Oakland’s Coal Struggle in the Media
The press has become progressively more critical of the plan to export millions of tons of Utah coal each year through Oakland. Our goal is to make the information on NCIO’s website more reliable than the media reports and we are actively reaching out to reporters to share facts that the developer wants to bury. Unfortunately, myths like the claim that coal exports will bring a bonanza of jobs and economic development to Oakland still appear in the media despite the facts which you can learn here.
An uptick of media coverage has occurred since developer Phil Tagami won a lawsuit against the city of Oakland (a case finalized in the summer of 2025 by the California Supreme Court declining to review Oakland’s appeal). Tagami won the right to continue with the development of his proposed Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT). Track the stories here as they come out and keep an eye on the most up-to-date news.
Latest Media Coverage (2025 Onward)
08/14/2026 – East Bay Times: Opinion: California must protect West Oakland from Trump’s toxic coal terminal (Original Link)
07/27/2026 – Office of Lateefah Simon: Congresswoman Simon Demands Investigation into Trump’s Abuse of Emergency Powers for Fossil Fuel Energy and Coal Export Terminal in West Oakland
07/26/2026 – Al Jazeera: An embattled coal terminal could be a lifeline for US coal
07/24/2026 – Office of Anthony Padilla: Padilla Demands Investigation into Trump’s Abuse of Emergency Powers to Support Fossil Fuel Energy
07/17/2026 – KPFA: Keeping Coal Out of Oakland
07/11/2026 – Washington Examiner: Wyoming governor plots legal strategy as California officials aim to halt Oakland coal terminal
07/02/2026 – EE News: California Senate committee passes bill to hinder Trump-backed Oakland coal project
06/16/2026 – The Oaklandside: Mia Bonta wants a planned coal terminal in West Oakland to face more environmental scrutiny
06/16/2026 – KQED: Lawmakers Push Back Against Trump Coal Terminal Plans in West Oakland
06/15/2026 – The Guardian: Trump wants to put a $75m coal terminal in this liberal California city. Residents aren’t having it
06/15/2026 – Grist: Even $75M from Trump may not save Oakland’s embattled coal terminal
06/11/2026 – Oakland Voices: $75 million coal terminal plan reignites West Oakland fight
06/11/2026 – MSN: Trump invokes wartime law for $700 million coal bailout, and critics vow a court fight
06/06/2026 – Local News Matters: Bay Area lawmakers push back on Trump’s proposed $75M Oakland coal terminal
06/04/2026 – NY Times: Trump Offers Funds for First New U.S. Coal Plants in 13 Years (Original Link)
06/04/2026 – SF Chronicle: Trump awards $75 million to developers of Oakland’s coal terminal using war-time powers
06/04/2026 – Earthjustice: Trump to Waste $75 Million on Oakland Coal Terminal
06/04/2026 – The Oaklandside: Trump plans to fund Oakland coal terminal
06/04/2026 – App Voices: Trump-Vance spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to prop up dying coal industry
04/08/2026 – The Oaklandside: After 10 years of fighting, ‘No Coal’ activists gear up for new battle
04/02/2026 – Bay City News: Anti-coal coalition calls for regulation of coal dust at planned West Oakland bulk terminal (also on MSN and SFGate)
12/11/2025 – Mercury News: A controversial Oakland port development moves forward after city loses ‘coal war’ (Original Link)
11/24/2025 – The Oaklandside: Oakland might not owe coal company hundreds of millions after new court ruling
10/28/2026 – The Oaklandside: Oakland’s ‘tortious interference’ bankrupted a coal company. Now the city could owe millions.
09/22/2025 – The Oaklandside: Oakland’s coal terminal legal battle draws to a close
06/30/2025 – The Oaklandside: Oakland loses appeal in coal legal battle
Archived Media Coverage (Prior to 2025)
10/23/2024 – The Oaklandside: Oakland coal terminal developers have a favorite candidate for city attorney
01/23/2024 – KQED: Judge Denies Developer’s $160 Million Suit Against Oakland in Ongoing Coal Terminal Battle
12/13/2023 – The Oaklandside: Oakland may escape disastrous financial blow in coal trial
10/30/2023 – The Oaklandside: Judge rules against Oakland in coal trial
07/08/2021 – KPIX: Despite a Coal Ban in Oakland, Developer Leverages Proposed Facility Against City
08/14/2020 – KPFA: Environmental Justice Activism in Oakland, CA (Ms. Margaret Gordon, Isha Tobias Clarke, Michael Kaufman)
08/11/2020 – Salt Lake City Tribune: Will Utah lawmakers bail out beleauguered coal-export terminal?
07/05/2020 – Salt Lake City Tribune: Utah coal counties pledge $20M in state money to help Oakland port get back on track
12/03/2019 – East Bay Express: Oakland Coal’s Wheel of Influence
10/23/2019 – The Guardian: How fossil fuel execs lobbied black leaders to overturn a California city’s coal ban
4/22/2016 – San Francisco Chronicle editorial: Nations must follow through on climate change
4/21/2016 – The Guardian: Oakland’s coal war pits economic survival against environmental justice
4/11/2016 – East Bay Times: Oakland coal war: health impact debate heads to Sacramento
4/2/2016 – Bay Crossings: “Clean Coal” is a Dirty Lie
4/2/2016 – San Francisco Chronicle editorial: Speak up, Governor, on the Oakland coal train
4/1/2016 – Truthout: Will Oakland become largest West Coast transport center for dirty coal?
3/30/2016 – KALW Your Call: Utah coal stirs up concerns in Oakland
3/27/2016 – The Salt Lake Tribune: Proponents buried coal’s role in Oakland export terminal; now questions remain
3/26/2016 – Deseret News: Coal story: It’s about Utah, California and what lies ahead
3/25/2016 – San Francisco Chronicle: Oakland coal-shipment dustup grows: What will Brown do?
3/25/2016 – San Francisco Chronicle: Developer planning Oakland coal shipment an ally of governor
3/25/2016 – The Davis Enterprise: First oil, now coal: More fears of trains coming through Davis
3/22/2016 – In These Times: Oakland workers join grassroots environmental justice activists to say ‘No to Coal’
3/20/2016 – RP&E Journal: Communities unite to fight coal in Oakland
3/16/2016 – East Bay Express: The Senator against coal
3/14/2016 – KQED: Utah legislators approve bill to get coal to market via new terminal in Oakland
3/11/2016 – Contra Costa Times: Oakland reacts to Utah’s move to invest $53 million in a coal terminal
3/10/2016 – East Bay Express: Utah Lawmakers Voting to Spend Public Funds on Oakland Coal Terminal Took $29,000 from Company that Stands to Profit
2/19/2016 – Oakland Tribune: Oakland: Sen. Hancock introduces four bills to restrict coal exports
2/19/2016 – Oakland Post: Clergy warn of dangers of coal
2/17/2016 – East Bay Express: Coal opponents claim small victory at Oakland City Council
2/16/2016 – CBS: Residents protest plan for coal train from Utah to West Oakland
1/22/2016 – Post News Group op ed: Developer Tagami’s threats are coal smoke and hot air
1/8/2016 – Oakland Tribune editorial: Tagami should abandon plans to ship coal through Oakland
12/23/2015 – East Bay Express: It’s time for Jerry Brown to break his silence on coal
12/14/2015 – Los Angeles Times: How Utah quietly made plans to ship coal through California
12/6/2015 – Labor Video Project: ILWU 10’s Muhammad Derrick challenges toxic coal in port Of Oakland
12/2/2015 – San Francisco Chronicle: Oakland making its move in dustup over coal trains
11/25/2015 – Earthjustice Blog: Community groups dismiss Oakland coal exports case while working with City to exclude coal from project
11/24/2015 – Utah Public Radio: Utah mineral impact money could go to CA
11/16/2015 – Sierra Magazine: Big Coal comes to Oakland
11/12/2015 – East Bay Express: Legal battle over coal in Oakland is heating up
11/9/2015 – Oakland Tribune: Can Oakland stop the coal trains?
11/3/2015 – KSL-TV: Utah coal brings Oakland activists to a boil
11/3/2015 – Cache Valley News: Environmental groups oppose Utah money for California coal terminal
11/3/2015 – Public News Service: Enviros oppose Utah money for California coal terminal
11/2/2015 – Washington Times: Environmental groups protest Utah loan to coal terminal
11/2/2015 – Deseret News: Groups want proposed loan for Oakland coal shipping port declared illegal
11/2/2015 – Salt Lake Tribune: California coal terminal not a legitimate use of Utah millions, groups say
10/20/2015 – KALW: Oakland torn between coal cash and good health
10/18/2015 – Wall Street Journal: Oakland Coal Terminal Becomes a Political Flash Point
10/16/2015 – Oakland North: Lawsuit asks for new environmental review of terminal that would ship coal
10/13/2015 – CUNY Murphy Institute Blog: Unprecedented? Unions and community unite to halt plans to build coal export terminal in Oakland, California
10/13/2015 – Grist: With the threat of coal exports, Oakland piles more pollution on a polluted community
10/7/2015 – East Bay Express: Coal Attorneys Investigate Oakland City Council
10/5/2015 – San Francisco Business Times: Environmentalists sue developer and Oakland to block potential coal shipments
10/4/2015 – Contra Costa Times: Environmentalists file lawsuit to stop coal being shipped through Oakland
10/3/2015 – CBS: Oakland sued by environmental group over plan to ship coal through Army Base
10/2/2015 – East Bay Express: Coal opponents file legal action in state court seeking new environmental analysis
9/28/2015 – Care2: East Bay unions don’t want your coal
9/25/2015 – VICE News: Oakland residents say proposed coal exports could worsen public health and climate change
9/22/2015 – UC Berkeley Law Blog LegalPlanet: The coal export wars reach Oakland
9/22/2015 – Environment & Energy Publishing: How a major terminal to ship Utah coal to the Far East sneaked into Oakland
9/22/2015 – East Bay Express: Live: Oakland City Council hearing on coal
9/22/2015 – Rockridge Patch: Hearing on coal experts from port draws hundreds
9/21/2015 – SF Bay News: Coal shipments fuel heated Oakland debate
9/21/2015 – CBS: Oakland residents weigh in on proposed coal train terminal
9/21/2015 – NBC Bay Area: Pollution, health concerns over plan for coal exports at Oakland port
9/21/2015 – KQED: Oakland City Council moves to block coal at new port terminal
9/21/2015 – San Francisco Business Times: Developer and activists ready for showdown over coal shipping at Port of Oakland
9/16/2015 – Oakland Tribune: A showdown over coal in Oakland
9/2/2015 – East Bay Express: Environmental groups say Oakland can and should ban coal exports
9/2/2015 – East Bay Express: “Build it green”: Oakland’s Army Base redevelopment should support the community, not greedy men looking to make a profit.
7/30/2015 – KQED: A dustup in Oakland over plan to ship coal through new terminal
7/25/2015 – San Francisco Chronicle: Opponents of Oakland coal shipping target governor’s pal
7/23/2015 – NRDC Switchboard Blog: #CoalFreeOakland: Californians rally for protection from carbon pollution
7/23/2015 – Oakland Post: Rally says: “No Way, No Coal”
7/22/2015 – East Bay Express: Opposition grows against proposed coal exports from Oakland Army Base project
7/22/2015 – KQED Forum: Activists, residents fight plan to ship coal through Oakland
7/21/2015 – CBS: Plan to send coal through Oakland met with protests
7/17/2015 – Inside Bay Area: Oakland City Council to have public hearing on exporting coal
7/17/2015 – CBS: Public will weigh in on bringing millions of tons of coal to Bay Area
7/13/2015 – CBS: Oakland may be backpedaling on keeping coal facility out
7/10/2015 – Oakland Post: Schaaf: “We will not have coal shipped through our city.”
7/6/2015 – KQED: Oakland mayor, port developer in dispute over plan to ship coal
7/1/2015 – CBS: Billion dollar project will bring millions of tons of coal to area next to Bay Bridge toll plaza
6/22/2015 – KQED: Coal train dust worries Richmond residents
5/27/2015 – East Bay Express: Activists work to stop East Bay coal exports
5/20/2015 – Contra Costa Times: Richmond council votes to oppose coal transport in city
5/14/2015 – Post News Group: McElhaney puts damper on Tagami’s coal plan
5/14/2015 – Rising Tide North America: Oakland residents deliver “coal” to developer to protest coal export plan
5/14/2015 – Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney e-newsletter: Oakland says “NO!” to coal shipments at the Oakland Army Base
5/8/2015 – Oakland Post: Tagami’s behind-the-scenes deal to bring coal to Oakland draws opposition
4/28/2015 – AllGov: Utah wants to send trainloads of coal to California ports
4/24/2015 – Contra Costa Times: Unlikely partners: Utah investing $53 million to export coal through Oakland port
4/7/2015 – Richfield (Utah) Reaper: Project could transform local coal market to international
For additional information on coal and related struggles, visit the Sunflower Alliance’s Oakland Coal Campaign archive and the Sierra Club Bay Area Chapter’s In the Media webpage.