Coal%20Exports%20Through%20the%20Pacific%20Northwest

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Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

• Martin Donohoe

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Coal

• Provides 30 of worlds energy needs and 41 of
  global electricity
• US 31 natural gas, 30 coal
• Accounts for 44 of carbon emissions from fuel

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Coal

• Top five producers
• China, US, India, EU, Australia
• Five largest users
• China, US, India, Russia, Japan
• Largest coal reserves
• US, Russia, China, Australia, India
• Top five exporters
• Australia, Indonesia, Russia, US (9, 11
  billion), South Africa

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Plans

• Powder River Basin coal ? China and India
• Federal land
• Americans own most of Powder River Basin (40 of
  Americas coal supply)

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Coal Economics

• Cheap
• Sold to coal companies 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 Treasury 29 billion since 1982

army
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Plans

• 100-150 million additional tons/yr
• 20 trains/day
• 4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars per train)
• 12 barges/wk

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Plans

• Would dramatically increase U.S. coal export
  capacity
• 2006 - 50 million tons/yr
• Current - 127 million tons/yr
• With active proposals additional 100-150
  million tons/yr
• Through Columbia River Gorge (National Scenic
  Area)

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48 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
15-30 mmt/yr coal
44 mmt/yr coal
8 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
Total 150 mmt/yr coal
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Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Respiratory diseases (including Black Lung
  Disease)
• Heart disease
• Cancers
• Low birth weight
• Birth defects

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Environmental and Animal Health Consequences of
Coal Mining

• Depleted aquifers
• Decreased land for ranchers for grazing
• Dust pneumonia in cattle and horses
• Deception

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DECKER MINE DECKER, MONTANA
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Accidents

• Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years
• 250 deaths/yr in U.S. from all rail transport
  accidents
• Barge accidents
• Risk of fires at coal terminals
• Special firefighting equipment and training
  needed
• State oversight of rail safety and local
  fire/disaster preparedness weak

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• Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH

Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near
Baltimore, Ohio (2012). Photo from Reuters.
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Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(2012)
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The same trains that would carry coal through the
Pacific NW Wisconsin, 2013
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Fire at Westshore Coal TerminalBritish Columbia,
2013
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Barges

• Risks coal and fuel spillage, collision,
  grounding, congestion, emissions, habitat
  disruption, and fish mortality from wake and
  propellers
• Estimated 24 barge accidents/yr on Columbia,
  one/yr involving spill of coal or fuel

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Barges

• Columbia Gorge tourism 746 million/yr
• 233 million/yr of this represents labor income
  to people who live and work in the Gorge
• 1.5-4.5 billion salmon habitat placed at risk
• Annual economic value of negative externalities
  produced by Morrow Pacific barges
• Pollution 17.8 million
• Greenhouse gasses 22.8 million

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Coal-laden ship breaks up off coast of South
Africa (2013)
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Barge Accident at Westshore Coal Terminal in BC
(2012)Photo from CKNW News Talk 980.
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Accidents(Preventable)

• Sago and Upper Big Branch (West VA) mine
  explosions/cave-ins
• Elk River (WVa) coal terminal leak/contamination
• Others

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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

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Health Effects

• Diesel particulate matter
• impaired lung development
• pulmonary inflammation and lung cancer
• increased risk of heart attacks/strokes/cancer/ast
  hma

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Health Effects

• Diesel particulate matter
• increases cardiopulmonary and all-cause mortality
• developmental neurotoxin
• Perinatal exposure increases risk for autism
  spectrum disorder, ADHD-related symptoms

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Health Effects

• Coal Dust
• Up to 645 lbs. (3) lost per car during transit
• Surfactant decreases, but does not eliminate, risk

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Health Effects

• Coal Dust
• Chronic bronchitis/emphysema/pulmonary fibrosis
• Exposure to heavy metals
• 3-fold increased risk of cancer in coal terminal
  workers in Australia
• Organic gardeners/farmers

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Plumes of coal dust can often be seen from
passing coal trains. When standing near the rail
lines, I have often had to avert my face when a
loaded coal train passes to avoid being pelted
with coal particles. William VanHook, Assistant
VP, BNSF
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Health Effects

• Noise
• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Cognitive impairment in children
• Exacerbation of mental health disorders
• Sleep disturbances

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Health and Environmental Effects

• Worst effects on
• Communities of color, children, older adults, and
  low income citizens
• Native Americans
• Tribal fishing sites (Native American fish
  consumption up to 10X U.S. avg. of 14 lbs/yr)
• Organic gardeners
• Quality of life for all

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Frequent, Long Train Crossings

• Delayed EMS and fire department response times
• Increased accidents, traumatic injuries, deaths

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Increased ground level ozone
• Mercury (and other heavy metals) neurotoxic
• Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder and
  ADHD, lowered IQ, anxiety, depression,
  aggression, and social problems

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Mercury
• 300,000-600,000 U.S. women of reproductive age
  with toxic levels
• EPA states 75,000 newborns/yr in US have
  increased risk of learning disabilities
  associated with mercury exposure in the womb
• Vast amounts of water needed for cooling and
  processing

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Air pollution
• 200,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.
• 4.1-6.8 million worldwide (1/8 deaths)
• 2.1 3.3 million (outdoor air pollution)
• 2-3.5 million (indoor air pollution)

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Consequences of Burning Coal

• Fine particle air pollution from existing coal
  plants caused over 13,200 deaths in the US in
  2010
• Government program promoting coal use in Northern
  China may cut life expectancy of 500 million
  people by average 5 yrs

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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
• Weather extremes
• Power from Coal (sponsored educational curriculum
  from American Coal Foundation) The earth could
  benefit rather than be harmed by increasing
  carbon dioxide.

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True Cost of Fossil Fuels

• Global tax benefits and fossil fuel subsidies
  5.3 trillion
• Higher than what governments worldwide spend on
  public health
• If all such benefits and subsidies were stopped,
  1.6 million preventable deaths/yr would be averted

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True Cost of Fossil Fuels

• 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)
• Public health costs 2X electricity rates

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True Cost of Fossil Fuels

• When subsidies and externalities taken into
  account, renewables look great
• Even so, Peabody Energy attempting to rebrand
  coal as a cure for poverty

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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

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Jobs and Property Values

• Effect on local retailers and their often low
  wage employees
• Rail capacity limited, Montana farm exports may
  suffer
• 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

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Jobs

• Jobs program for pulmonologists, special ed
  teachers, and morticians

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Coal export prices down dramatically 2011
  (130/ton) ? 2015 (58/ton)
• Investors abandoning coal
• World Bank and U.S. sharply restricting funding
  of (overseas) coal plants (2013)

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Average U.S. coal plant is 42 yrs. old
• Last Oregon coal plant (Boardman) to close in
  2020
• 11/15 proposals to build major new coal export
  facilities in the US defeated or cancelled
  between 2013 and 2015

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• Chinese demand expected to drop with development
  of nuclear and renewables (currently coal 66
  of Chinas energy consumption)
• Air pollution situation grim (1.23 million
  premature deaths in China in 2010)

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Recent Developments Show Coals Future is Bleak

• China has banned new coal plant production near
  Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou and promised to
  close 2,000 small coal mines by 2015
• Banning coal sales and use in 6 main districts of
  Beijing by 2020
• Plans to increase renewables and nuclear energy

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HOWEVER

• 2015 US Interior Departments Regional
  Management Plan authorizes sale of 10.2 billion
  of Powder River Basin coal (on 106,000 acres of
  public land) at far below market prices
• Would negate most other Obama administration
  actions to control carbon emissions

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Desperation

• Supporters using amoral logic of someone else
  will sell it to them similar to tobacco
  exports
• Coal companies funding harassment of U.S.
  scientists

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The Latest

• Many new coal and oil terminals planned for Gulf
  of Mexico (if Pacific NW plans do not work out)
• 500 million oil terminal proposed for Portland
• Supported by state and federal funds
• If all coal export terminals, oil-by-rail
  facilities, oil pipelines, and natural gas
  pipelines planned for the Pacific NW are
  completed and fully utilized, the region could
  export fossil fuels carrying 5X as much carbon as
  the proposed Keystone Pipeline

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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
• 2008 9,500 rail cars carrying oil in the U.S.
  2014 over 400,000 cars (a 4,000 increase)
• 100 cars/train, each car carries 30,000 gal of
  crude oil

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The Latest

• Pipelines on wheels
• 2013 Trains carrying crude oil exploded,
  spilled, or derailed 117 times
• E.g., Lac-Megantic, Quebec 47 killed, 1.2
  billion damage (2013)
• More crude oil spilled in U.S. rail accidents in
  2013 than in previous 40 yrs combined

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Lac-Megantic, Quebec, 2013
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The Latest

• Federal government predicts trains hauling crude
  oil or ethanol will derail an avg of 10X/yr over
  the next 2 decades, causing more than 4 billion
  in damage and possibly killing hundreds if they
  occur in a densely populated region
• 16 million Americans live within 0.5 km of one of
  the existing lines

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The Latest

• Old (dangerous) tanker cars slowly being phased
  out
• Speed limit of 40 mph set for cities with large
  populations
• Track, bridges aging, fire departments not
  prepared to handle blazes (special equipment
  required)
• Crude by Rail Safety Act pending in Senate

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The Latest

• Obamas Clean Power Plan will require power
  plants to reduce carbon emissions by 32 from
  2005 levels between now and 2030
• Will prevent 3,600 premature deaths
• Coal to Clean Energy Bill
• OR to transition from coal to clean energy by
  2025
• Overwhelming public support
• Would be cost-effective/beneficial
• Pending in OR legislature

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What is Being Done

• Protests
• Lawsuits
• Local measures passing
• Pressure on governments/officials

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What You Can Do

• Join Power Past Coal Coalition
• Volunteer
• Demand a halt to all proposals

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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

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Conclusions

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

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Günter Grass

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

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African Proverb

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

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Special Thanks To

• Regna Merritt, Margie Kircher, Andy Harris, Susan
  Katz, and others at Oregon PSR
• regna_at_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

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Resources

• Power Past Coal http//www.powerpastcoal.org/
• Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign
  http//content.sierraclub.org/coal/
• Coals Assault on Human Health (Physicians for
  Social Responsibility) http//www.psr.org/resourc
  es/coals-assault-on-human-health.html

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Resources

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

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Resources

• Full cost accounting for the life cycle of coal
  (Ann NY Acad Sci 2011121973-98. Available at
  http//solar.gwu.edu/index_files/Resources_files/e
  pstein_full20cost20of20coal.pdf

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Contact Information

• Public Health and Social Justice Website
• http//www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org
• or
• http//www.phsj.org
• Martin Donohoe
• martindonohoe_at_phsj.org