Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen has ordered the county's health department to study the potential health impacts caused by increased coal train traffic. This is the first local study of its kind and comes as many cities in the Northwest will see a huge increase in the amount of coal train traffic going through their neighborhoods as coal companies attempt to ramp up exports of Powder River Basin coal to Asia.
The county's health department is expected to deliver its report sometime in October.
We applaud Jeff Cogen for taking this much needed step.
Learn more about Rivekeeper's work to stop coal export plans in the Northwest.
