Victory: Oakland’s Coal Ban Becomes Law
On July 19, 2016, the Oakland City Council approved the ban on coal initially approved three weeks before. The vote on the council's Consent Calendar, on which the coal measures were included, was unanimous: 8-0, with all council members in attendance.
Prior to the vote, No Coal in Oakland member Aaron Reaven thanked the council for approving the coal ban at its special meeting on June 27, 2016, and asked that changes to its process for hearing community input be considered, to prevent "political thuggery" in which paid political operatives are permitted to shout ...
No Coal Coalition Receives Eco-Warrior of the Year Award
At a party that drew many to downtown Oakland last night, Oakland Rising presented Townie Award for Eco-Warrior of the Year to the No Coal in Oakland coalition. On hand to accept the award were Katy Polony of Sunflower Alliance and Brittany King of the Sierra Club. Oakland Rising is a five-year old organization that aims to build and wield mass-based progressive political power, align and coordinate social justice forces, and develop new leaders in Oakland.
Oakland Rising also named the Committee to Protect Oakland Renters as Townie of the Year, Nicole Lee as Youth ...
National and Local Press Reports Oakland’s No Coal Vote
Numerous articles have appeared in the local and national press concerning the Oakland City Council's historic vote on coal:
Oakland City Council votes to ban coal — from Utah or elsewhere — at its new port (Salt Lake Tribune, June 27, 2016)
Utah counties determined to find port for coal (Deseret News, June 27, 2016)
Oakland Votes to Block Large Shipments of Coal (New York Times, June 28, 2016)
Oakland bans coal shipments in a blow to planned export facility (Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2016)
Oakland Council Bans Coal Shipments, Citing Health Risks ...
Call for federal investigation of Oakland coal terminal financing
A letter sent by conservation, health, and good-government organizations to Attorney General Loretta Lynch on June 20, 2016 calls for a federal investigation into potential legal and ethical violations in Utah's $53 million publicly funded loan to fund a coal export terminal in Oakland. The letter was sent on behalf of Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, Alliance for a Better Utah, HEAL Utah, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, the Grand Canyon Trust, Living Rivers, and the Center for Biological Diversity.
As the Salt Lake City Tribune reports:
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Total Ban on Coal in Oakland Set for Vote June 27
The City announced on Friday that a ban on coal storage and handling at Oakland’s proposed bulk terminal will be on the City Council's agenda on Monday, June 27, at 5 pm. This is the City's first official confirmation that an outright ban will be put to a vote.
Activists from No Coal in Oakland are optimistic that the full City staff report, due to be published late in the week, will recommend City Council action to ban coal and not a compromise with the developer that would endanger public health and safety in Oakland and increase greenhouse gas concentrations ...
Public health experts expose coal hazard ‘protection’ fallacies
Coal proponents have advertised they will use new technology to shield port workers and their West Oakland neighbors from the toxic, corrosive, and explosive dangers of transporting coal through the former Oakland Army Base. But fantasies can't protect Oakland's workers and families from coal's frighteningly real threats.
Up to 620 tons of dirty coal dust blown into West Oakland every year? That's what a Public Health Advisory Panel on Coal in Oakland figures in their report, An Assessment of the Health and Safety Implications of Coal Transport through Oakland [1].
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Public Health Experts Highlight Risk of Coal Trains
A public health experts panel today released the results of an independent inquiry into the health and safety hazards of the proposal to ship coal through Oakland.
WOEIP Says Coal Scheme Violates Civil Right Act
In a letter to federal and Utah officials, Ms. Margaret Gordon and Brian Beveridge, co-directors of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (WOEIP), have identified potential violations of federal civil rights law in connection with the State of Utah's funding of a plan to ship Utah coal through a terminal to be constructed in West Oakland. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
The State of Utah has passed ...
State Senate Approves Bills to Slow Coal But Will Jerry Sign?
This week the state Senate passed two bills sponsored by Sen. Loni Hancock that could present significant roadblocks for developer Phil Tagami’s plan to build a $250 million bulk commodities terminal and turn Oakland into a major coal export hub.
SB 1277 – which the Senate approved Wednesday on a 25-13 vote – would require additional environmental review for the plan to ship up to 10 million tons of coal per year through Oakland.
A companion bill, SB 1279 – which the Senate approved Thursday on a 25-9 vote – would prohibit the California Transportation ...
TLS deception on coal dust exposure: uncovered
Terminal Logistics Solutions (TLS), the company that aims to transport dirty coal through Oakland at perilous risk to public health, has been spinning fictions about safety measures they claim will mitigate health risks -- measures which have never been tested for effectiveness, contrary to repeated claims by TLS.
In a thorough and well-documented investigation, NCIO's Lora Jo Foo has unmasked the truth that the "proven technology" TLS claims it will use to cover rail cars carrying coal have never been tested for effectiveness in controlling fugitive coal dust.
Wo...
