An aerial view of the Port of Oakland.
WikiMedia Commons
Headlines proclaiming the rejection of a coal export terminal have made their rounds in the Northwest, where the number of proposed train-to-vessel shipping facilities has dropped from six to three in the past year or so. The remaining proposals for coal export terminals are near Bellingham, Wash., in Longview, Wash., and in Boardman, Ore.
Now, similar headlines are popping up in California. The Oakland Port Commission last week unanimously rejected a proposal to build a terminal to export coal, as well as commodities like petroleum coke, borax, and iron ore, through West Oakland.
At last week's Oakland Port Commission meeting, the arguments against shipping coal from the Oakland Port were similar to those raised by coal-export foes in the Northwest: environmental problems, public health hazards and economic pitfalls.
But as the East Bay Express reports, there's a major issue at play in Oakland when it comes to exporting coal:
“The decision may also one day lead to a 38,000-seat waterfront ballpark at the site for the Oakland Athletics.”
The East Bay Express went on to acknowledge that the Oakland A's ownership has said repeatedly waterfront site is not suitable for a ballpark, despite a local investor group's unveiling in December of plans for such a facility.
Anti-coal activists in the Northwest may take inspiration from the outcome in Oakland. But don't expect to hear them making the argument that coal is bad for baseball in Longview, Bellingham, or Boardman.
-- David Steves
