Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

Martin Donohoe

Plans

• Powder River Basin coal → China and India

• Federal land– Americans own most of Powder River

Basin (40% 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 Treasury $29 billion since 1982

army

Plans

• 100 million tons/yr• 20 trains/day

–4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars per train)

• 12 barges/wk

Plans

• Would dramatically increase U.S. coal export capacity• 2006 - 50 million tons/yr• Current - 127 million tons/yr• With active proposals - 100 million tons/yr

• Through Columbia River Gorge (National Scenic Area)

48 mmt/yr coal48 mmt/yr coal

8 mmt/yr coal8 mmt/yr coal

44 mmt/yr coal44 mmt/yr coal

Total: 150 mmt/yr coal

Total: 150 mmt/yr coal

Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Respiratory diseases (including Black Lung Disease)

• Heart disease• Cancers• Low birth weight• Birth defects

Health Consequences of Coal Mining

• Depleted aquifers, decreased land for ranchers for grazing, dust pneumonia in cattle and horses

• Deception

DECKER MINE: DECKER, MONTANA

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• State oversight of rail safety and local

fire/disaster preparedness weak

Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH

Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near Baltimore, Ohio (2012).

Photo from Reuters.

Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(2012)

The same trains that would carry coal through the Pacific NW– Wisconsin, 2013

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

Barges

• Columbia Gorge tourist spending $746 million/yr, of which $233 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

Coal-laden ship breaks up off coast of South Africa (2013)

Westshore Coal Terminal in BC (2012)Photo from CKNW News Talk 980.

Fire at Westshore Coal TerminalBritish Columbia, 2013

Accidents(Preventable)

• Sago and Upper Big Branch (West VA) mine explosions/cave-ins

• Elk River (WVa) coal terminal leak/contamination

• Others

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 and lung

cancer– 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. (3%) lost per car during

transit• Surfactant decreases, but does not

eliminate, risk

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

“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

Health Effects

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

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

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:– 200,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.– 4.1-6.8 million worldwide

• 2.1 – 3.3 million (outdoor air pollution)• 2-3.5 million (indoor air pollution)

• Government program promoting coal use in Northern China may cut life expectancy of 500 million people by average 5 yrs

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 200-240 million tons of CO2 when 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)

– Public health costs = 2X electricity rates• 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

• 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

Jobs

Jobs program for pulmonologists, special ed teachers, and morticians

Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak

• Coal export prices down 40% over summer, 2013 ($80-90/ton)

• Investors abandoning coal• World Bank and U.S. sharply restricting

funding of (overseas) coal plants (2013)

Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak

• 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 and promised to close 2,000 small coal mines by 2015

Desperation

• Supporters using amoral logic of “someone else will sell it to them” – similar to tobacco exports

The Latest

• Many new coal terminals planned for Gulf of Mexico (if Pacific NW plans do not work out)– 60 additional trains per week, could move

700,000 barrels oil/day (proposed Keystone Pipeline = 830,000 barrels/day)

• Last Oregon coal plant (Boardman) to close in 2020

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– Pipelines on wheels– 2008 – 9500 carloads thru Pacific NW; 2012 – over

200,000; the future – more

What is Being Done

• Protests

• Lawsuits

• Local measures passing

• Pressure on governments/officials

What You Can Do

• Join Power Past Coal Coalition

• Volunteer

• Demand a halt to all proposals

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

Günter Grass

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

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

Resources

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

Resources

• Full cost accounting for the life cycle of coal (Ann NY Acad Sci 2011;1219:73-98. Available at http://solar.gwu.edu/index_files/Resources_files/epstein_full%20cost%20of%20coal.pdf

Contact Information

Public Health and Social Justice Website:http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org

orhttp://www.phsj.org

Martin Donohoemartindonohoe@phsj.org