millennium bulk terminals - vancouver, washington...• coal export terminal on 190 acres of land in...
TRANSCRIPT
Millennium Bulk Terminals Comments to DEIS
May 23, 2016 Vancouver City Council Workshop
E. Bronson Potter, City Attorney
May 23, 2016
The presentation will review:
• Description of the proposed project
• Previous Council concerns
• What the DEIS discloses
• Potential comments
• Next steps
Presentation Overview
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• Coal export terminal on 190 acres of land in the Port of Longview
• It would receive and export 44 million tons of coal per year
• Coal would come from Powder River Basin in Montana and
Wyoming and the Uinta Basin in Utah and Colorado
• It would receive 8 loaded unit trains (125 cars) and send 8 empty trains
per day and load 70 vessels per month
The project
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• Workshop July 2, 2012
• Adoption of resolution expressing concerns July 16, 2012
Prior Council Review
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• Direct and cumulative impacts of coal transport from Millennium,
Gateway and other potential projects
• Potential of up to 20 additional unit trains per day from these projects
• traffic congestion
• Air quality
• Coal dust accumulation (“deposition”)
• Water quality from barge traffic
• Requests reviewing agencies to evaluate these impacts
Council Concerns - Resolution
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• DEIS jointly issued by Department of Ecology and Cowlitz County on
April 29, 2016
• Comment period closes June 13, 2016
Environmental review - Millennium
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• Rail capacity: Rail traffic exceeds capacity. Deficit in 2028: 15 per day
Pasco-Vancouver, 1 per day Vancouver-Longview; Significant and
unavoidable impact if no capacity expansions or operating changes
were made
• Rail accidents: 22% increase in accident frequency – significant and
unavoidable impact unless safety improvements are made
• Traffic and emergency response delay: If infrastructure
improvements are not made, impacts on vehicle transportation would
be significant and unavoidable
DEIS identified impacts
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• Coal Dust:
• Air emissions would be below state and federal air quality
standards;
• Deposition: no standard but would be below nuisance standard of
New Zealand study
• Greenhouse Gas: 38,500 tons of CO2 per year when in full operation;
significant and unavoidable
• Water Quality: coal dust, chance of spills and turbidity; not significant
DEIS identified impacts
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• Cumulative Impacts:
• Rail Capacity:
• Pasco-Vancouver: capacity 41, 2038 cumulative volume 94
• Vancouver-Longview: capacity 80, 2038 cumulative volume 142
DEIS identified impacts
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• Comments on DEIS due June 13, 2016
• Comments will be submitted consistent with Council policy concerns
• Opportunity for testimony
• Ongoing monitoring and participation in permitting process.
Next Steps
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Questions and Discussion
E. Bronson Potter, City Attorney
City Hall
415 West 6th Street
Vancouver, Wa.
Presentation Title - 12