From Stark
Mayor Dan Pike continues to stress his opposition to the Gateway Pacific coal and bulk cargo terminal at Cherry Point as the four-way race to the Tuesday, Aug. 16 primary election continues.
He issued a press release today in solidarity with Whatcom Docs, a group of about 160 local doctors who contend that the added train traffic through the city would pose significant health risks, and they want those risks evaluated as the proposed terminal gets regulatory scrutiny.
Pike’s rivals for the mayor’s job have staked out a variety of positions. Kelli Linville says she opposes a coal terminal, but she has criticized Pike’s tactics, which she contends have made it harder for the city to make its case to regulatory agencies who will actually decide the project’s fate. The city has no direct role in the permitting process.
Clayton Petree said he would prefer to see the Gateway Pacific site used as a container port, and that option should be evaluated as part of the regulatory process. Steve Moore endorses Gateway Pacific.
Here is Pike’s press release:
BELLINGHAM, WA — AUGUST 10, 2011 – Mayor Dan Pike today made the following statement regarding an announcement by Whatcom County physicians group “Whatcom Docs.”
“Today, a group of 160 prominent physicians in Whatcom County released a large volume of research outlining the need to evaluate the health impacts of the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. The science is clear, the facts are indisputable and have been well documented in other communities with rail-served coal terminals like the one proposed for our community. These communities have seen increased rates of disease and death directly resulting from the presence of coal trains.
“In early June, I expressed my strong opposition to this coal terminal and my commitment to protect the citizens of Bellingham from its detrimental impacts, and then I followed up that position with proactive leadership: outreach to the Department of Ecology and building consensus with the mayors of affected communities across this state. The physicians associated with this study all share these concerns. There simply is too much data available about the harmful effects of coal-related airborne pollutants for us to allow this project to move forward.
“I urge everyone in Whatcom County to learn as much as they can about the health impacts of this project. I’m confident that they’ll come to the same conclusion as I and these doctors have: Coal does not belong in our community. It is unhealthy, it is dirty, and it is dangerous. We can do better than this. I will continue to oppose projects like this that pose an unacceptable risk to our communities’ physical and economic health. Please stand with me to protect Bellingham by opposing this coal terminal.”
(End press release)
The auto does not belong in our community. It is unhealthy, it is dirty, and it is dangerous. We can do better than this.
The plastic bag….
Dog poo….
Bums…..
People who disagree with our President…..
etc.
In actuality, Linville may now say she “opposes a coal terminal,” since Pike took that position, but prior to that said “she will wait for the public process to comment at an official on-the-record public hearing, rather than state her final position now. ‘I support the public process; let it work its way through,’ she told Crosscut.”
http://crosscut.com/2011/06/02/bellingham/20975/Coal-for-China-debate-burns-its-way-into-Bellingham-s-mayor-race-/, June 2, Coal-for-China debate burns its way into Bellingham’s mayor race
MR, keep trying to bury the issues in dog poo and plastic bags.
Hats off to my Docs and others. It’s time this community took seriously the multitude of voices being raised against this terrible idea. The opposition is broad and deep.
Linville can be lauded for her late arrival…(if truly at all) I’m sure she meant to appear to be critically assessing the project…. until she found out which way the political wind was blowing. The Mayor has done proud service to the community by LEADING as we expect of a city’s leader. He took a politically courageous stand on an issue, led by conviction, that helped turn the breeze into a wind. And to his credit even Linville wants to sidle up to his issues. But we can all clearly see who the leader is.
Huh? I thought Linville has been clear that she supports coal trains so long as that’s not the only resource being exported at a new terminal. Has she flip flopped?
Pike fights for us! Who does Kelli fight for?
I think she is hedging when she has to.
The docs have sealed the deal with facts, indisputable and documented. Now watch the waffling politicians distance themselves from their indecision while the proponents won’t look you in the eye when you speak to them about the long term health risks to your children. Shame on them. Whatcom is a resource to protect, an invaluable place to live, work and recreate in. We as a community are better than this. Remember this when you vote.
Don’t send me no doctor
Fill me up with all a those pills
I got me a man named Doctor Feelgood
Yeah! Yeah!
That man takes care of all my pains and ills
His name is Doctor Feelgood in the morning
To take care of business is really this man’s game.
sorry.
Whatcom county is a unique place that is still looking for it’s self identity. We don’t have to allow an intrusive, questionable venture that creates so much irreversible damage into this special place to bring a few flighty jobs when so much else is at stake.
We are only limited by our imaginations and our fears.
Unfortunately fear of any collective effort to create the larger picture of our future is in vogue as unimaginative and cynical citizens create their self fulfilling prophecy of failure of collective (government) efforts to build for a new century by pushing last century solutions and a fantastical revised history narrative that is easily absorbed by a populous addled by decades of inadequate investment in education.
Lies and BS are the gold of the evangelical and corporate controlled right wing these days.
Their messages are some of the most radically regressive in areas from science to civil rights.
We all need to speak loudly and firmly and remember, as Roaring says, that we are better than this.
For Camille.
http://www.google.com/search?q=aretha+franklin+dr.+feel+good&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
Ah, Camille… great song. My friend and I were just talking about it this past weekend.
It appears to me that the Whatcom Docs have asked for their concerns to be looked at during the upcoming process.
This is how the process is supposed to work: A proposal is made, concerns are studied, facts are given.
Then we make decisions.
I fully support that the process look at concerns such as this. Like I said in the first article quite a while back:
“It is way too early in the process to make proclamations regarding the proposed cargo terminal at Cherry Point. We don’t yet know what the impact on Bellingham, especially on Bellingham’s own waterfront, might be.”
“This is a time to listen, learn, and participate – not leap one way or another based on speculation about something we don’t yet know enough about.”
I suggest Whatcom Docs submit their concerns when the time comes.
That’s just crazy talk, Clayton, with all due respect, of course.
I don’t even see how this is an issue.
Why, just today I was at the light on Roeder at F Street, waiting for a train to pass so I could make a left hand turn to get home (I’ve moved) and it felt like forever until it passed.
I couldn’t help but think about the 1-1/2 mile-long Cole trains and how if it had been one of those puppies I probably would have asphyxiated before the light changed.
And what if I needed an ambulance?!
The ambulance would have had to wait like the rest of us for the damn thing to pass; I might have died.
Don’t you care about anything?
It’s bad air, bad wait time, bad noise, and just all around bad business.
Good for these doctors taking a stand!
I haven’t looked at the list; I already know my doctor is on it.
@ Les,
When it comes to Aretha I’m a total Murphy Brown!
Camille,
If you need an ambulance at Roeder and F St while the train crossing is blocked, Medic One would simply cross the RR via the Chestnut St bridge 2 blocks away. True, you may have “felt like forever” until the train passed. But the fact is our well-trained Paramedics know the street system in their sleep.
A key question to the Docs – as they assert health threats of diesel exhaust from trains to stop them, do they equally advocate stopping the thousands of diesel trucks and cars travelling down I-5 each day?
We need some commerce to pay their medical bills – unless you just sit back and expect single payment under nationalized health care……..
Sure if you’re stuck at a level crossing,
you can always get your car out of line,
(just ask all the other cars to back up for you),
do a U-Turn and take an alternate route!
Brainless is the term that comes to mind and a lack of regard for reality might be at least as accurate.
An aid car at the Slater Road crossing nearly met with a 25 car line-up over a normal freight train yesterday and there is no alternate route.
Mr. Neighbor?
Whose neighbor would that be?
Clayton,
there is no time to wait for an EIS.
We need to make our own statements right here and now.
And guess what, they are at least as compelling and truthful as all the paid-for experts that’ll invent the EIS itself.
Not long ago, SSA was trying to move forward on the coal terminal with essentially no process. Their request was to recycle an old, and much smaller, shoreline development permit. Their full court press has been to create inevitability.
So, let’s not take for granted that there will be a real process that looks at all of the issues in detail. It’s important for us all to make sure that happens. The Whatcom Docs statement is an important contribution that the scope of the propcess must include a serious look at health effects, and give full consideration to our health when making a decision.
This was posted incorrectly to another posting:
He was for it before he was against it!
So why did he change his way, well being the mayor he is and demonstrating how IMHO he can’t play with others very well, fighting with the county and alienating many who work in city government where else could he turn for re-election? Even though this terminal will not have been built in his jurisdiction and he would have very little real say of it being built, he is not a stupid man, he saw his opportunity, he saw the emotion it was receiving from a small but very noisy group, a group that would embrace because of their blind allegiance to only this one issue anyone no matter how deceitful that person late entry may seem; to their cause.
IMHO this pillar that stands on the shifting sands of political opportunity of the moment, my mayor, would just as much still be supporting this new terminal if he thought it would help his re-election, don’t ya know!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
You’re such a gas, Joe! You “growth goons” really want to get rid of anyone you can’t buy.
But
I recall Pike became an opponent after meeting with BNSF etc al and discovering they refused to help abate impacts of their trains.
But you guys hate Pike because he
won’t cave on sensible growth management. You were out to get him before trains became an issue.
#1: I do not hate Dan, I may not agree with his motives or actions but that is not hate; just political disagreement.
And on this very blog I have praise him for some of his actions.
IMHO we need a change in Bham, and IMHO this reversal on the terminal by Dan was 100% political and if the other position (non reversal) would now mean his re-election, IMHO that would be his position as it was when he thought it did.
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
One thing can be said of your positions AFY, you let your blind allegiance to misinformation and nonsense get the better of you all the time. The shifting sands around you are truth and objectivity.
But you never let either interfere with your shiftless and often spineless views, we thinks.
Our Mayor, Dan Pike, Never made a paid announcement supporting the Terminal. (Paid by SSA, no less!)
Dan Pike has more integrity in his little finger than the other two put together.
Camille, as always I’s respect your opinion, we may not agree on everything but people can disagree and still have respect. That is what is truly great about our democracy (I’s know republic!).
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
The other two mayors, that is.
I still don’t know how making that commercial for SSA was legal for public officials to do.
Why would they even support the terminal if studies on the effects of the trains had not been completed?
Actually, at the time they made those commercials I can’t recall whether studies were even underway.
Maybe Clayton can answer that.
(Don’t worry AFY, I know you don’t hate Dan. How could anyone hate him; he’s so likable.)
Camille,
I am not aware of any new studies that would have been underway at that time. They were still trying to use the old permit, I believe, and that would have been tied to the old EIS.
The old EIS that said they would cover EVERYTHING proposed to be shipped: wood chips, etc. Think about that. They would cover wood chips to prevent escaping dust, and still agreed to additional mitigations in the 1999 settlement agreement. Yet, now we get 85 acres of exposed coal. Yeah, Clayton, we really need to wait for that new EIS to tell us whether the proposed coal terminal is an environmental nightmare.
“The primary focus on air emissions from a bulk cargo transportation terminal is dust, not chemical pollutants. The terminal will be required to control emissions, as the project’s shoreline permit from Whatcom County provides that “No odors dust, dirt or smoke shall be emitted that are detectable at or beyond the property line…to cause a nuisance.” Also in accordance with our permit, we will deploy the best pollution and abatement technology when that technology is reasonably available…..
Water-soluble bulk cargo stored on the site will be covered, and sprinkling systems will be installed, to minimize dust from reserves of non-water soluble materials. When loading cargo, materials will be conveyed through covered chutes on land, and in enclosed chutes over water, and landward 200′ of the shoreline. We will position the end of our loading chutes inside the ship’s hold to minimize dust.
http://www.gatewaypacificterminal.com/environmental/airquality.shtml
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
@AFY. Have you been to Westshore to see how well those elephant snout loaders “stop” coal dust from going into the water? I have some pictures, if you ever want to see how well they work. Perhaps if you dig deeper and do some independent research rather than parrot SSA promotional materials you might understand why the rest of us are concerned. For instance, SSA is also talking about “cold ironing” ships at Cherry Point (basically tying them into shore power instead of burning 4 plus tons of diesel per day while at the dock). Sounds good in their literature until you do some investigation and find that very few bulkers are set up to cold iron and the conversion is expensive. If you simply want to repeat SSA’s messages that is fine, but if you want to have an informed discussion about the relative merits of this project, a little thought and effort are required.
I find the SSA website very informative and I have every intention to utilize it in the future. You may not and that surely is your choice. There are many other good websites that you might enjoy too for example:
http://www.krupprobins.com/Publications/Brochures/Brochures%20Port%20Handling%20Systems/pdf%20files/6504-Port-Handling-8×11-sec.pdf
http://www.taggartglobal.com/industries/ports_terminals.php
I find the goals outlaid by SSA, noble and if they are successful in getting a permit after much public scrutiny, IMHO; we here in Whatcom will have ourselves one of the most environmentally sound terminal’s that modern technology can provide.
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
Oh BTW being concerned, there is nothing wrong with that in my book, that is what the permit process is all about, get the concerns on the table, sort them out, address those that are valid, find solutions and make the way open to have a future that reflects environmentally sound decisions that will give us jobs and prosperity.
Progress man; it can be good for everyone!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
The key is “much public scrutiny.” The Whatcom Docs are simply advocating a specific type of scrutiny that is very important for a proposed project of this type.
A problematic aspect is SSA not appearing to be forthright. They initally asserted that the project could proceed under the old and far smaller shoreline permit (which would have allowed them to dodge a lot of permitting process and public scrutiny). They started clearing land at locations clearly outside the bounds of the existing permit. Their response to the Whatcom docs regarding diesel emissions is mathematically challenged and misleading. Look at the quote a few responses above for the carefully lawyered wording “when that technology is reasonably available”, which means “if it does not cost more than we want to spend.”
To have a good permitting process, you have to have an applicant that inspires confidence that they will do what they say. So far, it’s not looking good. If they can’t drive a bulldozer within a mile of where they are supposed to, how can we be expected to believe that they will use every best practice to protect our community and the environment?
There are a lot of people who are not opposed, but want careful consideration. That’s a reasonable position. I think that’s where the mayor started. At their current trajectory, SSA will turn these many of these people into opponents of the project.
Well having been in construction for over 40 years, I can say stuff happens, and there are penalties for that stuff. Pay your penalty and move on.
It’s kinda like the way I look at people who make mistakes and they have to pay a price, do some time, as far as I am concern, once they do their time, pay the price, to turn our backs on them and not allow them to be able to get along with their lives is more of a bad reflection of us than them. This mistake was not the crime of all crimes against society(a minor mistake) and those who try to treat it as such are really not the fair minded tacks that can be found in our box.
As for this particular group of doc’s, if they were to take the same attitude towards other businesses in our community in the way that they have against this one and had their way, there would be a bunch less businesses in our county and jobs to follow along with it, IMHO.
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
An ‘environmentally friendly’ coal dump is a contradiction in terms.
People make mistakes, but SSA is not people.
“Corporations are people, my friend…”
Yes,yes, so true…and that is one sad commentary on our culture.
Stuff happens? All of SSA’s intentions are noble?
Corporations have a rather long and despicable history of deliberately placing profits above all other considerations, including public health, workers’ welfare, and the shared environment. This is especially true of extractive industries.
When it comes to mining, corporations have a terrible track record. None of them can be trusted.
For example, coal mining companies have often shown a callous disregard for neighboring communities, and they have developed a rather notorious legacy of environmental degradation and destruction, worldwide:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/toxic/west-virginia
http://youtu.be/Hn9gJmklJGg
In the absence of government regulations, just look what they have done:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/toxic/toxic-linfen-china
When it comes to corporations, our trust is misplaced.
Yeah all corporations are evil, they should all be destroyed, the only noble job is one of working for the state!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ48EEzORZ4
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
You like quotes, Joe? You like Jefferson, Joe?
“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
Thomas Jefferson
Yeah I do:
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”
Thomas Jefferson
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
“…and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned”
Do you get that part, Joe?????
Sure do! Frugal government = good!
But here’s another of my favorite quotes:
“Marge, I agree with you – in theory. In theory, Communism works. In theory.”
Homer Simpson
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”
Winston Churchill
Methinks we are getting a good taste of that today by those whose main mantra is kill the corporations!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
What difference, Joe, if government abdicates its role and corporations take the bread from the mouth of laborers?
And we are getting a good taste of socialist government. The surprise is the transfer of wealth is from the poor and middle classes to the rich. Just the way it was designed to happen.
I wonder where Winstons’s Britain would be today without the Socialist war effort waged a few decades ago on Adolf’s Capitalist enterprise of mergers and acquisitions.
Socialism is the antidote to envy, greed and disinterest in your fellow man.
That some people see these as positive attributes explains their obsession with the subject.
Those who use government to implement their agenda of socialism and those who use government for their agenda of self enrichment thru crony capitalism both are equally guilty of strangling the golden goose known as free enterprise.
Freedom and free enterprise are the solutions. The invisible hand has visible results like in jobs & prosperity!!!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
“Socialism is workable only in heaven where it isn’t needed, and in hell where they’ve got it”
Cecil Palmer
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
Actually, Ms Begonia, the socialistic model created some century ago was in large part intended to reverse several centuries of classical liberal economic economic progress. And its goal was and is “the equal sharing of misery” by the masses, modern serfs to the financial aristocracy.
In this neo-feudal society most of us will be unable to progress or share in the bounty that free enterprise once promised.
So convoluted is today’s political rhetoric that “free enterprise” is no longer protected from monopolists but has been translated to mean freedom from regulation and opposition to society providing access to a competitive economy.
And taxation of overly concentrated wealth is characterized as a “death tax” by propogandists intent to continuing that concentration.
And all the time you’ve got the echo chamber, idiots like AFY, who can’t figure it out and keep mouthing the talking points and re-posting the banter because they’re incapable of original thought.
“Most people who read “The Communist Manifesto” probably have no idea that it was written by a couple of young men who had never worked a day in their lives, and who nevertheless spoke boldly in the name of “the workers”.”
Thomas Sowell
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
Most people have no idea that Marx and most of the 19th and 20th century communist writers and revolutionaries were generously financed by the financial elites who favored one world government long before the Treaty of Versailles and the effort to form a League of Nations.
The Rothschilds and Rockefellers were instrumental in orchestrating political upheavals beneficial to their vision of a world of serfs at their command. And they continue to be behind efforts to destroy US sovereignty and control the worlds critical resources through institutions like their World Bank and IMF.
The point is that wars,
all wars up until Bush privately Capitalized his invasions of the Muslim world,
were fiercely Socialistic endeavors.