tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post6044758065261297805..comments2024-03-20T14:47:34.192-07:00Comments on Reading the Washington Landscape: Coal Power in Washington is not 30%Dan McShanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17044037213245602667noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post-4876920180450751702012-07-05T09:45:02.537-07:002012-07-05T09:45:02.537-07:00Thanks for the updates on the proposed coal export...Thanks for the updates on the proposed coal exports.<br /><br />Never believe anything the coal industry says.<br /><br />Don't believe how safe and clean they tell you the operations will be. Don't believe the number of jobs they claim they will create. Don't believe the number or the time of day that they say trains will be traveling through your community. Don't believe how many years you are told the coal terminal will operate. And don't be surprised when the community is stuck with the cost of reclamation when the coal terminal closes after it's useful life.<br /><br />The price of coal never includes all of the costs of coal - coal is a market failure.<br /><br />The coal loaded out of Bellingham will not include the cost of disease and early mortality resulting from air and water pollution in the community. It will not include the cost of traffic congestion on land and in the sound. It will not include the cost of smog blocking your view of Mt. Baker. It will not include the cost limiting the fish you catch due to mercury contamination (which floats over from coal burned in Asia).<br /><br />West Virginia has had the coal industry for hundreds of years and yet it remains one of the poorest states. Coal is no path to community prosperity.<br /><br /><br />Asia's coal pollution showing up in the Pacific Northwest:<br />http://aliciapatterson.org/stories/china’s-rise-creates-clouds-us-pollution<br /><br />Hoh Lake in Olympic National Park contaminated with mercury:<br />http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004244996_parkpollution27m.html<br /><br />Not only will the coal trains cause traffic jams but so will the coal ships:<br />http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/coal-ships-create-sight-hampton-roads-waters<br /><br />I was in Seward, Alaska a few years back while an Asian ship was being loaded with coal. The smoke coming out of that ship's smoke stack created the worst air pollution I have ever experienced. Consider the impact on Bellingham's air quality if a dozen freighters are waiting to load.<br /><br />It is not uncommon for stockpiled coal to catch fire for weeks creating air pollution:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqkNZVE2MNg<br /><br />Storm water runoff from coal piles is always a pollution problem - acid runoff containing heavy metals. This would create a much larger challenge for Bellingham given the variability of the storm size that frequent the area - treatment facilities need to be designed for the largest storm or the community will end up with polluted waters.<br /><br />If the proponents of the coal terminal are so concerned with creating a few jobs in Bellingham why don't they support bringing long-lasting sustainable green jobs to the area.<br /><br />Those who want to work in the coal industry might consider moving to Logan, West Virginia or Gillette, Wyoming.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17666871307899059049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post-15704907575991042472012-06-16T14:19:52.653-07:002012-06-16T14:19:52.653-07:00There is a new adjective for telling lies these da...There is a new adjective for telling lies these days: Romneyesque, as in "that was a Romneyesque whopper."Dave Wenninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07555100455489601593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post-74414675193816112562012-06-15T14:12:55.483-07:002012-06-15T14:12:55.483-07:00It is tricky Steve. PSE generally reports a coal r...It is tricky Steve. PSE generally reports a coal ratio of about 20% in their mix of power sources. 2010 was a poor hydro year. PSE does own a coal power plant (or a chunk of it) in Montana and hence import coal power electricity.Dan McShanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17044037213245602667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post-52426205901103044902012-06-15T12:16:14.846-07:002012-06-15T12:16:14.846-07:00Well darn... fact checking can be a tricky thing. ...Well darn... fact checking can be a tricky thing. The Washington State Department of Commerce's Fuel Mix Disclosure report says that 18% of the electric power consumed in WA is generated by burning coal (<a href="http://www.commerce.wa.gov/DesktopModules/CTEDPublications/CTEDPublicationsView.aspx?tabID=0&ItemID=10354&MId=863&wversion=Staging" rel="nofollow">link</a>).<br /><br />But 18% isn't something that 'Hamsters should be feeling smug about since their power company, Puget Sound Energy, <a href="http://pse.com/aboutpse/EnergySupply/Pages/Electric-Supply.aspx" rel="nofollow">gets 36% of your electricity by burning coal</a>.CitizenStevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16483560636234755432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9188642669907788257.post-649761578932788392012-06-15T09:55:46.180-07:002012-06-15T09:55:46.180-07:00Thanks for clearing up this misinformation, Dan. W...Thanks for clearing up this misinformation, Dan. We had just been discussing it around the dinner table.jeanrwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08932371031969114807noreply@blogger.com