consequences of coal exports through the pacific northwest martin donohoe
TRANSCRIPT
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
23
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
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Air pollution:
–75,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.
–6 million worldwide
Consequences of Burning Coal
• 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]