Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

1. Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest Martin Donohoe

2. Coal • Provides 30% of world’s energy needs and 41% of global electricity • US: 31% natural gas, 30% coal • 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 → China and India • Federal land • Americans own most of Powder River Basin (40% of America’s coal supply)

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. Plans • 100-150 million additional tons/yr • 20 trains/day • 4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars per train) • 12 barges/wk

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

9. 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

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

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

12. Possible Benefit of Coal Mining • Rare earth metals (necessary for electronic technology) may be mined from coal waste • Economic and national security benefit, since China currently controls 95% of the market

13. DECKER MINE: DECKER, MONTANA

14. Accidents • Almost 40 train derailments over last 2 years • 250 deaths/yr in U.S. from all rail transport accidents • Barge accidents • Risk of fires at coal terminals • Special firefighting equipment and training needed • State oversight of rail safety and local fire/disaster preparedness weak

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

16. Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment(2012)

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

18. Fire at Westshore Coal TerminalBritish Columbia, 2013

19. 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

20. Barges • Columbia Gorge tourism $746 million/yr • $233 million/yr of this 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

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

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

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

24. Trains • 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, and overpasses • Costs will be borne by local municipalities, state and federal taxpayers

25. Health Effects • Diesel particulate matter: • impaired lung development • pulmonary inflammation and lung cancer • increased risk of heart attacks/strokes/cancer/asthma

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

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

28. 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 • Increasing rates of coal worker’s pneumoconiosis • Organic gardeners/farmers

29. “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

30. Health Effects • Noise: • Cardiovascular disease • Stroke • Cognitive impairment in children • Exacerbation of mental health disorders • Sleep disturbances

31. 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

32. Frequent, Long Train Crossings • Delayed EMS and fire department response times • Increased accidents, traumatic injuries, deaths

33. 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

34. Consequences of Burning Coal • Mercury: • 300,000-600,000 U.S. women of reproductive age with toxic levels • EPA states 75,000 newborns/yr in US have increased risk of learning disabilities associated with mercury exposure in the womb • Vast amounts of water needed for cooling and processing

35. Consequences of Burning Coal • Air pollution: • 200,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S. • 7 million worldwide (1/8 deaths) • 2.1 – 3.3 million (outdoor air pollution) • 2-3.5 million (indoor air pollution)

36. 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

37. 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.”

38. True Cost of Fossil Fuels • Worldwide: $500 - $775 billion in fossil fuel subsidies • Subsidies for polluting energy sources greater than 12 times subsidies for renewables (excluding military costs) • Public health costs = 2X electricity rates • U.S. = Over $21 billion in fossil fuel subsidies nationally in 2017

39. True Cost of Fossil Fuels • Global tax benefits and fossil fuel subsidies = $5.3 trillion (includes health, environmental, and military costs) • Higher than what governments worldwide spend on public health • If all such benefits and subsidies were stopped, 1.6 million preventable deaths/yr would be averted

40. True Cost of Fossil Fuels • When subsidies and externalities taken into account, renewables look great • Even so, Peabody Energy attempting to rebrand coal as a cure for poverty

41. Jobs • Progressives (who oppose coal exports) traditionally support unions, green energy jobs, living wage, health insurance for all, etc. • 51,000 coal industry jobs (including 15,000 coal miners) • Environmental restoration – 126,000 jobs • Bowling industry – 69,000 jobs • Professional dancers – 20,000

42. Jobs • Coal exports - Short-term, unhealthy jobs • 15 coal mining deaths in 2017 • 1966: 233 • One century ago: 2,226 • Every 4.5 new coal jobs means one American will die from increased fossil fuel pollution • U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese and Indian jobs

43. Jobs and Property Values • Effect on local retailers and their often low wage employees • Rail capacity limited, Montana farm exports may suffer • Seattle study predicts rail crossing congestion could cost up to $455,000/yr in lost revenue plus an additional $475 million in diminished real estate values • Negative effects on tourism

46. Jobs Jobs program for pulmonologists, special ed teachers, and morticians

47. Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak • Coal export prices down : 2011 ($130/ton) → 2018 ($103/ton) • Investors abandoning coal • World Bank and U.S. sharply restricting funding of (overseas) coal plants (2013)

48. Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak • Average U.S. coal plant is 42 yrs. old • Last Oregon coal plant (Boardman) to close in 2020 • 11/15 proposals to build major new coal export facilities in the US defeated or cancelled between 2013 and 2015 • 2016: Oakland, CA bans coal hauling and storage, dooms planned terminal

50. Recent Developments Show Coal’s Future is Bleak • Chinese demand expected to drop with development of nuclear and renewables (currently coal = 66% of China’s energy consumption) • Air pollution situation “grim” (1.23 million premature deaths in China in 2010)