A plan to ship coal by rail from Montana and Wyoming to the Port of Morrow in Boardman, Ore. will create more than 3,700 direct, indirect and induced jobs, according to a study by ECONorthwest.
The study, released this week, says the plan will generate $400 million in economic output. The plan calls for hauling coal by train from the Powder River Basin to the Port of Morrow. From there, the coal would be barged to a Port of St. Helens industrial park. The coal would then be moved from the barges to ocean-going vessels headed for Asia. Company officials have said the barges and loading facilities would be enclosed to reduce coal dust.
