Hundreds Attend Coal Train Hearing In Spokane - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Hundreds Attend Coal Train Hearing In Spokane

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by Kjerstin Ramsing, KHQ Local News Reporter - bio | email
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Spokane County Fairgrounds was a packed house Tuesday evening for a hearing about a coal terminal planned for western Washington, near Bellingham.
 
If the coal companies have their way, the nation's largest coal terminal will be built at Cherry Point, Washington. It is estimated 38 to 63 extra coal trains from southeastern Montana and Wyoming will pass through Sandpoint and Spokane.

Nine trains a day will be redirected to Bellingham, and the remainder will be sent to other proposed ports through a rail system that is already at 80 percent capacity. Nearly 140 million tons of additional coal will be sent to China and other Asian customers each year.

While coal supporters say increasing exports will boost the US economy and create jobs, environmentalists argue that fossil fuel extraction and use contributes to pollution and global warming.

This story was filed and written by KHQ's Kjerstin Ramsing.

 

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