Activism in Action: Plans for Oregon Coal Export Terminal Nixed

[wtmusic]

"As of two weeks ago, five terminals to export U.S. taxpayer-owned coal to Asia were proposed for Oregon and Washington. But in the face of fluctuating international energy demand and environmental opposition, one of those terminals—Coos Bay, in Oregon—has been shelved after its last financial backer dropped out early last week. The three backers (Metro Ports of California; Mitsui & Company, a Japanese trading company subsidiary; and Korean Electric Power Corporation) have now all pulled out.

Declining demand for electricity from coal has caused large coal producers to look towards international markets, particularly Asia. The Coos Bay project would have shipped “up to 11 million tons of coal a year to Asia,” according to Oregon Live. Nearly all of that coal is owned by U.S. taxpayers because it comes from public lands in the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming. As the outlet reported last year (before two proposals were dropped):

Arch [Coal Inc.] and other Powder River Basin coal companies are pursuing space in at least six ports in Oregon and Washington to export as much as 150 million tons a year to Asia. The Northwest has no coal export terminals now, and the proposals are hugely controversial.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/04/09/1839541/plans-for-one-coal-export-terminal-in-oregon-dropped-four-others-still-under-consideration/

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. So, I take it the money for selling the coal goes into the Treasury????

[pscot]

2. Haha. Is joke, yes?

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Indeed.

[limpyhobbler]

3. Good but

the decision to build these should not depend on whether a private investor finds it profitable.

The government hasn't gotten the message apparently. We have to get off coal.