This December the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold 3 hearings in Oregon to answer questions & receive comments about DEQ permit applications for Ambre Energy’s proposed Morrow Pacific Coal Export Project.
Ambre Energy’s Morrow Pacific Project is an 8.8 million ton coal export project. Strip-mined coal from the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming would arrive by rail at the Port of Morrow in Boardman, Oregon. At Boardman, each coal train would be transferred to barge and shipped down the Columbia River. One 4-tow barge can suit nearly an entire 135-car train. Barge traffic on the Columbia would almost double with this project. The coal would travel to Port Westward on the Lower Columbia and transferred to Panamex vessels for overseas markets.
Ambre already applied for a removal-fill permit with the Department of State Lands (State Lands). During the second comment period for the State Lands permit, nearly 17,000 citizens requested that the state agency deny permit in one 30-day comment period window. DEQ is currently considering three permits: an air emission permit, a pollution discharge permit, and a stormwater discharge permit.
This is the second coal export project that Ambre is involved in to turn the Northwest into a dirty coal chute. Ambre is 60% owner of Millennium Bulk Logistics, a coal export proposal just 10 miles upstream of Port Westward in Longview, Washington. In partnership with Columbia Riverkeeper, Crag is advocating against massive coal exports to Asia through the scenic Columbia River Gorge and the communities who call this spectular place home.
It is essential that the people’s voices are heard as agencies make decisions about this controversial proposal. You can make sure your voice is heard by submitting your comments online by December 20th, and by attending one of the upcoming meetings (details below). Want more information before you comment or attend a meeting? Check out Columbia Riverkeeper’s 1-page guide of important talking points & questions for the DEQ hearing.
DEQ Hearing Dates
Port of Morrow – Tuesday, Dec 4th
6PM – Port of Morrow, River Front Conference Room
2 Marine Dr. Boardman, OR 97818 Carpool info: Bus leaves from Hood River McDonalds (1049 East Marina Way) at 2:45pm and from The Dalles McDonalds (341 Lone Pine Drive) at 3:30pm. Bus returns by 10 pm. Contact peter@gorgefriends.org to reserve your seat on the bus.Clatskanie – Wednesday, Dec 5th
Meetup at 5:30PM, Hearing @ 6PM
Clatskanie High School Auditorium
471 Bel Air Drive Clatskanie, OR 97016 Carpool info: If you’re interested in carpooling to this hearing, please contact jasmine@columbiariverkeeper.org.
Portland – Thursday, Dec 6th
Rally @ 5PM, Hearing @ 6PM
Ambridge Event Center 1333 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Portland, OR 97232 Carpool info: FROM SALEM: Bus will leave from Unitarian Universalist Church (5090 Center St, NE) at 3:15pm, and return by 10pm. Contact lucy@greencorps.org to reserve your seat on the bus. FROM HOOD RIVER: Bus will leave Hood River Event Site (151 N. 2nd Ave) at 3:30pm, and return by 10pm. Contact peter@gorgefriends.org to reserve your seat on the bus.Portland Rally Against Coal Exports – 5PM
Rally Details: Show up in solidarity to oppose this coal export facility and/or provide two-minute testimony. We ask that DEQ deny the permits and conduct a full EIS of this project. Talking points on coal export are on www.powerpastcoal.org under the ‘RESOURCES’ tab. Please wear red to show your solidarity against coal exports.
Learn more about the issue and Columbia Riverkeeper and Crag Law Center’s work to stop dirty coal exports in the Northwest by checking out Columbia Riverkeeper’s website and reading Chris Winter’s recent newsletter article about coal export.
