Sightline Project

Northwest Coal Exports

Coal companies want to open up Pacific Northwest ports so that they can supply American coal to Asia. Current plans call for shipping more than 100 million tons of coal each year, roughly 20 times as much as Washington’s lone coal plant burns. There are serious global consequences to burning this much coal. Meanwhile, Northwest communities along railways and near the ports are worried about coal’s damage to their health and quality of life. Sightline’s series examines the coal export proposals in depth, fact-checks the arguments in favor of new terminals, and crunches the numbers on everything from railway congestion to carbon emissions. (Photo by Paul K Anderson, used with permission.)

Project Posts

Railroad Union Stretches Truth About Coal Dust

An accurate picture of coal in western Washington.

Northwest Utility Rejects Kinder Morgan’s Coal Pollution

PGE says coal dust too risky at Columbia River site.

Coal Dust in South Africa

Lessons from the world's largest coal export terminal.

Recent Coal Export Trends: Q4 2011

Exports fall in Northwest, rise in East and South.

Coal Trends in Asia

Skyrocketing growth in China despite high prices.

Coal’s Spontaneous Combustion Problem

Coal fires are a given, but what are the risks?

The Facts About Kinder Morgan

New Sightline report documents misdeeds of would-be Northwest coal exporter.

Do Asian Coal Plants Pollute North America?

NOAA researchers document trans-continental air pollution.

Thoughts On Seeing My First Coal Train

The life story of a train load of coal.

Dirty-Energy Money

Big Oil and Coal have spent $5 million on the Northwest’s Congressional delegation.