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Plans
• Powder River Basin coal → China and India
• Federal land– Americans own most of Powder River
Basin (43% of America’s coal supply)
Coal Economics
• Cheap:– Sold for as low as $1/ton (usually non-
competitively)– U.S. price = $9/ton; sold to China for $80 -
$123/ton– Uncompetitive leasing and poor oversight
have cost U.S taxpayers $29 billion since 1982
army
Plans
• Would double U.S. coal export capacity• 2006 – 50 million tons/yr, 2012 – 100
million tons/yr, with proposals – 200 million tons/yr
• Through Columbia River Gorge (National Scenic Area)
• Up to 645 lbs. or 3% of coal dust lost per car during transit (BNSF estimate)
Health Consequences of Coal Mining
• Respiratory diseases• Heart disease• Cancers• Low birth weight• Birth defects• Etc.• Deception
Accidents
• Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years
• Barge accidents
• Risk of fires at coal terminals
Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH
Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near Baltimore, Ohio (2012).
Photo from Reuters.
Trains
• Wear and tear on RR tracks• RR limited by federal law from paying more
than 5% costs for improvements in at-grade crossings, bridges, tunnels, and overpasses
• Costs will be borne by local municipalities, state and federal taxpayers
Health Effects
• Diesel particulate matter:– impaired lung development–pulmonary inflammation– increased risk of heart
attacks/strokes/cancer/asthma
Health Effects
• Diesel particulate matter:– increases cardiopulmonary and all-
cause mortality–developmental neurotoxin
• Perinatal exposure increases risk for autism spectrum disorder, ADHD-related symptoms
Health Effects
• Coal Dust (up to 645 lbs. or 3% lost per car during transit) - Surfactant decreases, but does not eliminate, risk
– Chronic bronchitis/emphysema/pulmonary fibrosis– Exposure to heavy metals – 3-fold increased risk of cancer in coal terminal
workers in Australia– Organic gardeners
Health Effects
• Noise:– Cardiovascular disease– Stroke– Cognitive impairment in children– Exacerbation of mental health disorders– Sleep disturbances
Frequent, Long Train Crossings
• Delayed EMS and fire department response times
• 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
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Air pollution:–75,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.–6 million worldwide
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Global warming:– 400,000 deaths and 5.0 - 5.5 million
disability-adjusted life years lost per year (WHO, UN Environment Program)• Expected to double by 2030
– Every 140 million tons of additional Powder River Basin coal exported will cause a net rise of 98 million tons burned in Asia
True Cost of Coal
• U.S. = $502 billion in fossil fuel subsidies in 2012–Subsidies for polluting energy sources
greater than 12 times subsidies for renewables (excluding military costs)
• When subsidies and externalities taken into account, renewables look great
Jobs
• Progressives (who oppose coal exports) traditionally support unions, green energy jobs, living wage, health insurance for all, etc.
• Coal exports - Short-term, unhealthy jobs
Jobs and Property Values
• Effect on local retailers and their often low wage employees
• Seattle study predicts rail crossing congestion could cost up to $455,000/yr in lost revenue plus an additional $475 million in diminished real estate values– Negative effects on tourism
• Amoral logic of “someone else will sell it to them” – similar to tobacco exports
Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak
• Coal export prices down 40% over summer, 2013 ($80-90/ton)
• Investors abandoning coal• Chinese demand expected to drop with
development of nuclear and renewables– Air pollution situation “grim”– Has banned new coal plant production near
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou
Desperation
• Supporters using amoral logic of “someone else will sell it to them” – similar to tobacco exports
The Latest
• Plans to use railways and terminals to transport Canadian Tar Sands and North Dakota Bakken Oil Field fracked oil through Pacific NW for export
• 11 terminals planned– 70 additional trains per week, could move 700,000
barrels oil/day (proposed Keystone Pipeline = 830,000 barrels/day)
What is Being Done
• Protests
• Lawsuits
• Local measures passing
• Pressure on governments/officials
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
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, Margie Kircher, Andy Harris, Susan Katz, and others at Oregon PSR– regna@oregonpsr.org
• Laura Stevens and others, Oregon Sierra Club/Beyond Coal Campaign
• Alan Lockwood, National 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-/
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