Download Coal Exports Through the Pacific Northwest

Coal Exports Through the Pacific
Northwest
Martin Donohoe
Coal
• Provides 30% of world’s energy needs
and 41% of global electricity
–US: 31% natural gas, 30% coal
• Accounts for 44% of carbon emissions
from fuel
Coal
• Top five producers:
– China, US, India, EU, Australia
• Five largest users:
– China, US, India, Russia, Japan
• Largest coal reserves:
– US, Russia, China, Australia, India
• Top five exporters:
– Australia, Indonesia, Russia, US (9%, $11 billion),
South Africa
Plans
• Powder River Basin coal, cheap, export to
China and India (to supplement national uses
and European/Australian exports)
• Federal land, cheap
• Americans own most of Powder River Basin
(40% of America’s coal supply)
• 2/3 of coal extracted from public lands
Coal Economics
• Cheap:
– Sold to coal companies for as low as $1/ton
(usually non-competitively)
– U.S. price = $9/ton; sold to China for $80 $123/ton
– Uncompetitive leasing and poor oversight
have cost U.S Treasury $29 billion since
1982
army
Coal Economics
• GAO found BLM’s coal lease program does not
account for the higher price of coal when it is
exported
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee, Interior Department, and looking
into royalty payment evasion (companies
valuing coal at low domestic prices, rather
than those fetched overseas)
Plans
• 100-150 million additional tons/yr
• 26 trains/day
–4 diesel engines/train (100-120 cars
per train)
• 12 barges/wk
Plans
• Would dramatically increase U.S. coal export
capacity
• 2006 - 50 million tons/yr
• Current - 127 million tons/yr
• With proposals – additional 100-150 million
tons/yr
• Through Columbia River Gorge (National
Scenic Area)
48 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
15-30 mmt/yr coal
44 mmt/yr coal
8 mmt/yr coal
10 mmt/yr coal
Total: 150 mmt/yr coal
Health Consequences of Coal Mining
• Respiratory diseases (including Black
Lung Disease)
• Heart disease
• Cancers
• Low birth weight
• Birth defects
Environmental and Animal Health
Consequences of Coal Mining
• Depleted aquifers
• Decreased land for ranchers for grazing
• Dust pneumonia in cattle and horses
• Deception
DECKER MINE: DECKER, MONTANA
Accidents
• Almost 40 train derailments over last 2
years
– 250 deaths/yr in U.S. from all rail transport
accidents
• Vancouver barge hits coal chute; coal
ship breaks in two off South Africa
• Mississippi River Barge hit railroad
bridge, leaking oil
Accidents
• Runaway train disaster in Quebec (2013)
• West Virginia surfactant spill pollutes river
(2013)
• Risk of fires at coal terminals
– Water intensifies blaze; special equipment
and firefighter training required
• State oversight of rail safety and local
fire/disaster preparedness weak
Coal Train derailment near Baltimore, OH
Coal train derailment from coal dust buildup near Baltimore, Ohio (2012).
Photo from Reuters.
Mesa, WA Coal Train Derailment
(2012)
The same trains that would carry coal
through the Pacific NW– Wisconsin, 2013
Fire at Westshore Coal Terminal
British Columbia, 2013
Barges
• Risks: coal and fuel spillage, collision,
grounding, congestion, emissions, habitat
disruption, and fish mortality from wake and
propellers
• Estimated 24 barge accidents/yr on Columbia,
one/yr involving spill of coal or fuel
Barges
• Columbia Gorge tourist spending $746 million/yr, of
which $233 represents labor income to people who
live and work in the Gorge
• $1.5-4.5 billion salmon habitat placed at risk
• Annual economic value of negative externalities
produced by Morrow Pacific barges:
– pollution = $17.8 million
– Greenhouse gasses = $22.8 million
Coal-laden ship breaks up off coast
of South Africa (2013)
Barge Accident at Westshore Coal Terminal in BC
(2012)
Photo from CKNW News Talk 980.
Accidents
(Preventable)
• Sago and Upper Big Branch (West VA)
mine explosions/cave-ins
• Elk River (WVa) coal terminal
leak/contamination
• Others
Trains
• Large increase in wear and tear on RR tracks
• RR limited by federal law from paying more
than 5% costs for improvements in at-grade
crossings, bridges, tunnels, overpasses
• Costs will be borne by local municipalities,
state and federal taxpayers
Deception
• Ambre Energy mislead Port of Longview
(5 million tons/yr; internal documents up
to 60 million tons/yr; re-applied at 45
million tons/yr) – lease rejected (2015)
• Port of Coos Bay admonished by judge
for attempting to prevent Sierra Club
form obtaining public records re
proposed terminal
Deception
• Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the
Alliance for Northwest Jobs and Exports
–Calls the group “a grassroots effort”
–Has referred to the sacred wetlands of
the Lummi Nation (Gateway site) as
“basically…an industrial area”
Deception
• Lauri Hennessey, spokesperson for the
Alliance for Northwest Jobs and Exports
– Group created and largely funded by coal
industry and its allies
– Hennessey = Vice-President of Corporate
and Public Affairs at Edelman (world’s
largest PR firm, best known for decades of
work on behalf of Big Tobacco)
Health Effects
• Diesel particulate matter:
–impaired lung development
–pulmonary inflammation and lung
cancer
–increased risk of heart
attacks/strokes/cancer/asthma (ER
visits and hospitalizations)
Health Effects
• Diesel particulate matter:
–increases cardiopulmonary and allcause mortality
–developmental neurotoxin
• Perinatal exposure increases risk for
autism spectrum disorder, ADHDrelated symptoms
Health Effects
• Coal Dust:
• Up to 645 lbs. (3%) lost per car during
transit
• Surfactant decreases, but does not
eliminate, risk
Health Effects
• Coal Dust:
– Chronic bronchitis/emphysema/pulmonary
fibrosis
– Exposure to heavy metals
– 3-fold increased risk of cancer in coal
terminal workers in Australia
– Organic gardeners/farmers
“Plumes of coal dust can often be seen from passing coal
trains. When standing near the rail lines, I have often had
to avert my face when a loaded coal train passes to avoid
being pelted with coal particles.”
William VanHook, Assistant VP, BNSF
Coal Dust Escape
645 lbs without surfactant
97 lbs with surfactant
BNSF Study
Health Effects
• Noise:
– Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks,
increased BP, arrhythmias)
– Stroke
– Cognitive impairment in children
– Exacerbation of mental health disorders
– Sleep disturbance (fatigue, HTN,
arrhythmias, accidents and injuries)
Health and Environmental Effects
• Worst effects on:
– Communities of color, children, older adults, and
low income citizens
– Native Americans
• Tribal fishing sites (Native American fish
consumption up to 10X U.S. avg. of 14 lbs/yr)
– Organic gardeners
– Quality of life for all
Frequent, Long Train Crossings
• Delayed EMS and fire department response
times
– Effect on heart attack/stroke/trauma victims,
police response to crimes
– Portland Fire Department response times already
poor
– Houseboat fire
• Increased accidents, traumatic injuries, and
deaths
41
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Increased ground level ozone
• Mercury (and other heavy metals)
neurotoxic
–Associated with Autism Spectrum
Disorder and ADHD, lowered IQ,
anxiety, depression, aggression, and
social problems
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Mercury
– 300,000-600,000 US women of
reproductive age have toxic levels
• newborns/yr in US have increased risk of
learning disabilities associated with mercury
exposure in the womb
– 18% of Mt Bachelor mercury from Asian
power plants
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Air pollution:
–200,000 premature deaths/yr in U.S.
–4.1-6.8 million worldwide (1/8 deaths)
• 2.1 – 3.3 million (outdoor air
pollution)
• 2-3.5 million (indoor air pollution)
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Fine particle air pollution from existing
coal plants caused over 13,200
deaths in the US in 2010
• Government program promoting coal use
in Northern China may cut life
expectancy of 500 million people by
average 5 yrs
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Global warming:
– 400,000 deaths and 5.0 - 5.5 million disabilityadjusted life years lost per year (WHO, UN
Environment Program)
• Expected to double by 2030
– Weather extremes
– Power from Coal (sponsored educational
curriculum from American Coal Foundation): “The
earth could benefit rather than be harmed by
increasing carbon dioxide.”
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Global warming:
–400,000 deaths and 5.0 - 5.5 million
disability-adjusted life years lost per
year (WHO, UN Environment Program)
–Expected to double by 2030
–Weather extremes
Consequences of Burning Coal
• Global warming:
–2013 report from Power Consulting:
every 140 million tons of additional
Powder River Basin coal exported will
cause a net rise of 200-240 million tons
of CO2 when burned in Asia
• Vast amounts of water needed for
cooling and processing
True Cost of Fossil Fuels
• Global tax benefits and fossil fuel
subsidies = $5.3 trillion
–Higher than what governments
worldwide spend on public health
–If all such benefits and subsidies were
stopped, 1.6 million preventable
deaths/yr would be averted
True Cost of Fossil Fuels
• U.S. = $502 billion in fossil fuel subsidies
in 2012
–Subsidies for polluting energy sources
greater than 12 times subsidies for
renewables (excluding military costs)
–Public health costs = 2X electricity rates
True Cost of Fossil Fuels
• When subsidies and externalities taken
into account, renewables look great
• Even so, Peabody Energy attempting to
rebrand coal as a cure for poverty
Jobs
• Progressives (who oppose coal exports)
traditionally support unions, green
energy jobs, living wage, health
insurance for all, etc.
• Coal exports - Short-term, unhealthy jobs
• U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese and
Indian jobs
Jobs and Property Values
• Effect on local retailers and their often low wage
employees
• Rail capacity limited, Montana farm exports may
suffer
• Seattle study predicts rail crossing congestion could
cost up to $455,000/yr in lost revenue plus an
additional $475 million in diminished real estate
values
– Negative effects on tourism
Jobs
Jobs program for pulmonologists,
special ed teachers, and morticians
Multnomah County Health
Department Analysis
• 9% of population suffers from asthma.
• Coal dust may travel 1/3rd to 1 1/4 miles from
train tracks.
• Almost 1/3 of population lives in areas that
either border or cross rail lines that could
carry coal and already experience a high
burden of air pollution and noise disturbance
from industrial sites, roads, and trains
Multnomah County Health
Department Analysis
• Communities of color, children, older adults,
and low income citizens most likely to be
affected
• Cumulative delay of up to two hours per day
at each rail crossing and delays in emergency
response times expected
• Precautionary principle invoked, calls for HIS
and EIA
Public Opposition
• Have indicated concern or disapproval of
coal export proposals:
–600 health professionals
–400 local businesses
–220 faith leaders
Public Opposition
• Have indicated concern or disapproval of coal
export proposals:
– Multiple Oregon and Washington
municipalities, Portland and Seattle mayors,
Oregon and Washington governors
– Northwest Tribes (Lummi Nation and
Yakama Nation)
Public Opposition
• Over 1,000 people attended Oregon DEQ
hearings in 12/12
• Impressive state capital rally 3/13
• Hearing and rally re Port of Morrow
Project (7/13)
• Other events gathering huge crowds in
OR, WA, and BC
The Latest
• 2013: Environmental groups announce
intent to sue Burlington Santa Fe Railway
and several coal companies for violations
of federal Clean Water Act
–Most coal plants in violation of Clean
Water Act
The Latest
• 2013: Army Corps of Engineers (federal
permitting agency)decides NOT to consider
local or global health and environmental
effects of coal burning
– Despite having concluded on prior review that
coal train pollution adversely impacts wetlands
The Latest
• 2014: DEQ approves air quality, water
quality, and construction storm water
permits for Boardman terminal, but
requires new water quality permit
• 2014: Department of State Lands denies
permit
– Ambre Energy may appeal
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• Coal export prices down dramatically: 2011
($130/ton) → 2015 ($58/ton)
• Investors abandoning coal
– Goldman Sachs Report: “The window for
profitable investment in thermal coal is gradually
closing”
– Goldman Sachs Infrastructure Partners owns 49%
of parent company pursuing Gateway Pacific
Terminal
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• Kinder Morgan abandons plan to build coal
export terminal on Columbia River at St
Helens
• Ambre Energy to renegotiate deal to take over
Decker Mine in Montana
– Ambre having financial problems
• Cloud Peak Energy fails to bid on large
deposit; Kiewit bid (21 cents/ton) rejected by
BLM
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• Chinese demand expected to drop with
development of nuclear and renewables
(currently coal = 66% of China’s energy
consumption)
– Chinese government states country’s air
pollution situation is “grim” and is “harming
people’s health and affecting social
harmony and stability” (1.23 million
premature deaths in China in 2010)
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• China bans new coal plant production near
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (summer,
2013) and promises to close at least 2,000
small coal mines by 2015
• Banning coal sales and use in 6 main districts
of Beijing by 2020
• Plans to increase renewables and nuclear
energy
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• World Bank and U.S. sharply restricting
funding of (overseas) coal plants (2013)
• Average U.S. coal plant is 42 yrs. old
– Last Oregon coal plant (Boardman) to close
in 2020
Recent Developments Show Coal’s
Future is Bleak
• 11/15 proposals to build major new coal
export facilities in the US defeated or
cancelled between 2013 and 2015
• Obama proposes federal grant program to
help distressed coal mining communities
(2015)
HOWEVER…
• 2015: US Interior Department’s Regional
Management Plan authorizes sale of
$10.2 billion of Powder River Basin coal
(on 106,000 acres of public land) at far
below market prices
• Would negate most other Obama
administration actions to control carbon
emissions
Desperation
• Supporters using amoral logic of
“someone else will sell it to them” –
similar to tobacco exports
• Coal companies funding harassment
of U.S. scientists
The Latest
• Many new coal and oil terminals planned for Gulf of
Mexico (if Pacific NW plans do not work out)
– $500 million oil terminal proposed for Portland
– Supported by state and federal funds
– If all coal export terminals, oil-by-rail facilities, oil
pipelines, and natural gas pipelines planned for
the Pacific NW are completed and fully utilized,
the region could export fossil fuels carrying 5X as
much carbon as the proposed Keystone Pipeline
The Latest
• Plans to use railways and terminals to
transport Canadian Tar Sands and North
Dakota Bakken Oil Field fracked oil through
Pacific NW for export
• 2008: 9,500 rail cars carrying oil in the U.S.;
2014: over 400,000 cars (a 4,000% increase)
– 100 cars/train, each car carries 30,000 gal of
crude oil
The Latest
• Pipelines on wheels
• 2013: Trains carrying crude oil exploded,
spilled, or derailed 117 times
– E.g., Lac-Megantic, Quebec – 47 killed, $1.2
billion damage (2013)
• More crude oil spilled in U.S. rail accidents in
2013 than in previous 40 yrs combined
Lac-Megantic, Quebec, 2013
The Latest
• Federal government predicts trains hauling
crude oil or ethanol will derail an avg of
10X/yr over the next 2 decades, causing more
than $4 billion in damage and possibly killing
hundreds if they occur in a densely populated
region
• 16 million Americans live within 0.5 km of one
of the existing lines
The Latest
• Old (dangerous) tanker cars slowly being
phased out
• Speed limit of 40 mph set for cities with large
populations
• Track, bridges aging, fire departments not
prepared to handle blazes (special equipment
required)
• Crude by Rail Safety Act pending in Senate
The Latest
• Obama’s Clean Power Plan will require power
plants to reduce carbon emissions by 32%
from 2005 levels between now and 2030
– Will prevent 3,600 premature deaths
• Coal to Clean Energy Bill:
– OR to transition from coal to clean energy by 2025
– Overwhelming public support
– Would be cost-effective/beneficial
– Pending in OR legislature
What You Can Do
• Join Power Past Coal Coalition
• Volunteer
• Call Governor Kitzhaber or his Citizen
Representative: (503) 378-4582
• Contact DEQ and DSL
What You Can Do
• Continue to demand a full spectrum
Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and Health Impact Assessment
(HIA)
• Demand a halt to all proposals
Conclusions
• Coal is a dying 19th Century technology with
Dickensian effects on human health and the
environment
• The consequences of coal transport through
the Pacific Northwest and its subsequent
burning in Asian power plants is bad for the
Northwest, the United States, and the world
Conclusions
• U.S. needs an energy policy for the
21st century, using clean technologies
that provide long-term, well-paying,
and safe jobs
Günter Grass
“The first job of a citizen is to
keep your mouth open.”
African Proverb
If you think you are too small
to have an impact, try going to
bed with a mosquito in your
tent
Special Thanks To
• Regna Merritt, Margie Kircher, Andy Harris,
Susan Katz, and others at Oregon PSR
– [email protected]
• Laura Stevens and others, Oregon Sierra
Club/Beyond Coal Campaign
• Alan Lockwood, National PSR
• Thousands of concerned citizens who have
volunteered their time and energy
Resources
• Power Past Coal:
http://www.powerpastcoal.org/
• Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign:
http://content.sierraclub.org/coal/
• Coal’s Assault on Human Health (Physicians
for Social Responsibility):
http://www.psr.org/resources/coals-assaulton-human-health.html
Resources
• Oregon PSR Resources:
http://www.psr.org/chapters/oregon/env
ironmental-health-/proposed-coalexports.html and
http://www.psr.org/chapters/oregon/env
ironmental-health-/
Resources
• Full cost accounting for the life cycle of
coal (Ann NY Acad Sci 2011;1219:73-98.
Available at
http://solar.gwu.edu/index_files/Resourc
es_files/epstein_full%20cost%20of%20co
al.pdf
Contact Information
Public Health and Social Justice Website:
http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org
or
http://www.phsj.org
Martin Donohoe
[email protected]