Coal Update

At this article’s deadline there was not a great deal of news about the proposed Gateway Pacific (Coal) Terminal (GPT) and we are too early to report on the outcome of the Jan. 26 Whatcom County Planning Commission’s decision whether or not to include GPT in the less stringent Birch Bay Watershed development measures—please check one of the websites listed in previous issues’ coal updates (www.whatcomwatch.org) or the ones below.

Jean Melious at getwhatcomplanning.blogspot.com addresses DNR’s questioning of Whatcom County’s unwillingness to punish SSA-GPT for illegal clearing as well as examining the opaque maneuvering of the State of Washington’s Gateway Pacific Multiagency Permit Team, or MAP Team, which has generous representation from SSA-GPT, but virtually none from the public (us) or public interest sector.

www.facebook.com/35 Bellingham appears to be the most current website in terms of postings and brought our attention an analysis about BNSF’s (and other railroads) interest in carrying more coal; http://daily.sightline.org/2012/01/11/why-railroads-care-about-coal-exports.

SSA-GPT’s Communications Coordinator Sherri Burrill continues her efforts to misinform the local populace with “fact sheets” published in local venues such as that of the Chuckanut Bay Community Association’s Jan. 2012 newsletter.

Bob Ferris and Matt Krogh at RE Sources are watching the Legislature’s HB2253 and HB 2162 to see whether they might make for pro-coal terminal mischief and remind us that coal terminal mischief continues to plague our Oregon neighbors; see http://columbiariverkeeper.org/featured/coal-export-terminal-threatens-oregon and http://earthjustice.org/news/press/2012/coalition-appeals-massive-dredging-permit-for-coos-bay-that-paves-the-way-for-export-of-liquefied-natural-gas-an .

Bob and Matt also wonder why Whatcom County is in such a hurry to hire Environmental Impact Study (EIS) consultants before a permit application has come forward from SSA-GPT. Is there a deal in the works to bypass regular procedures and fast-track this project’s permitting? Stay tuned.