Gateway Pacific Terminal — Gregoire Needs to Weigh In
12 April, 2012
Stoking the coals with Washington state Governor Chris Gregoire over the Gateway Pacific Terminal. Please see my Seattle Times editorial on the proposed Cherry Point coal port.
By the way, I like Chris Gregoire. I just wish she would “get involved,” and then say no.
read full article here.
Stormboy
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 10:53Fossil Fools
note: this comment was posted on the Seattle Times on 4/13/12
Humans are intelligent, right? For the past 400 years our ancestors have employed the scientific method to understand the world and make good decisions. That's why we have an education system where dedicated scientists can earn advanced degrees. Otherwise we'd have no machines and we'd still be stabbing each other for turnips. So we should pay attention to our scientists.
The scientists with the expertise in global physics are telling us that CO2 is building up above us in our atmosphere to dangerous levels, like we're under a thick blanket on a hot steamy night. It's no hoax, and they aren't getting rich by saying it. But the shippers and sellers of fossil fuels have convinced too many people, especially elected officials, to look the other way. As one result of that willful ignorance, the coal companies are now furiously selling coal at unprecedented rates, and they want to ship it at unheard of quantities by rail to the coast, then by ship to Asia, where it will be burned, adding layers of thickness to the blanket around the Earth and heating it up even faster. In this op-ed, Stephan Michaels makes the case that Gov. Gregoire should stake her legacy on preventing Big Coal from degrading Bellingham and the whole marine ecosystem at best, and possibly oiling the Salish Sea. Cargo ships and oil tankers make 90 degree turns around the San Juan islands. Imagine the Exxon Valdez oil spill from Neah Bay to Seattle and Vancouver.
Michaels did his homework, he has the facts and he's right. We need to rethink the whole idea of extracting, shipping and burning that coal, or maybe we need to rethink the idea that humans are intelligent.
– Stormboy, Greenbank WA
seattle native2
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 11:29Pollution from China
Build the export terminal and a few years from now we’ll be wringing our hands over the pollution coming from china.
China is NOT our friend.
Gallway Dad
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 11:31Eco Freak
“Ergo, all train impacts — from coal dust and diesel exhaust to noise pollution and disruptions to transportation — must be reviewed.”
Ergo, the writer is an eco-freak that would have us all living in caves.
Stephan
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 11:53Re: “Eco Freak”
Gallway Dad,
Please don't project. I only advocate you consider living in a cave…
Hannah C
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 11:32Thanks
Thanks for your article, Stephan. As a Bellingham resident, I certainly don't want my children's futures to be filled with asthma, toxic community gardens, birth defects, and a failing fishing industry because another large corporation is lying, again, to the public. We've heard much from other "coal towns" that have been destroyed by short-sighted greed. Whatcom County is beautiful and healthy. Let's keep it that way.
– Hannah
Frank James
Posted at Fri, 2012-04-13 11:50Health Impacts
As a physician in the Bellingham area I hope that those that are interested in the possible health impacts look at the information that a group of physicians in Bellingham have put together. We reviewed some 400 articles and ALL of them showed possible downsides to this project and virtually none were reassuring that there would not be impacts. Asthma, heart disease, cancer, strokes, slowed or abnormal lung development in children. Why in the world would we want this in our community? See http://www.coaltrainfacts.org for the details. As a community we need to say no to this project until a thorough study is completed of the health impacts on people, not just the environment is completed by objective independent researchers.
We are concerned about our patients, our community and our families and so should Gov Gregoire. Rick Larsen hid when he was in Bellingham trying to raise money this week. With the Coal, Shipping and Railroad industries backing him he does not seem to need to listen to the public and his constituency. Open Secretes website has a list of his contributors and number two is the railroad and not far down the list is SSA Marine. It is time for the people to take back their government from those whom have sold it to industry.
— Frank James, Whatcom Docs
Paddleman
Posted at Sun, 2012-04-15 4:39Who Gains?
Who stands to gain from turning the United States into an export colony? A handful of corporate executives tucked away at Peabody Energy (the coal), Carrix Corporation (the port and ships), Berkshire Hathaway (BNSF) and Goldman Sachs (the eminence grise behind this all). Anybody who thinks this coal dump at Cherry Point will benefit the people of Washington State is kidding themselves.
I was out on Bellingham Bay today, following the tracks where they run right by the water south from Marine Park. The BNSF workers were dropping off new creosote covered ties all along the tracks. They're beefing up the rails, getting them ready for the endless supply of coal trains that will be snaking their way through our town. Who's going to stop them? Does anybody really think Gregoire will stand up to the likes of Goldman Sachs and Jon Hemingway of Carrix Corporation and Warren Buffet?
I can't believe I'm wishing Spellman was back in the Governor's Mansion.
Andrew
Posted at Tue, 2012-04-24 4:44Thank you
The voters of King County decide all of the votes in this state and this is the clear and thoughtful case against the coal port they need to hear.
Thank you!