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Seattle: more coal trains would increase delays
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this photo taken Oct. 23, 2012, a ship is seen in the distance moored at the BP oil refinery in the Strait of Georgia just beyond the location of a proposed coal exporting terminal in Ferndale, Wash., near Bellingham, Wash. The progressive college town of Bellingham is at the center of one of the fiercest environmental debates in the region: should the Northwest become a hub for exporting U.S. coal to Asia? A proposal to build one of as many as five coal terminals here has divided the town, pitting union and businesses that welcome jobs against environmentalists who worry about coal dust and greenhouse gas emissions. A trade group is running TV ads touting the projects, while numerous cities such as Seattle and Portland are opposing coal trains through their communities. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Posted 11/6/12
SEATTLE — A new city of Seattle report finds that an increase in coal trains through the city would increase delays at railroad crossings and affect emergency response times.
A proposed port near Bellingham, Wash., plans to ship coal from Montana and Wyoming for export to Asia. The project could lead to as many as nine round-trip trains a day in 2026, likely through Seattle.
The report commissioned by the city estimated that gates would be down at railroad crossings an additional 31 to 83 minutes each day in 2015, and an additional 67 to 183 minutes in 2026. The study says the proposed coal trains would impact emergency vehicle trips to and from the waterfront.
Port developers have said the project's impacts would be reviewed fully and that it will meet high environmental standards. Supporters say it would bring jobs and millions in tax revenues.