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Letter: Raise questions about safety of coal

The Columbian
Published: February 27, 2014, 4:00pm

The Department of Ecology listened to the people last fall. Thousands showed up to public hearings to voice their concerns about transporting dirty coal through their local communities, and an astounding 215,000 comments were gathered, all in an effort to help determine the scope of issues to be studied.

Coal is the dirtiest, most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. Becoming a gateway for coal export would fly in the face of our region’s leadership in the clean energy economy. Shipping up to 100 million tons of coal a year to Asia through West Coast ports would spread toxic coal dust in dozens of communities along the rail line, clog our railroads and ports, risk our families’ health, pollute our air and water, and perhaps most importantly, it would seriously stoke the climate crisis.

Gov. Jay Inslee has said that from an environmental standpoint, the issue of coal exports is the biggest one facing our state in his lifetime. I agree, and I am grateful that his office is fully evaluating the impacts of this dirty and dangerous proposal.

It’s great to see the Department of Ecology and Cowlitz County using their authority to raise questions about the vast threats from coal exports.

John Bayer

Washougal

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