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Andy Ingram, a self-described anarchist and concerned citizen, explains why he's against plans to export coal through the Northwest outside a public hearing in Ferndale, Wash.
credit:
Katie Campbell
Union organizer Bob Flansaas talks with Andy Ingram of the Western Action Coalition about why he supports plans to export coal through the Northwest outside a public hearing in Ferndale, Wash.
credit:
Katie Campbell
Madeline Cancelosi, 6, poses for her mom Kimberly Cancelosi who takes a picture of her outside the coal export hearing in Ferndale, Wash. The Cancelosi family is in favor of the plans to build an export terminal at Cherry Point because they'd like to see
credit:
Katie Campbell
At the coal export hearing in Ferndale, Wash. people wore green to show their support and red to show opposition. They also gave thumbs up and thumbs down in response to statements made by those who testified.
credit:
Katie Campbell
Andy Ingram talks with union organizer Bob Flansaas about why he's not in support of plans to export coal through the Northwest outside a public hearing in Ferndale, Wash.
credit:
Katie Campbell
Emily Carsten, 10, of Birch Bay, Wash. says she's not in support plans to export coal because she's concerned that coal dust could cause lung cancer and trains could block ambulances.
credit:
Katie Campbell
Madeline Cancelosi, 6, proudly wears a sticker in support of the plans to export coal outside the hearing in Ferndale, Wash.
credit:
Katie Campbell
FERNDALE, Wash. The environmental review process for the largest coal export terminal on the West Coast is underway. That means public meetings are being held around the state to get feedback from citizens.
At the most recent hearing Thursday in Ferndale, about 1,000 people turned out wearing green T-shirts in support of coal exports and red in opposition –- a sort of accidental Christmas display.
But the mood wasn’t festive. At times it was downright confrontational, as people took the microphone to voice their thoughts about the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal, which could be built just a few miles from this site.
John Strong is a small business owner from Bellingham. He’s convinced the project can be built and operated responsibly. And he had this to say about the project’s doubters:
“You’re either incredibly naïve, sadly misinformed or possibly you’ve been living in a cave the last 50 years.”
Roughly-three quarters of the speakers at this meeting were in support of the coal terminal – including several union representatives, local mayors and city councilmembers.
Other hearings this fall have drawn large shows of opposition.
Gateway Pacific is one of five proposed coal export terminals in the Northwest. The remaining three hearings scheduled for public comment will be held:
Click here for more details.
Another coal export proposal is set for public meetings. This plan, called the Morrow Pacific project, would transport coal by train to the Columbia River’s Port of Morrow near the Eastern Oregon town of Boardman. It would be loaded onto barges bound for the Port of St. Helens near the river’s mouth where the coal would be transferred to ocean-going vessels. Those meetings will be held:
Click here for more details.
(Reported and written by Ashley Ahearn. Photography by Katie Campbell)
(Hover over markers to hear reports on coal in communities of the Northwest. Then click “website” for more EarthFix coverage. Click here for larger map view. Note: Train routes are approximations. They illustrate potential corridors based on existing lines and publicly available information.)
Congrats to David James for his winning submission, 'Annabella smelling the Balsam.'
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