Press | Bellingham Community Bill of Rights| Proposition 2

Activists start gathering signatures in hopes of banning coal trains in Bellingham
Caleb Hutton, March 10th – The Bellingham Herald:
“Opponents of a proposed coal shipping terminal at Cherry Point kicked off an initiative campaign Saturday morning, March 10, as part of an effort to derail SSA Marine’s plans to increase coal train traffic through Bellingham. About 75 anti-coal train activists clustered together in the bottom floor of the Bellingham Public Library for a briefing on how to gather signatures.

Supporters of the Coal-Free Bellingham campaign will be knocking on doors and staking out public sidewalks as they try to get 5,000 signatures by June 29, so the initiative can be on the November ballot…”
Read more…

It’s great for the coal cabal! For us, not so much.
James Well, March 7th. The Daily Kos:
“When big carbon comes to town, the resulting swath of destruction is economic as well as environmental. This should not be too much of a surprise for anybody who has been paying attention.

Here in Whatcom County, WA, we’ve been getting glossy brochures in the mail and paid doorbellers coming by to tell us all about the wonderful new jobs that will be provided by the proposed Gateway Pacific coal export terminal at Cherry Point, WA. They even hired a consultant to make a shiny report with all kinds of job numbers, complete with a massage parlor multiplier that inflates the direct jobs into a much larger alleged number….”
Read more…

Community Bill of Rights seeks to shift balance of power
Stoney Bird, February 29th. The Bellingham Herald:
“There are two basic reasons why we need a Community Bill of Rights in Bellingham to protect us from the current plans of SSA Marine, Goldman Sachs, BNSF Rail and Peabody Coal. No. 1 reason: In our present system, corporate boards of directors have decision-making powers about projects that override the rights of local citizens.

The second reason is that the environmental laws – written by the corporate interests – are basically there to grant permits. In other words, the cards are stacked in favor of harmful projects getting approved… “
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Whatcom Physicians Group Updates Health Findings
March 12, 2012 Bellingham. In letter today to Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws and Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant Whatcom Docs updated known medical facts with the newest research reinforcing their call for “a cumulative and comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA) along the entire transportation corridor”.
Read full letter here..

Crosscut, March 07, 2012
By Floyd McKay
Study questions coal’s value to Bellingham
As an environmental review approaches, opponents and supporters of exporting coal to China are angling to shape the perception of how a proposed facility will affect Bellingham and even cities like Seattle and Edmonds.

It’s called an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but as opposing sides in the debate over locating a huge coal-export terminal at Cherry Point north of Bellingham are preparing to enter the first stage of developing an EIS, it is increasingly apparent that the most contentious topics may not be the traditional assessments of flora and fauna.
Read more..

KGMI-AM Radio Thursday, 08 March 2012 6:03AM
KGMI News Reporting
Eric Nelson
Coal Terminal May Hurt Job Market
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A recent study commissioned by a local community organization suggests that a proposed coal shipping terminal at Cherry Point could have a negative impact on the job market in Whatcom County.

The group ‘Communitywise Bellingham’ hired a Philadelphia financial firm to look into the potential economic impacts of the project.

Communitywise Bellingham spokesperson Shannon Wright says increased train traffic through downtown could present other economic problems…

The research says the additional traffic could harm tourism and waterfront development, as well as the overall standard of living in the county.

Click here for more

Click here for Communitywise Bellingham Report

KGMI-AM Radio 1/30/12
The Joe Show
Rick Dubrow and Stoney Bird of No Coal! on the Joe Show
Rick Dubrow and Stoney Bird of No Coal! join Joe for an in depth and informative discussion of the Bellingham Community Bill of Rights aimed at stopping coal train traffic through the city.

To listen click here.

The Political Junkie 1/29/12
Bellingham No-Coal Group Kicks Off Efforts
This Thursday, Coal-Free Bellingham, kicked off their initiative effort to seize the legal authority to stop Coal shipments through their town. I attended, with my ever-lovely wife, their main event, although other commitments meant I couldn’t stay for the whole production. We attended mostly because we were curious but also to ensure that the effort was covered in some fashion, but the traditional media was there in force. So rather than duplicate the efforts of the Herald, or the Komo News affiliate, I will just share my general impressions and a few pictures.