By Dan Serres, Conservation Director —
The first forum, held in Longview, offered the community of Cowlitz County a chance to understand a fast-moving proposal by Millennium Bulk Terminals and Arch Coal. By stoking growing community concern, participating groups and local activists generated support for a successful appeal that uncovered secret plans for Millennium to build a 60 million-ton coal mega-port – 12 times larger than the project described in their official application. In subsequent months, similar events in Bellingham and near rail communities informed hundreds of Washington and Oregon residents about the coal dust, traffic delays, water pollution and human health risks that accompany the coal industry’s push to ship coal to Asia.
Most recently, I was personally inspired to join Longview activist Gayle Kiser at the Vancouver Coal Hard Truth Forum. Thanks to a lot of hard work by Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, Washington Environmental Council, and Riverkeeper, over 100 people attended the meeting and learned about the dozens of coal trains that are proposed to rumble through Vancouver on their way to either Longview or Bellingham. Without a doubt, the most riveting presentation of the evening was delivered by Rev. Kathleen Patton, an Episcopalian priest from Longview. Acknowledging the suffering and economic hardship in her community, Rev. Patton inspired us all. Her words revolved around a theme of dignity and responsibility for Longview, and every community facing coal proposals:
“At some point it becomes a matter of integrity to say no. It is very much a spiritual issue of our dignity as a community, before those who would exploit our economic vulnerability. I want to say no to this project. Not just a polite no… but hell no.
Because hell is what we create with dirty coal – pouring pollutants into the air, dumping them on the ground and in the water – contaminating the lives of the folks who not only live on the wrong side of the tracks, but all along the tracks where the mess is made -- in poor and working class neighborhoods like the Highlands of Longview.
Hell is what we make as we heat up our planet and melt our polar ice caps.
Hell is increased rates of asthma and emphysema and other respiratory illnesses in our community – a place already significantly worse off in terms of these health issues than most of the rest of the state.
People tell us that our poor health has nothing to do with big industry – its just a coincidence that more people in mill towns have lung diseases. Hell is made with lies too.
Hell is what we create when we make bargains with people who are driven by economic interests only. You recall how Millenium deceived us about the volume of coal they wanted to ship through our community.
Hell is what we make in our own hearts, as well as our lungs, when we agree to do their dirty work for the sake of a few jobs.
What does it profit our city, our county, our state, to let the coal industry use us?"
Reverend Patton’s words speak for themselves, and capture the intense concern about the impact of coal export projects in Longview and the Pacific NW. In coming weeks, more communities all over the Pacific Northwest will join Edmonds, Spokane, Bellingham, Vancouver, St. Helens, the Dalles, Longview, Bellingham and others who are joining a building campaign to stop coal exports through our communities. Learn more about upcoming coal hard truth events in Portland and Vancouver here.
