal exports through the pacific northwest martin donohoe

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