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OAKLAND NEWS                                                               JUNE 2016


This is a Special Update on the fight to Stop Coal Exports in Oakland.  After nearly a year of debate, the Oakland Council will finally vote on a Coal Ban, this Monday, June 27, 5pm.  Please do one or all of the following:


 
  
Council Vote to Ban Coal June 27th, 5 pm 
 
Dozens of faith leaders speak out at Feb 17th Council meeting.
  

CoalVote2Monday Vote to Ban Coal After Nearly Year of Debate

Since last fall a City Council vote to stop coal exports has repeatedly been pushed back. Anti-coal advocates believed the Council had enough information to vote before, but finally the vote to Ban Coal is scheduled for this Monday, June 27, 5 pm, at a special Council meeting.

  1. An ordinance to  ban "the storage and handling of coal and coke at bulk material facilities or terminals throughout the City of Oakland."  This will apply citywide and prevent any future projects.   
  2. A  separate resolution that would apply the ordinance specifically to the proposed Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) to be built on City-owned waterfront land near the foot of the Bay Bridge.
To stop Coal in Oakland, both measures must pass with at least 5 votes.


CoalPoll2WILL THE COUNCIL REPRESENT STRONG PUBLIC OPINION ON COAL?
A poll conducted this spring by the Sierra Club found that half of Oakland voters
were aware of the coal proposal, of those voters 70% oppose the plan. When given more information the number reaches 76%.  Furthermore, 48% of voters say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes the project.  The filing deadline for Council seats is August 12th.



 

  
mailerDesperate Mailer Tries to Divide City 
 Before Coal Vote

76% of Oaklanders's oppose coal exports and someone is trying to divide us with lies.
  1. It implies coal is not a danger to public health. Read any of the 3 reports before the Council this week and you will see it is worse than we thought. 
  2. It claims that the Sierra Club (which has its headquarters in Oakland) is an outside group controlling our movement. In truth it is one of the broadest coalitions I have every worked with in the city and has many neighbors and organizations from West Oakland 
  3. Claims 6500 jobs will be lost. Most of the permanent jobs at the Army Base will be in the warehouses operated by ProLogis which is now separate and unaffected by the proposed coal operations. Temporary construction jobs for rail, infrastructure and buildings also not affected. The highly automated terminal itself will produce a few hundred jobs and the difference between coal and the bulk products should not be that different. The Longshoremen oppose coal because of health & safety concerns. 
  4. It claims the coal is imported and exported out of the Port now. Not true, the Port Commission turned down coal proposals. Some coal is exported out of a private company in Richmond. 
  5. Implies unions sent or support the mailer.  Representatives of two of the unions say no one contacted them for permission to use their logo and they do not have a position.

  
 
 
ConsensusReports Show Consensus:  Coal is Not Safe for Oakland, Perilous for Climate Change

Just days before the vote and after months of waiting,  a controversial consultant issued a report not much different from the data that No Coal Advocates, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups have submitted to the City over the last year.  Two other reports were also released in the last week.  Each reach the conclusion that Oakland's Council should Ban Coal transportation and storage to protect the health of our residents and to not contribute to global warming and international pollution sources that impact/imperil our City.
  • Environmental Science Associates Report commissioned by the City for $200K is summarized in the Staff Report released today.  
    Pollution Vulnerable Populations
    "City staff has determined that pre- existing local, state and/or federal laws are inapplicable and/or insufficient to protect and promote the health, safety and/or general welfare of Oakland Constituents, including without limitation of the health, safety and/or general welfare of Constituents in the West Oakland neighborhoods, many of who suffer disproportionately from the effects of nearby industrial activity (e.g., increased cancer and asthma rates), and who would be uniquely and adversely impacted by the Storing or Handling of coal and coke."   
      
 "If this project is allowed by the Oakland City Council, coal and diesel pollutants are likely to combine to push outdoor air concentrations of particulate matter above state, federal and international levels deemed safe. Any increase in air pollution will have a significantly greater impact on West Oakland, immediately adjacent to the terminal. This is an area already disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of air pollution and with high rates of emergency room visits and hospitalization for asthma and heart disease as well as cancer risk from existing pollution."  

      
                                                      Oakland Tribune Graphic

  • Analysis of Health & Safety Risks prepared by Zoë Chafe, PhD, MPH for Councilmember Kalb.  Like the reports above this report recites the dangers of coal dust but also focusses on the safety dangers of combustion, derailment, worker safety, and the impact on global warming, rising sea levels and the TransPacific Air Pollution from Asia to the Bay Area. 
 
BadInvestmentCoal Terminal Is A Bad Investment, Risks Public $

The coal industry is in decline as the world is moves towards new climate change goals; the trend is hopefully irreversible. A financially risky coal terminal undermines the viability of this Port project and puts the hundreds of millions of City, State and federal dollars in the Port expansion at risk. US coal production is expected to decrease 17% more his year -- the largest decline in terms of both tons and percentage since data collection began in 1949.  Coal exports will fall another 10%, total decline of half in the last 5 years.  Peabody, the nation's largest coal company went into bankruptcy this spring and the debt laden company behind the Oakland terminal,  Bowie Resources, has been unable to raise money  for other coal projects.

Utah Environmental, Health & Good Government Groups Call for a Federal Investigation into $53 M for Oakland Terminal  
  This week Utah organizations asked Attorney General Lynch and other federal officials to investigate potential legal and ethical violations in Utah's $53 million publicly funded loan.  They believe the deal is full of conflicts of interest, violates the Federal intent to use the money to help local communities mitigate coal mining impacts, and breaks state laws against using public bonds for private profit. Utah critics call it a "risky gift to private coal companies" unlikely to be repaid.

Bowie Could Leave Oakland Taxpayers on the Hook
While the Utah funds are under challenge,   t he other $200 M promised from pension funds due a year ago have not materialized.  Banks and other institutions have stopped investing in coal.

When the City worked desperately to win federal grants and to save hundreds of millions of state bonds to expand our port, the focus was on expanding our northern California agricultural exports.  Food exports have tripled in the last decade.  In contrast other  West Coast cities are rejecting coal terminals; two closed leaving Los Angeles and Portland with the clean-up costs.  Bowie is not currently utilizing its coal exporting capacity in Stockton. 
StateCoalBillsState Coal Bills Pass Senate, Head for Assembly

Senator Loni Hancock authored 2 bills to restrict transportation of coal  in California. She warns they cannot replace a clear vote/action by the City of Oakland and cannot be retroactive. "I urge the City Council to use its authority and prohibit coal."  At the Senate Committee hearings members were dismayed that the City had not taken action.  Coal activists are concerned whether the Governor will sign the bills because of his close relationship with the terminal's developer, Phil  Tagami.  So far, the recent Oakland resident has been silent.
  • Senate Bill 1277:  Approved  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.
     
  • SB 1279: Approved on a 25-9 vote prohibits the use of public funds to build or operate any port that exports coal from California. It also applies to any port near disadvantaged communities.

4-6 Mile Coal Trains Would Travel a Proposed Coal Corridor
EVERY  DAY
              

NextStepsNext Steps After the Council Vote
  • If the Council does not vote to ban coal, community and environmental groups are prepared to sue the City.
  • If the Council votes for the ban, developer Phil Tagami has threatened to sue and the No Coal in Oakland Coalition is prepared work in the City's defense.
  • Political action on the State Bills (above) become the focus over the summer until the legislature recesses and the Governor signs the bills.
  • At the federal level, we will support Utah efforts for a federal investigation into the legality of "loaning" federal funds for community investment/mitigation to a private coal company.
  •  LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND:  We will support Federal efforts by President Obama to monitor current coal leases and halt new leases on federal lands and national parks.
SAVE OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND LANDS FROM MINERAL EXPLOITATION, LEAVE OUR COAL IN THE GROUND:

Last month I took a long planned trip to the amazing Four Corners area of the Southwest.  What I came to realize is that would put us right in the middle of the Utah Coal area.

On our trip we had the opportunity to meet environmental and grassroots leaders who are fighting decades of mining that has endangered ground water, left dangerous pollution, affected the health of Native Americans and other residents, and diminished some of our greatest National Parks and treasures.

In the next weeks I am will be sending out a blog on our experience.  I hope it will help link our fight to what is happening where coal, uranium and other fossil fuels are mined.  These unique and beautiful places are part of our national heritage and deserve to be protected.




CoalHelpHOW YOU CAN HELP:   
This is the last leg before the vote.  Please do at least one of the following.
  • Educate our community and friends about why Oakland must say no to coal and how it would endanger our health, economy and the world climate.  and other links below.  Post announcements on your social media and neighborhood listservs. Contact the Coalition for speakers at meetings.



MoreResourcesMORE RESOURCES ON COAL & CLIMATE CHANGE

It's been a long fight, if you need a quick refresher on the history of the Oakland fight, our September 2015 and March 2016 Special Coal Newsletters are useful:



 "West Oakland deserves better than dirty coal," by Van Jones, CNN political commentator, former presidential adviser and Oakland activist 





Remember Orlando, Join the Oakland Contingent at SF Pride March Tomorrow


The SF Pride Parade this Sunday has the theme of Racial & Economic Equality. Many Oaklander's will march with organizations or employers like Kaiser. Many of us will march to remember Orlando and hate crimes closer to home. Oakland Pride always sponsors an Oakland contingent where individuals and Oakland groups are invited to join. Meet at 11:30am (earlier if you have a vehicle) at north end of Main between Market & Mission. We are contingent #147 in the second half of the parade, expect to see us around 1 pm at the viewing stand. Oakland Pride Parade September 11th.