Some hard, coal facts and links for more information:

The proposed Cherry Point Gateway Pacific coal export terminal will be a transfer station for up to 48 million tons of coal per year – dumped from trains into 90 foot piles and then loaded onto enormous, polluting freighters and shipped across the Pacific Ocean to provide power in China.

In addition to the coal trains already traversing our city daily on their way to British Columbia, 18 mile and a half long coal trains will noisily rumble back and forth daily (9 uncovered, filled with coal and 9 returning empty), up and down our coastline and through the heart of our city and proposed waterfront development throughout the day and night.

The truth about jobs at the proposed coal terminal: “213 jobs at buildout” – According to Gateway Pacific terminal’s owner. (June, 2011 – “Gateway Pacific Terminal Preliminary Traffic Summary”, reported to Whatcom County Engineering Services).

Burning coal in 1 typical plant emits 3.7 million tons of CO2, the primary human cause of global warning – as much CO2 as cutting down 161 million trees. (Union of Concerned Scientists)

The Pacific Northwest receives fallout of a shocking 1,400 tons of air-born mercury per year, mostly from burning coal for electricity in China (Mt. Bachelor Observatory)

Compelling three-minute film describes plans to export dirty U.S. coal to Asia. Local voices from Longview, Bellingham, Hood River, and Portland share how coal trains and terminals will harm their communities.