Coal Exports Impact: Health, Environment, and Deception

1. Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest Martin Donohoe

2. Coal • Provides 30% of world’s energy needs and 41% of global electricity • Accounts for 44% of carbon emissions from fuel

3. Coal • Top five producers: • China, US, India, EU, Australia • Five largest users: • China, US, India, Russia, Japan • Largest coal reserves: • US, Russia, China, Australia, India • Top five exporters: • Australia, Indonesia, Russia, US (9%, $11 billion), South Africa

4. Plans • Powder River Basin coal, cheap, export to China and India (to supplement national uses and European/Australian exports) • Federal land, cheap • Americans own most of Powder River Basin (40% of America’s coal supply) • 2/3 of coal extracted from public lands

5. Coal Economics • Cheap: • Sold to coal companies 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

6. Coal Economics • GAO found BLM’s coal lease program does not account for the higher price of coal when it is exported • Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Interior Department, and looking into royalty payment evasion (companies valuing coal at low domestic prices, rather than those fetched overseas)

7. Plans • 100-150 million additional tons/yr • 26 trains/day • 4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars per train) • 12 barges/wk

8. Plans • Would dramatically increase U.S. coal export capacity • 2006 - 50 million tons/yr • Current - 127 million tons/yr • With proposals – additional 100-150 million tons/yr • Through Columbia River Gorge (National Scenic Area)

11. 48 mmt/yr coal 10 mmt/yr coal 15-30 mmt/yr coal 44 mmt/yr coal 8 mmt/yr coal 10 mmt/yr coal Total: 150 mmt/yr coal

12. Health Consequences of Coal Mining • Respiratory diseases (including Black Lung Disease) • Heart disease • Cancers • Low birth weight • Birth defects

13. Environmental and Animal Health Consequences of Coal Mining • Depleted aquifers • Decreased land for ranchers for grazing • Dust pneumonia in cattle and horses • Deception

14. DECKER MINE: DECKER, MONTANA

17. Accidents • Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years • 250 deaths/yr in U.S. from all rail transport accidents • Vancouver barge hits coal chute; coal ship breaks in two off South Africa • Mississippi River Barge hit railroad bridge, leaking oil

18. Accidents • Runaway train disaster in Quebec (2013) • West Virginia surfactant spill pollutes river (2013) • Risk of fires at coal terminals • Water intensifies blaze; special equipment and firefighter training required • State oversight of rail safety and local fire/disaster preparedness weak

19. Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near Baltimore, Ohio (2012). Photo from Reuters.

20. Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(2012)

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

22. Fire at Westshore Coal TerminalBritish Columbia, 2013

23. 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

24. 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

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

26. Barge Accident at Westshore Coal Terminal in BC (2012)Photo from CKNW News Talk 980.

27. Accidents(Preventable) • Sago and Upper Big Branch (West VA) mine explosions/cave-ins • Elk River (WVa) coal terminal leak/contamination • Others

28. Trains • Large increase in 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, overpasses • Costs will be borne by local municipalities, state and federal taxpayers

29. Deception • Ambre Energy mislead Port of Longview (5 million tons/yr; internal documents up to 60 million tons/yr; re-applied at 45 million tons/yr) • Port of Coos Bay admonished by judge for attempting to prevent Sierra Club form obtaining public records re proposed terminal

30. Deception • Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the Alliance for Northwest Jobs and Exports • Calls the group “a grassroots effort” • Has referred to the sacred wetlands of the Lummi Nation (Gateway site) as “basically…an industrial area”

31. Deception • Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the Alliance for Northwest Jobs and Exports • Group created and largely funded by coal industry and its allies • Hennessey = Vice-President of Corporate and Public Affairs at Edelman (world’s largest PR firm, best known for decades of work on behalf of Big Tobacco)

32. Health Effects • Diesel particulate matter: • impaired lung development • pulmonary inflammation and lung cancer • increased risk of heart attacks/strokes/cancer/asthma (ER visits and hospitalizations)

33. Health Effects • Diesel particulate matter: • increases cardiopulmonary and all-cause mortality • developmental neurotoxin • Perinatal exposure increases risk for autism spectrum disorder, ADHD-related symptoms

34. Health Effects • Coal Dust: • Up to 645 lbs. (3%) lost per car during transit • Surfactant decreases, but does not eliminate, risk

35. 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

36. “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

37. Coal Dust Escape645 lbs without surfactant97 lbs with surfactantBNSF Study

38. Health Effects • Noise: • Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, increased BP, arrhythmias) • Stroke • Cognitive impairment in children • Exacerbation of mental health disorders • Sleep disturbance (fatigue, HTN, arrhythmias, accidents and injuries)

39. 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

40. Frequent, Long Train Crossings • Delayed EMS and fire department response times • Effect on heart attack/stroke/trauma victims, police response to crimes • Portland Fire Department response times already poor • Houseboat fire • Increased accidents, traumatic injuries, and deaths

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42. Consequences of Burning Coal • Increased ground level ozone • Mercury (and other heavy metals) neurotoxic • Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD, lowered IQ, anxiety, depression, aggression, and social problems

43. Consequences of Burning Coal • Mercury • 300,000-600,000 US women of reproductive age have toxic levels • 18% of Mt Bachelor mercury from Asian power plants

44. 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)

45. Consequences of Burning Coal • Fine particle air pollution from existing coal plants caused over 13,200 deaths in the US in 2010 • Government program promoting coal use in Northern China may cut life expectancy of 500 million people by average 5 yrs

46. 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 • Weather extremes • Power from Coal (sponsored educational curriculum from American Coal Foundation): “The earth could benefit rather than be harmed by increasing carbon dioxide.”

47. 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 • Weather extremes

48. Consequences of Burning Coal • Global warming: • 2013 report from Power Consulting: 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 • Vast amounts of water needed for cooling and processing

49. 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) • Much internalized as industry profits • The public health costs of coal alone are more than double the U.S. average retail electricity rate • When subsidies and externalities taken into account, renewables look great

50. 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 • U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese and Indian jobs