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

GATEWAY PACIFIC TERMINAL EIS SCOPING HEARING VOL. I
COURT REPORTER: GWEN BRASS PROCEEDING DATE: October 27, 2012
Page 65
New Science Magazine just wrote an article called The
Next Climate War. You can get that issue 13 October, so this
month. Subtitle is: Weaning the U.S. off coal will count for
little if massive exports to Asia go ahead, and I plan to read
a little bit from the article.
Plans for mega exports of U.S. coal are poised to
become the next flash point in the battle over climate change.
The industry wants to massively increase shipments of coal to
China and other energy-hungry Asian nations. Such a move would
undo the environmental benefits of weaning the U.S. power
plants off the carbon-rich fuel and lock developing countries
into decades of dirty power.
According to New Scientist's calculations, based on
emissions figures for the Powder River Basin, coal estimated by
the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh,
burning the exported coal plus its extraction and transport by
rail and ship can cause annual greenhouse gas emissions
equivalent to 194 million tons of carbon dioxide if just the
first three ports are built. That rises to as much as 266
million --
MR. STURTEVANT: Thank you very much for your comment.
47, 48 and 49.
Again, I would ask that -- we're asking that everyone
please remain quiet both before, during, and after the
speakers. If you'd like to show support, you can raise your