Transporting NW Coal

The Washington Department of Ecology is attempting to stop a coal terminal proposed along the Columbia River. Whether you are a tree fruit farmer applying pesticides or a feed yard operator working to control dust, the odds are yo u have had run-ins with the Washington State Department of Ecology. It isn't any different in the Mining Industry. Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview is proposing a coal port along the Columbia River in southwest Washington that would handle up to 44 million tons of coal a year. Coal would arrive by train from Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado to be stored and loaded on ships for export to Asia. The Washington State Department of Ecology recently released an environmental review opposing the project citing significant impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, vessel traffic and rail safety. They are siding with environmental groups that have come out against moving millions of tons of coal through the Northwest to be burned in Asia.?However, the Association of Washington Businesses supports the project. Here's Jason Hagey their V.P. of Communications:

Jason Hagey: "We've been following this project for quite a while and believe it's an important project for job creation in the state and especially in a part of the state that could really use the jobs Cowlitz County and SW Washington . These are good paying jobs , family wage jobs and they are good for the community".

And it no surprise that a host of other business and labor groups say the project will boost the local economy and strengthen the state's trade capacity given an additional 840 ships a year would be expected at our ports. The Coal Port would also energize the rail industry with train trips added both in Cowlitz county and throughout the state.