Coal news and updates

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dealt a possibly fatal blow to a giant coal-export terminal proposed north of Bellingham, upholding an appeal by the Lummi Tribe that the $700 million project would hurt treaty fishing rights.

"Because the district has determined the effects to the Lummi's rights are more than de minimus and because the Lummis maintain their objections to this proposal, the project cannot be permitted by the Corps," the ACE Seattle District said in a statement.

The proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal has faced concerted opposition from environmental groups and cities through which coal trains would pass, and a free fall which has seen the nation's largest coal companies file for bankruptcy protection.

But opposition from Native-American tribes, specifically the Lummi Nation, had the strongest legal ground on which to stand.

"Today's victory is monumental," said Tim Ballew, chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council.

The Sightline Institute, a longtime critic of the export terminal, tweeted: "Historic victory for the Lummi Nation. Thanks for acting on climate and fighting for a clean energy future."

The Gateway Pacific project, a joint venture of SSA Marine and Cloud Peak Energy, was designed to handle as many as 50 million metric tons of coal for export, mostly bound for China.

The proposal would have brought up to 487 vessels each year to the deep-water port north of Bellingham. It would receive coal brought by rail -- through Spokane, Pasco, Tacoma, Seattle and other Washington cities -- from mines in Montana and Wyoming.

Source:seattlepi