Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, released the statement below following the decision to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact study should the coal export terminal project at Cherry Point move forward:
“This is exactly the decision we have been seeking for several years now since we wrote the first comment letter on this subject. There are significant questions regarding this project and by the time this study is concluded we should have a much greater understanding of the long- and short-term impacts of all aspects of this terminal.
“From the beginning, we have wanted to know the effect on our environment, public safety, traffic and other commerce of shipping the coal from the mine to the terminal, the impact of shipping the coal from the terminal to its final destination and the imprint consumption of this coal will have. This process will get us much closer to having those answers.
“I applaud the Dept. of Ecology and Whatcom County for hearing our concerns and beginning the task of answering the questions many of us have surrounding this project.”
Thank you Senator Ranker for providing some leadership on this project. Please keep this as one of your top priorities. This is a project with huge negative implications and very little, if any, upside.
In the meantime I assume the coal will continue transportation by train in uncovered gondola cars and shipped out through the Salish Sea. Too bad, so sad.
I was interested to hear a perspective on Alternative Radio, from Bill McKibben of 350.org. If the coal cannot be shipped, it just might stay in the ground. Let’s at least not facilitate additional shipment via the new terminal on our land, our sea, our watch.