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 37
1 THE SPEAKER: My name is Naomi Lunis. SSA admits
2 that there will be more than 450 huge coal-bearing ships
3 coming in and going out of Cherry Point and our Salish Sea
4 every year for a total of 900, at least 900 more ship
5 transits a year.
6 That's 60 percent more transits than currently
7 move through our already crowded ship quarter. Most of
8 these are single hull ships.
9 A collision in the narrow channel would likely be
10 catastrophic to the orca whale, the salmon and herring, and
11 the eelgrass.
12 It could wipe out the marine habitants for the
13 many creatures now making their homes there. I ask that you
14 study the risks of this eventuality, and include a plan in
15 the EIS for response and cleanup should this eventuality
16 become a reality. Thank you.
17 MS. STRAUSZ-CLARK: 16, 17, 18. 16 you're at the
18 microphone. 17 and 18 you're at the desk.
19 Please state your name for the record.
20 THE SPEAKER: My name's Joan Casey, and my topic
21 is measures to mitigate. I am so concerned about the
22 liabilities regarding this project.
23 I want you to determine the liability at every
24 step of this process. Number one, when the coal is still in
25 the ground, who owns that coal? Is it the mine or the