No Coal Eugene unites local citizens to keep coal trains out of Eugene by asserting our community rights over corporate power. We refuse to let Big Coal poison the clean air, water and environment that make the Pacific Northwest a beautiful place to live. As we protect our homes in Eugene, we also stand in solidarity with those fighting coal interests across the country and around the world.
Protecting our community and environment
Why no coal?
Coal is also extremely dangerous to human health: coal ash releases toxic heavy metals into the air, which can lead to chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis, among many other diseases. Eugene residents face a potential 500 lbs. of coal dust per train car spewing into our city – we can’t afford such environmental and human health detriments.
The Eugene Bill of Rights
Everyday citizens have little say in whether coal trains are permitted through our community. No Coal Eugene is working on a Eugene Bill of Rights that will allow people to stand up to Big Coal corporations and defend their homes. The ordinance is modeled after Coal-Free Bellingham‘s proposed Bill of Rights. More info coming soon.
Latest News
Thanks to all who attended our Coal Export Action Roadshow last night! The event was sponsored by the UO Climate Justice League and the Survival Center, and was facilitated by our friend and CEA organizer, Lobo.
Lobo began by telling his personal story of getting attacked and arrested by Portland police on Mayday, then shared photos of Chinese workers at Foxconn (a sweatshop for Apple products), as well as indigenous people in India who were killed for trying to defend their land from being mined for resources. He asked how violence related to coal exports, Foxconn and resource mining – and why people in the US weren’t outraged about all of these things happening.
Various responses included that because we’re so privileged in the US, we don’t have to deal with the same life-threatening decisions as others around the world; our media keeps us insulated and unaware of these issues; most of us have never known anything else besides our industrialized, capitalist culture; and in general, people in the US are quite apathetic to these issues, thinking we’ll never be able to solve them on our own. In ways, our lifestyle protects the evils that perpetrate these systems of violence, injustice and oppression. Some of us don’t know what to do or whom to blame; we may not know what action(s) to take because we’re afraid to fail or have no model of success to follow.
After watching videos of Monday’s anti-coal rally in Portland, as well as one on current coal exports in Montana, the group concluded the event by realizing that while there isn’t just one solution, tackling the root of the problem (for coal exports, this would be coal mining in Montana and Wyoming) seems like the most effective way to start.
Coal Export Action takes place August 10-20 in Helena, MT – we hope you will join us for this massive act of non-violent civil disobedience to stop coal pollution at the source!
Check out this letter from No Coal Eugene member Jere Rosemeyer in today’s Register Guard – thanks, Jere!
Kitzhaber backs coal export review
I urge all those concerned about rapid climate change to read the full text of Gov. John Kitzhaber’s request for a comprehensive environmental impact statement regarding the coal train juggernaut facing Oregon.
It addresses in detail the harmful effects of transporting 157 million tons of coal through Oregon and Washington every year (two- to three-mile-long trains passing through Eugene daily).
Kitzhaber’s letter addresses the harmful effects to Oregon of Asian coal combustion. It mentions not only elevated mercury levels but also spells out all the deleterious effects of climate change. It questions the very concept of coal exports and asks how they can be consistent with “the larger strategy of moving to a low-carbon future.”
Oregon is on the front lines of the worldwide effort to prevent a runaway greenhouse catastrophe. What we decide will play a major role in determining the options available to future generations.
Those who want to curb global warming should contact NoCoalEugene to find out more about stopping the coal trains from passing through Oregon.
Jere C. Rosemeyer, Eugene
I’ve been doing some research on the Port of Coos Bay and coal exports in Oregon, and recently found these interesting articles that I thought I’d pass on to you all. Here are some nuggets of information for your Sunday morning reading:
- Although Big Coal has had some setbacks this year, the Pacific Northwest should expect a long, hard fight to keep the dirty industry out of the region. “[E]ach terminal will create scores of jobs, not hundreds, and many of them will be temporary construction jobs. But these are depressed communities, and, as we know, we’re talking here about the political third rail in this frail economy.” (Dirty Industry, Dirty Fight: Big Coal Is On The Ropes, But Not Down For The Count, ThinkProgress)
- Oregon’s Department of State Lands must decide whether to approve a permit to expand docks in the Port of Boardman, which could potentially export coal to markets overseas – which is why dozens rallied in protest at the DSL office in Salem last week. The DSL has fewer than 60 days to make a decision. (Oregonians Protest Coal Exports, KOHD)
- The Oregon Sierra Club has an online petition for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be conducted on the Port of Morrow, as well as all Pacific Northwest ports that may export coal, by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Sign the petition here.
- The Port of Coos Bay and its partners will spend the next six months – and $300,000 – to continue studying “the feasibility of exporting coal from somewhere on the North Spit of Coos Bay.” (Port: Coal needs further study, The World)
- Coal exported from Coos Bay will not be going to China, according to the Port’s CEO David Koch. Also:
The Port has signed a confidentiality agreement and isn’t naming the companies involved. However, EarthFix has learned the Japanese conglomerate Mitsui and California-based Metro Ports are two of the key players in a bid to develop a coal export terminal with the Port of Coos Bay. (EarthFix)
- “Asian demand for low-sulfur Powder River Basin coal is driving the export terminal pursuits in the Pacific Northwest. Export terminals in British Columbia are shipping coal to Asian markets but have been unable to keep up with the growing demand across the Pacific.” (International investors want in on Oregon coast coal terminal, EarthFix)
Today is Earth Day, an appropriate day for No Coal Eugene to get together to plan our campaign to keep coal trains out of our city and state. A few teams will be meeting today and tomorrow – if you’re interested in joining us, check out how to get involved!
In our last post we shared the Sustainability Commission‘s recently-approved letter to City Council opposing coal trains; in this post we’ll be talking about a letter from Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) regarding coal export in Coos Bay. The letter was originally dated January 24, 2012 but it was discussed at the Commission’s April 4 meeting. Read the entire letter here.
In summary, DeFazio’s letter is a polite request to the International Port of Coos Bay to be mindful of fugitive coal dust; to “ask [prospective rail carriers] to consider using enclosed rail cars to minimize public health impacts from coal dust;” and to enforce “stringent containment prevention methods” should the port become an export terminal.
DeFazio’s stance is commendable in his promptness to address Project Mainstay, but his letter lacks a concern for long-term economic and environmental effects on the region due to coal exports, as well as a sense of urgency in taking action on the matter. As a champion of the people, DeFazio should know that Big Coal’s corporate interests have no place in our state.
While we applaud DeFazio’s prompt acknowledgement of the issue, we hope our representative steps up his environmental advocacy in the coming months – we’ll need his support when we step up to the plate with Big Coal!
We’ve had a busy last few weeks here at No Coal Eugene: our various committees have been planning actions, talking to the media and drafting a city ordinance. But we wanted to share a small victory from a few weeks ago, when the Eugene Sustainability Commission approved a letter opposing coal trains to send to City Council. The full letter can be viewed here.
“Allowing coal trains to pass through our City is not compatible with state and regional efforts to close coal plants, nor with local goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, enhance public health and promote local food production,” the statement reads. “Furthermore, coal mining, export and combustion … undermine Eugene’s efforts to reduce emissions that cause climate change and develop clean energy jobs.”
In the letter the Commission recommends the following actions be taken by the City:
- Direct the City Manager and appropriate staff to identify all possible actions the City can take to prevent the transport of coal through Eugene;
- Pass a resolution or ordinance to oppose coal export from Coos Bay and transport through Eugene;
- Inform Governor Kitzhaber, Port of Coos Bay officials and coal companies involved in proposals to transport coal through Eugene, that the City will enforce all applicable local, state and federal laws protecting public health, safety and air and water quality to prevent the transport of coal through the City; and
- Join other cities in Oregon to lobby the Governor and legislature to oppose coal export terminals in the State of Oregon.
Some interesting figures were thrown into the letter, including the number of local jobs that may be created through coal exports in Coos Bay (30 to 45); the amount of coal dust that escapes from each train car (3% of a “typically” 100-ton load); and the amount of mercury deposited in the Northwest via coal burning in China each year (1,400 tons).
The Sustainability Commission also addressed letters regarding coal exports from Rep. Peter Defazio and the Port of Coos Bay International – more on those letters soon!
http://kezi.com/news/local/244341 - Click here for video!
Taken from KEZI.com:
EUGENE, Ore. — A coal train chugged its way through the University of Oregon campus Monday afternoon.
It was meant to bring attention to the coal trains that could soon head through Eugene and other parts of Western Oregon.
It was quite the spectacle if you happened to be studying or eating lunch near the Erb Memorial Union around noon. Members of No Coal Eugene hopped on their no coal train, leaving a thick cloud of activism behind them. Equipped with a conductor and cabooses, members shouted phrases like ‘Coal Train Comin’ Through!’ while hacking.
They ended their route in the middle of the amphitheater by dramatically faking their deaths.
Members say they want people to be aware of the dangers uncovered coal would present if it came through the city.”A lot of people in Eugene don’t know that we’re gonna be having coal trains coming through and they’re not given any say on whether or not they are gonna come through because we’re valuing the rights of this coal company over the rights of the people here,” said Grace Warner from No Coal Eugene.
The Port of Coos Bay signed a contract with an unknown company in October. They’re still in talks about shipping coal out of the harbor, but estimates show 15,000 tons could pass through Eugene each day. “No Coal” says during this shipment process, large amounts of coal can fall out and Eugenians would inhale an unsafe amount of the dust. No Coal Eugene plans to make its voice loud and clear with more action like this in the future.
EUGENE, APRIL 16TH – Today at approximately 11:50AM, members of No Coal Eugene drove a massive, handcrafted “coal train” through the University of Oregon campus. The train stopped foot traffic and released “coal dust”, representing how a real coal train will interfere with people’s mobility and harm their health. This street theater was done in honor of Earth Week and to call attention to the coal trains that will be coming through Eugene.
Demonstrators included concerned students, Eugene residents and members of many different community groups. Some activists dressed as train conductors as they handed out literature about coal exports and announced “Coal Train coming though! Got a schedule to keep to. Need to keep delivering these coal related illness to your doorstep!”. Other participants held signs of coal related illnesses, such as lung cancer and emphysema, and staged a die-in. 
In early December, 2011, the Port of Coos Bay announced “Project Mainstay,” a collaboration between Coos Bay and an anonymous company, to ship coal out of the harbor. Coal will be coming from the Powder River Basin in Montana through several cities, including Eugene, to be exported out of Coos Bay to Asian markets. An estimated 15,000 tons of uncovered coal will be on every train. The Sightline Institute estimates that 500 lbs to a ton of coal can escape from a single loaded car.
Other communities, like Bellingham, that are facing coal export have organized to fight “Project Mainstay” from polluting their cities. City residents in Eugene have been working together as well, “All Eugenians will be directly affected by these uncovered coal trains and it is all of our responsibility to permanently take action against these filthy industries that continue to make their profit by exploiting our resources and jeopardizing our health.”, comments Giffin Gates, co-director of the Survival Center at the UO, “Parents, activists, medical professionals, school teachers, government bodies, and all residents need to join in on the fight against all environmental injustices, especially these coal trains and the dirty industries that continue to pollute West Eugene.” Coal export is facing tremendous backlash and resistance from citizens in the Northwest.
No Coal Eugene is opposed to coal trains coming through Eugene and the use and extraction of any nonrenewable energy sources, including all fossil fuels. The group is committed to keeping the coal trains from polluting Eugene’s air, water and land. Dirty industries are not welcome in Eugene’s backyard or anyone else’s backyard.
Everyone is invited to attend the first biweekly community potluck this Thursday (4/19) at the upstairs of Grower’s Market, 454 Willamette St., from 7PM to 9PM. Learn more about the threat of coal exports, make new friends, eat tasty food and find out how we can stop the coal trains!
Yesterday members of No Coal Eugene traveled up to Salem to participate in a rally at the Dept. of State Lands to tell Governor Kitzhaber to oppose coal exports in Oregon. The event was primarily organized by the Portland Sierra Club chapter, but people of other organizations and from all parts of the state came out to the rally. Here’s an excerpt from KEZI’s coverage of the rally:
“Oregon really has led the way in the nation towards building a clean energy economy and promoting clean air and clean water in healthy communities, and this is a major step in the wrong direction,” said Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer Laura Stevens.
“What we burn in Asia will come back to haunt us, and it will destroy this planet,” said Virginia Nugent.
“Organic farming is gone for several miles on either side of coal trains,” said Carol Ross.
Health experts say the black coal dust and particles emitted from coal trains will harm not only the environment, but residents as well.
“It causes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It’s harmful for people that are prone to asthma. It also causes heart disease,” said physician Dr. Andy Harris.
The group says another issue is the nearly mile-long trains blocking traffic.
“If there’s any emergency vehicles that have to get across town, that isn’t going to happen,” Dr. Harris said.
After the rally, citizens went inside the Dept. of State Lands to attend a board meeting at which Gov. Kitzhaber was present. Though coal exports weren’t on the agenda, the group sent a strong message to the governor about how Oregonians feel about our state being used as a conduit for dirty energy. Here is a statement from Kitzhaber’s communications director, as featured in the Statesman Journal:
“Gov. Kitzhaber is concerned about a range of unanswered questions about the impact of coal exports on consumers, infrastructure and the environment that should be addressed in a comprehensive way by the federal government before proceeding,” said Kitzhaber’s communications director Tim Raphael in am email. “The governor is exploring his options to engage and will ensure that any project obeys all state and federal laws to protect public health and the environment.”
Let’s keep up the movement to keep coal out of Oregon!
Stephen, a Eugene resident, had this to say about coal trains in our community:
I live in the Whiteaker only one block from the tracks. The train is a constant nuisance. Polluting the air, blaring its horn, spraying herbicide, and doing very little to control litter and public nuisance.
The addition of coal carrying train cars will make a bad situation worse.
Eugene residents suffer tremendously from air quality issues stemming from grass farming to the north. Adding coal dust to our already polluted air will case many (including myself) increased bronchial and asthma related complications.
I love Eugene. I want to live here form many years to come. I am an environmentally conscious individual who embraces the wonderful outdoors. I fear a further deterioration in air quality and livability will drive me to relocate. Please Eugene, support your citizens, the environment, and our global village by stopping coal trains in Eugene.
This message was originally posted in No Coal Eugene’s Facebook group.
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