Columbia Riverkeeper

Columbia Riverkeeper's mission is to restore and protect the water quality of the Columbia River and all life connected to it. The group is the only non-profit solely focused on Columbia River water quality, and its efforts have resulted in 95% less dioxin flowing into the river from 12 years ago.

Targeted coal plant proposals

 * Lower Columbia Clean Energy Center

Groups file appeal to Longview, Washington port approval
On December 13, 2010, a coalition of conservation and clean energy groups, including Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, and Washington Environmental Council, challenged a permit to build a coal export terminal in Longview, Washington. The groups stated that the facility would threaten public health and runs counter to state efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

"The county commission rubber-stamped the permit and ignored their duty to act in the best interest of the community," said Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman.

According to Earthjustice, it was the first legal challenge to US exports on coal on the West Coast of the United States.

"We expected an appeal, so we're not surprised," Joseph Cannon, chief executive officer of Millennium Bulk Logistics, the Ambre Energy subsidiary, said in a telephone interview after the appeal was filed.

Group challenges Port of St. Helens as potential candidate for coal export to Asia
In June 2011, The Oregonian reported that the Port of St. Helens in Columbia City, Oregon was being eyed as a potential Northwest port that would export coal to Asian countries. It was also reported that Columbia Riverkeeper, which opposes coal export, asked a judge to require St. Helens Port to release all of its coal-related documents. In a response, a lawyer for the port stated that doing so would violate a confidentiality agreement and "would result in the greatest harm to the public interest which can be imagined -- a loss of jobs in our community."

Oregon Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber, wrote in a statement to The Oregonian that the terminal "should not happen in the dead of night. We must have an open, vigorous public debate before any projects move forward."

Group details
Location: Hood River, OR Group website: Columbia Riverkeeper Contact: crk [at] columbiariverkeeper.org

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Citizen groups working on coal issues
 * Oregon and coal
 * Global warming
 * Coal exports from northwest United States ports