From Stark
UPDATE:
The Bellingham City Council has dropped a proposal for a November advisory vote on the Gateway Pacific Terminal project.
During a brief committee discussion of the proposal at a Monday, Aug. 6 committee session, council member Jack Weiss said it would be better if Bellingham residents focused their energies on studying the many issues surrounding the project, to prepare themselves for participation in the upcoming “scoping process” expected to begin this fall.
The scoping process is the first step in evaluating Gateway Pacific’s environmental and economic impacts. That process is designed to determine what specific issues should be studied as regulatory agencies decide whether to grant permits for the construction of the massive coal-shipping pier at Cherry Point, south of the BP refinery.
Weiss had been one of those who had pushed for the advisory vote.
Original blog post from Monday morning:
In the wake of a court ruling that keeps the No Coal! initiative off the Nov. 6 ballot, the Bellingham City Council will discuss a possible non-binding advisory vote on the matter.
The advisory vote proposal is the last of four items on the agenda of a committee discussion scheduled to begin at 1:20 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6 in chambers at City Hall, 210 Lottie St.
After their last discussion of a possible advisory vote on July 23, the council voted 5-2 to direct city staff to prepare ballot language for council review at the Aug. 6 meeting., with council members Terry Bornemann and Cathy Lehman expressing skepticism about the value of such a vote. Both noted that City Council has no direct role to play in the decision on whether SSA Marine will be allowed to build its Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point. That will be up to Whatcom County and state and federal agencies.
The council has already voted unanimously to urge those agencies to consider the potential negative impacts of increased rail traffic through Bellingham as they make their decision.
I’s hope the city puts it on the ballot, first off if this non binding vote went against the GPT; which is perfectly expected and will have little to no impact on the real process that counts but let’s just say the vote went the other way, well now; that’s a horse of a different color, don’t ya know!
IMHO there’s plenty of people in this town that ain’t buying the BS being spread by the NIMBY’s and a head count just might be educational!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
I tend to agree with AFY, that it’s a foregone conclusion how the Council will vote. From a political standoint, it’s disappointing that the vote didnt proceed. At the time I read the unscientific BH poll it appeared that the vote was almost split for and against, which is significant in the sense that there a a lot of folks who are not on the actvist bandwagon.
I also agree with AFY in the sense that there has been misinformation and distortions spread by the opponents of the project, and it’s surprising the by-in by a supposedly educated community.
Every single one of the concerns brought up by the opponents has a technical solution. Every one, and they are expensive. Instead of spreading lies, a better approach by the opponents might be simply to demand enforcement of all the mitigation steps. That in itself will sink the project…
I am not and never have been a “not-in-my-backyard” person.
About a year and a half ago I first heard about this coal port idea from a family member. I decided to do some research.
The first thing I did not like was what I found out about the very low moral caliber (and outright criminality) of the out of town giant corporations that want this project to go through here. You can find all of this information from vetted and well-documented sources everywhere online. Try Sourcewatch first for Peabody Energy.
The second thing I heard about from others (not conservationists or environmentalists or tree huggers – but just citizens of Whatcom County like me) was that they lived close to the trains and that they have a hard time sleeping now with just a few going through. Some of them have trouble already from breathing in diesel and coal dust. I felt sorry for them and was glad I did not live in that situation.
The third thing I heard and have since been able to confirm many times over from reading (which I suggest you do) and research (which I suggest you do) is that the herring is endangered already at Cherry Point and that if we have increased shipping in that area we will lose the herring, then the salmon, then the orcas. Despite what project proponents want you to believe. This is not a problem that can be mitigated away.
I have learned much, much more from avenues that anyone can go down if they have an open mind.
And yes -since I decided that I did not like the idea of this project and that I wanted to work to stop it I have joined with others in organizations that formed to stop it. I did not join these organizations before GPT came to town and I was not even very aware of the depredations to the environment that the world currently suffering; but, boy, I am aware now! GPT did me a favor. It opened my eyes.
I suspect AFY of a vested interest in this project because AFY can only cast slurs and never has anything reasonable to cite to support his/her comments. Similarly, in this post QQQQ is letting his/her slip show when the only thing she/he can do is to accuse those who don’t want this flawed project of “spreading lies.” If you have anything of a truly scientific nature to contribute to this topic then let’s hear it. Otherwise, we will not take anything you have to say in these posts seriously.
Really now Insight, Did you venture out long enough in your studies to find when the desrease in Herring at Cherry Point started? Try 1980, You know why, herring migrated their spawning grounds to somewhere else in Canada. This has happened for hundreds and thousands of yers I would suggest, Now you are claiming that if this is allowed it will destroy Herring, Salmon and the Orcas? A little over board there matey, They have been shipping this thru for many years to Roberts Banks and we still have herring and salmon and even Orcas out there. So you see, you are one of the ones telling the lies that we as the Sinent Majority that favors this project are sick of. You cannot prove Coal Dust, And there are meters to do so. Your friends cannot sleep because of the noise, Well maybe they should not of moved by the tracks, I have a home by the airport and I do not complain about the traffic of the planes. They are like you a NIMBY and very unaware of the fact they bought next to a train and expect them to do business around their schedule, So sad. And you know what, Those of us that support this, could care less if you and your ilk hear us, We want the people that are not decided to hear us and the Silent Majority to know they are supported. Sorry to be you.
I am a staunch proponent of the port. I do agree with the City on some points of the overreaching portion of the Coal Initiative. But I hope the city can work with the residents and the Corporate World to find a meeting point to please both sides. Let the residents voice be heard, like I have heard them. We need more jobs but not at the expense of the environment or our future community. There has to be some option rather than just saying no or yes.
Insight; IMHO you have just as much a right to your HO as me, for what ever reason it be!
But here’s some facts to also consider:
“…U.S. power industry has invested about $90 billion since 1990 to deploy clean coal technologies to reduce air emissions – while at the same time providing affordable, reliable electricity to meet growing energy needs.
Clean coal technology is real – and it is deployed across the U.S. and around the world to the benefit of people and our planet….
Clean coal technology refers to technologies that improve the environmental performance of coal-based electricity plants. These technologies include devices that increase the operational efficiency of a power plant, as well as those technologies that reduce emissions…..Clean coal technology will continue to improve in response to environmental challenges….
According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency figures, emissions of traditional pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, have dropped significantly – even as the use of coal to generate electricity has nearly tripled to meet growing energy demand. That’s proof of the success of clean coal technology….
http://www.americaspower.org/our-commitment-clean-energy-future
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
I agree with Jack Weiss: there is much to study regarding the impacts of GPT from marine impacts to traffic & shipping disruptions the length of the rail line. With scoping taking place this fall (maybe), it’s good to hold off on a ballot measure until that’s done.
An appeal has been filed…don’t write off the ballot initiative just yet.
insight, had you studied a little more, you would know that the Cherry Point herring are already past saving AND that the WDFW allowed that to happen. They are far below numbers that would allow them to recover given the predation rate on them. Trains, Planes and Automobiles didn’t cause that to happen, scientists in our state and federal agencys did!
I loved this (I really did!): “The first thing I did not like was what I found out about the very low moral caliber (and outright criminality) of the out of town giant corporations that want this project to go through here. You can find all of this information from vetted and well-documented sources everywhere online.”
Perhaps he had that well-known criminal and tax scofflaw Warren Buffet in mind.
We need to stop paying politicians to deny global warming.
boudou:
“We need to stop paying politicians to deny global warming.”
We should consider voting against politicians who use unproven global-warming arguments to argue for public policy prescriptions (spending) in reponse.
The good news is that Coal-Free Bellingham is filing an appeal.
The best way to stop this mega terminal is to become involved in the scoping process.
SCOPING LETTERS
Scoping letters should address which of the project’s potential impacts that should be studied, measured and considered; these letters are not letters of support, protest, or other opinion. Scoping letters are most effective when they outline:
specific impacts, how you and others would be affected
the significance of those impacts (i.e. permanent and irreparable harm)
the direct and indirect costs of those impacts, and who will bear those costs
a request for an alternatives analysis (i.e. a “no action” alternative, in which the proposal would be denied; also, what the project with mitigation would look like).
Thoughtful letters by individuals presenting compelling arguments will carry great weight. If you have the time and inclination to draft your own letter, the League of Women Voters has guidelines.
Organizations have sample letters available on their websites.
Only letters submitted during the period of public comment will be put on official record and considered. Please mail your letter to one of the appropriate agencies during that (yet-to-be-determined) time period only.
Comments will also be received, in person, at “hearings.” The time and place of these hearings has yet to be determined. It seems likely that there might be a hearing in Seattle, and one in Bellingham, although these hearing locations have not be confirmed. Other communities are requesting hearings, as all communities along the transportation corridor (rail and marine vessel) will be affected by the proposed project.
CONTACT INFORMATION – FOR AGENCIES CONDUCTING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mr. Randall Perry
NW Field Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1440 10th Street, Suite 102
Bellingham, WA 98225
Perry, Randel J NWS
Randel.J.Perry@usace.army.mil
Phone: 360-734-3156 (Office)
Department of Ecology
Mr. Ted Sturdevant
Director
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
tstu461@ecy.wa.gov
alice.kelly@ecy.wa.gov
Phone: 360 407-7001
Whatcom County
Mr. Tyler Schroeder
Current Planning Supervisor
Whatcom County Planning and Development Services
5280 Northwest Drive
Bellingham, WA 98226
Tschroed@co.whatcom.wa.us
Phone: (360) 676-6907 ext. 50202
Sustainable thanks for the list to where to write, I’ll make sure I get it out to all my employees whose jobs might just depend on this facility getting built!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
The only global warming is from the hot air coming out Stoney Bird’s rear-end!