A second Coal Mega Port has been proposed for Washington, this one on the Columbia River just west of Longview at the site of an long idle Alcoa aluminum smelter. Millennium withdrew a proposal for a terminal at another location last year for a much smaller coal terminal that was billed as moving 5.7 million tons a year after critics exposed plans to ramp up shipments far above that amount to 60 million tons a year. This new proposed terminal would ship 44 million tons of coal a year. So Millennium abandoned its deceptive nose under the tent strategy ans is betting on local economic desperation to get its way.
Millennium Bulk Terminals files paperwork with county for $600 million coal terminal
By Erik Olson / The Daily News
Millennium Bulk Terminals is proposing to build a $600 million terminal west of Longview to export 44 million tons of coal annually, an amount that would make it one of the largest such facilities in North America.
The terminal would be a major shot in the arm for the area’s construction industry and its tax and employment base, and Millennium has promised to take steps to control coal dust and avoid traffic congestion.
But the proposal sparked an immediate attack from environmentalists, who raised the spectre of coal dust drifting over the community and traffic snarls caused by the mile-long trains that would deliver coal to the terminal daily.
Company officials previously have acknowledged that the existing rail corridor is completely inadequate to cope with a coal terminal of the size proposed Thursday. They say they are working with Burlington Northern Santa Fe to expand rail lines but haven’t completed a plan.
Proposal for massive Longview coal shipping terminal re-emerges
By Craig Welch
Seattle Times environment reporter
"This is the same company that betrayed everybody's trust last year," said Brett VandenHeuvel, with Columbia Riverkeeper, an environmental group. "They essentially went into hiding for a year and now they're back. But we're confident that this time there won't be a free pass."
The battle over coal exports has pushed Washington into the global energy debate. Millennium is just one of at least three companies hoping to build Northwest facilities to ship coal from the Rockies to booming markets in China and India.
At 44 million tons a year this is nearly as big as the Coal Mega Port SSA Marine is proposing for Cherry Point just north of Bellingham that would ship 48 million tons of coal a year. Two other smaller coal port projects are planned for Port Westward almost directly across the Columbia from the proposed Millennium Mega Port. Those two at Port Westward combined would move another 23 million tons of coal a year. The larger of those two is also owned by Australia-based Ambre Energy which also operates coal mines in Wyoming's Powder River Basin.
You can weigh in in this proposal:
Do you support the plan to build a coal export facility west of Longview?
For more information: Washington (state) and coal pdf