Bellingham Comments from Digital Recorder - EISs for the Proposed ...

GATEWAY PACIFIC TERMINAL EIS SCOPING HEARING VOL. II
COURT REPORTER: BETH DRUMMOND PROCEEDING DATE: October 27, 2012
Page 21
1 Place state your name for the record.
2 THE SPEAKER: Dan McShane. I'm an engineering
3 geologist. I routinely assess geology hazards. The impacts
4 of climate will increase the risk to properties in
5 Washington State. Even modest sea level rise, will have a
6 significant impact on shoreline flooding, shoreline erosion,
7 and shoreline stability.
8 If this project is not considered a significant
9 source of C02, I have to ask what project would be
10 considered?
11 Eleven years ago, carbon dioxide was considered
12 as part of the permit process for a state permit for a power
13 plant in Whatcom County.
14 Another plant in Whatcom County at Cherry Point
15 Power Plant also considered carbon dioxide emissions in the
16 permit process, and they were fully -- were going to
17 mitigate 100 percent of the carbon dioxide where the plant
18 would be built. It's important that be considered.
19 I would also like this project to consider the
20 cumulative impacts of all the sites that are being
21 considered as coal terminal sites, including sites out of
22 Oregon and British Columbia.
23 I would also -- consider the traffic impacts and
24 the commerce impacts from rail. If we go back in time and
25 think about opening up American West and what Abraham