health safety risks other issues/concerns related transport, handling… · 2019-07-10 · it is...
TRANSCRIPT
Prepared by Zoë Chafe, PhD, MPH For Councilmember Dan Kalb
June 22, 2016
Analysis of Health Impacts and Safety Risks and Other Issues/Concerns Related to the Transport, Handling,
Transloading, and Storage of Coal and/or Petroleum Coke (Petcoke)
in Oakland and at the Proposed Oakland Bulk & Oversized Terminal
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CONTENTS ExecutiveSummary.................................................................................................................................................4
SummaryofFindings..............................................................................................................................................6
1.Introduction........................................................................................................................................................10
2.Characteristicsofcoalanditscomponents...........................................................................................11
2.1Fineparticulatematter(PM2.5)incoaldust..................................................................................13
2.2Toxicelementsfoundincoalandcoaldust...................................................................................15
2.2.aSilica........................................................................................................................................................15
2.2.bHeavyMetals......................................................................................................................................15
2.2.cCoalcombustionfumesandheavymetals.............................................................................16
3.Humanhealtheffectsandsafetyrisksofcoalandcoalcomponents.........................................17
3.1Healtheffectsofcoaldust......................................................................................................................17
3.2HealtheffectsofexposuretoPM2.5....................................................................................................19
3.3Healtheffectsofexposuretometalsincoaldust........................................................................26
3.4Healtheffectsofexposuretosilicaincoaldust...........................................................................27
3.5Healtheffectsofchemicaladditives..................................................................................................28
3.6Coalcombustionfumesandbyproducts.........................................................................................29
4.CoalandhealtheffectsofcoalinOakland..............................................................................................30
4.1Effectsofcoalonworkers’healthandsafety................................................................................33
4.1.aExposurelimitsforworkers........................................................................................................37
4.1.bOccupationalhealthandsafetyprocedures..........................................................................39
4.2Healtheffectsofcoalonadjacentcommunities..........................................................................39
4.2.aExistingenvironmentalpollutioninadjacentcommunities..........................................45
4.2.bCumulativeimpactsofpollutioninvulnerablecommunities.......................................50
4.3Effectsofcoalonvisitors’andrecreationalusers’health.......................................................56
5.Coalcombustion,explosionandotheremergencies.........................................................................59
5.1Self‐heating,combustion,spontaneouscombustionofcoal..................................................59
5.2Explosion......................................................................................................................................................63
5.3Derailment...................................................................................................................................................64
5.4Concernsforemergencyresponders...............................................................................................67
6.Dustmitigationproposals.............................................................................................................................68
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6.1Coveredrailcars........................................................................................................................................69
6.2Surfactantsandotheropen‐carmitigationtechniques............................................................70
7.TranspacificPollutionfromEastAsiatoBayArea............................................................................72
7.1PM2.5................................................................................................................................................................73
7.2Ozone..............................................................................................................................................................74
7.3Heavymetalsandtoxics.........................................................................................................................78
8.Burningcoal:globalandBayAreaeffects..............................................................................................80
8.1CaliforniaandOaklandGHGreductionplans...............................................................................81
8.1.aCaliforniagreenhousegasreductions.....................................................................................82
8.1.bComparisontoOaklandgreenhousegasreductions.........................................................83
8.1.cInternationalgreenhousegasreductions...............................................................................85
8.2HealtheffectsofclimatechangeinBayArea................................................................................86
8.2.aHighertemperatures.......................................................................................................................87
8.2.bAirpollution........................................................................................................................................88
8.2.cDroughtandwildfire.......................................................................................................................89
8.2.dInfectiousdiseases...........................................................................................................................90
8.3SealevelriseinOakland........................................................................................................................90
9.Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................................94
Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................................94
Appendices...............................................................................................................................................................95
A1.AcronymsandAbbreviations...................................................................................................................96
A2.Typesofcoal....................................................................................................................................................97
A3.Precautionaryprinciple..............................................................................................................................98
A4.Resolutions.....................................................................................................................................................100
References..............................................................................................................................................................101
WorksCited.......................................................................................................................................................101
ReferencestothePublicRecord..............................................................................................................112
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EXECUTIVESUMMARYThereissubstantialevidencethattheproposedtransport,handling,transloading,storage,andexportofcoalthroughthebulkandoversizedterminalproposedatthesiteofthedecommissionedOaklandArmyBasewouldendangerthehealthandsafetyofpeopleworkingatorvisitingtheprojectsite,aswellasthoselivingin,recreatinginorvisitingadjacentcommunities.Itisverylikelythatcoaldustintheformoffineparticulateairpollution(PM2.5)fromthisprojectwouldharmhumanhealth.Coaldustisgeneratedwhencoalisfracturedduringloadingandunloadingactivities,inadditiontoduringtransport.Coaldustcontainsfineparticlesthatbecomesuspendedinairandcreatedangerousairpollution(PM2.5).Duetotheirproximitytoheavilyusedfreeways,trucktransportroutes,andthePortofOakland,communitiessurroundingtheproposedterminalsitealreadysufferfromexposuretoelevatedlevelsofpollution,includingPM2.5,andtheassociatedchronicandseverehealtheffects.Thesecommunitiesareparticularlyvulnerabletoadversehealtheffectsofpollutionduetohighratesofpovertyandchronicdisease.ThePM2.5generatedasaresultoftheproposedproject’sdailycoaltransport,transloadingandhandlingisexpectedtoexacerbateexistingenvironmentalpollutionproblems.ThereisnoevidenceofasafelevelofexposuretoPM2.5,soanyadditionalincreaseinthePM2.5towhichcommunitiesareexposedisexpectedtoleadtoadditionalill‐healthintheformofmorbidityand/ormortality.Workersattheterminalwillbeinclosestcontacttothecoaldust,asitisgeneratedwhenthecoalistransferredbetweenrailcarsandterminalequipmentandeventuallyintodockedships.Intheeventofenclosedportfacilitiesassuggestedbytheprojectsponsors,concentrationsofcoaldustwithinthefacilitieswouldbeexpectedtobehigh.Thereisevidencethatcurrentworkplacesafetystandards,includingthoseforcombustibledust,areinadequatetoprotectthesafetyofworkers,implyingthatterminalworkers(andadjacentcommunities)willbeatriskevenifcurrentoccupationalstandardsaremet.Thereisnoevidenceforathresholdeffectforpulmonaryeffectsfromrespirablecoalminedustexposures,andduetotheblendingandpotentiallyenclosedhandlingofcoalattheterminal,workconditionsmaybeconsideredsimilartominingconditions.Therearedifficulttrade‐offsforhealthandsafetybetweenenclosingterminalfacilities(toattempttoreducecoaldustfromcontaminatingnearbycommunities)andincreasingtheriskofdevastatingexplosionsorfireduetoaccumulatedcombustibledust.CoalandcoaldustfromUtahareconsideredhighlyvolatile.Inanemergencysituation,suchasspontaneouscombustionofcoalinstationaryrailcars,spontaneouscombustionofcoaldustinthefacility,explosionofcoalgasesorcoaldust,orafireatthefacility,workers,
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adjacentcommunities,andvisitorsintheOaklandareawillbeexposedtocoalcombustionemissions(coalsmoke),whichareknowntobecarcinogenic.Itislikelythathundredsofthousandsofpeoplewouldbeexposedtoairbornegasesandparticles,includingheavymetals.Coalfiresmustbecontrolledinspecificways,soemergencyrespondersmustundergotrainingspecifictothefacilityandthecommodity.Thereiscurrentlynoevidenceofrelevantregulationthatwouldrequirecoalcarstobecovered.ThereisalsonoevidencethatcoveredrailcarsdesignedtosafelytransportcoalareinuseintheUnitedStates,letaloneevidencethatthistechnologyhasbeenthoroughlytestedorapprovedforuse.Ithasbeensuggestedthattransport‐relatedcoaldustsuppressiontechniquescouldincludeapplicationofchemicalsurfactants.Otherchemicals(freezeconditioningagents)appearlikelytobeappliedduringthetransportprocess.Compoundsusedinbothsurfactantsandfreezeconditioningagentspresenthealthconcerns.Thereisnosuchthingas“clean”coal.CoalfromUtahissometimesreferredtoas“EPA‐compliant”becauseithaslowersulfurcontentthanothercoals.However,itcontainshighlevelsofsilicaandemitshighamountsofcarbondioxideandothershort‐livedclimatepollutants,someintheformofhealth‐harmingfineparticulatematter(PM2.5),whencombusted.CoalexportedfromtheproposedterminalwouldlikelybeburnedinAsia.EmissionsfromcoalburninginAsianegativelyaffectairqualityintheSanFranciscoBayArea,contributingtounhealthylevelsofPM2.5andozone.Poorairqualityisacauseofill‐healthinOaklandandotherpartsoftheBayArea,particularlyamongvulnerablepopulations.Whenburned,coalreleaseslargeamountsofcarbondioxide,apowerfulgreenhousegas.Incompletecombustionofcoalalsoreleasesothergreenhousegasesandshort‐livedclimatepollutants,suchasblackcarbon(orsoot)whichalsoisdamagingtohumanhealth.Continuedcoalburningwillexacerbateclimatechangeandcontributetosealevelrise,awell‐documentedhazardthatOaklandwillconfrontthiscentury.Thereisincreasingevidencethatclimatechangecontributestodroughts,heatwaves,andotherextremeweatherinCaliforniaandbeyond.VulnerablepopulationsintheBayAreaareparticularlysusceptibletotheeffectsofheatwavesandotherextremeweatherevents.Climatechangealsoaffectsinfectiousdiseasevectors,increasingthepotentialforill‐health.OaklandandtheStateofCaliforniahavemadesignificantstridesincombattingglobalwarmingandhavepositionedthemselvesasleadersinenvironmentalprotection.ThegreenhousegasemissionsreleasedwhencoalthatisexportedthroughOaklandiseventuallyburnedwillcounteracttheworkdonebyOakland,throughitsEnergyandClimateActionPlan,andbyCalifornia,throughtheGlobalWarmingSolutionsActof2006(AB32)andrelatedlegislation,tomitigateclimatechange.
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SUMMARYOFFINDINGS1.Itisinevitablethatthetransport,transloading,handling,storageandexportofcoalthroughtheproposedterminalwillcauseworkers,adjacentcommunities,commutersand/ornearbyvisitorstobeexposedtocoaldustintheformoffineparticulatematter(PM2.5).ThereisnoevidencethatcoaldustinOaklandcanorwillbefullycontained.2.ThereisnosafelevelofexposuretoPM2.5.Particulatematterinoutdoorairpollutioncausescancerinhumans.Thereisnewevidencethatevenexistingairqualityguidelinesmaynotsufficientlyprotecthumanhealth.AnyadditionalPM2.5releasedasaresultoftheproposedterminalshouldbeexpectedtonegativelyaffectthehealthofworkersattheproposedterminal,residentsofadjacentcommunities,andvisitors,commuters,andpeoplerecreatingneartheterminalandformerArmyBasesite.3.CoalandrelateddustcontainsubstancesthatareknownbytheStateofCaliforniaandtheWorldHealthOrganizationtocausecancerorbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.Thesesubstancesincluderespirablecrystallinesilica(quartz),lead,mercury,arsenic,cadmium,andnickel.4.CoaldustandotherairpollutantsemittedatorneartheterminalwilladdtoalreadyharmfullevelsofenvironmentalpollutioninWestOakland,EastOaklandandEmeryville.TheSanFranciscoBayAreaiscurrentlyinnon‐attainmentstatusforPM2.5andozone.5.ThereisnoevidencethatcoveredrailcarsareavailabletosafelytransportcoaltoorthroughOakland,includingattheproposedterminal.Anyuseofcoveredrailcarstotransportcoalwouldbeexperimentalandshouldbeaccompaniedbygraveconcernabouthealthandsafetyeffectsonworkers,adjacentcommunities,andanyindividualsspendingtimeneartherailyardsthatwillservetheterminal.6.Thereisnoknownstateorfederallawthatrequirescoveredcontainersforcoaltransport.7.Bituminouscoalishighlyvolatileandpronetospontaneouscombustion.Anyfiresoccurringinrailcarsfilledwithcoal,instockpilesattheterminal,duringtransloading,handling,orblending,orindockedshipsloadedwithcoal,willrelease“emissionsfromcombustionofcoal,”whicharesubstancesknownbytheStateofCaliforniatocausecancerorbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.8.Whencoalisburned,eitherbecauseofspontaneouscoalcombustionorfiresattheterminalorintentionallybyanenduseroverseas,mercurywillbereleasedintheresultingemissions.Bothmercuryandmethylmercury,achemicalformedwhenmercuryenterstheenvironment,aresubstancesknownbytheStateofCaliforniatocausecancerorbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.
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9.CertainpeopleareatevenmoreriskthanothersforhealthproblemswhenexposedtoPM2.5andothercomponentsofcoalbecauseoftheirage,currenthealthstatus,orsocioeconomicconditions.Susceptiblegroupsincludepeoplewithhealthproblems(suchasasthmaandotherpre‐existinglungconditions,heartdisease,orotherchronicandacutediseases),peoplewhoareveryyoungorveryold(infants,children,andelderlypeople)andpeoplewithsuppressedimmunesystems.Pregnantwomenarealsoatparticularriskbecausefetuses’lungsaresensitivetopollutionwhilerapidlydeveloping.StudiessuggestthatwomenofcolorandlowincomewomensufferdisproportionatelyfromtheadversebirthoutcomeeffectsofPMexposure.10.AportionofPM2.5isclassifiedas“ultrafine”particulatematter,characterizedbyhavingaerodynamicdiameterof<0.1µm.ThereismountingevidencethatthisspecificfractionofPM2.5isevenmoredangeroustohealththangeneralizedPM2.5.Exposuretoultrafineparticlesmaycompoundtheeffectsofchronicorunderlyinghealthconditions,especiallythoselinkedtoinflammation,suchasType2diabetes.11.BNSF,oneoftherailroadcompaniesthatwouldservicetheterminal,haspublishedstudiesindicatingthat500‐2000lbs(oneton)ofcoalcanescapefromasingleloadedcoalcar,andperhapsasmuchas3%oftheload(3600lbsonastandardcar).12.TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)citescoaldust,alongwithsilicaandasbestos,asbeingresponsibleforthemostoccupationallungdiseaseduetoanyairborneparticulate.13.Giventhesubstantialdangerposedbycombustibledustknowntobeproducedbyhandlingofcoal,itisofconcernthattheindustrialhygienesectionofthepreliminaryoperatingplansubmittedbyprojectsponsorsdoesnotmentioncombustibledustprevention,detection,oremergencyprotocols.14.Afterreviewinginformationpresentedbypartiesfrombothsidesrelatedtoairqualityimpactsofcoaltransportviarail,theAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentfounditreasonabletoconcludethattherewillbeincreasedemissions,particularlyforthoselivingandworkingnearby,fromfugitivecoaldust,resultinginincreasedhealthconcerns.15.Astudyofchildrenlivingnearacoalbulkhandlingportfoundincreasedprevalenceofrespiratorysymptomsinprimaryschoolchildrenexposedtocoaldust.Thisporthandledlessthan2milliontonnesatitspeak,lessthanaquarteroftheproposedcapacityoftheterminalinOakland.16.Coaldustmaytravelapproximately500mto2km(1/3to1¼miles)fromthetraintracks,dependingonweatherconditionsandtrainspeed.17.Ifcoalweretheonlycommoditytobehandledattheterminal,andvirtuallyallofthecoalweretobeeventuallyburnedinpowerplantsoverseas,thisburningwouldgenerateapproximately23millionmetrictonsofCO2peryear.Thisismorethan8timesallofthegreenhousegasesemittedintheCityofOaklandin2013,thelastyearforwhichdataareavailable.
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18.Overjust10yearsoffulloperation(at9MMTPAcoal),combustionofcoalexportedthroughthisterminalwouldlikelyresultinthereleaseofGHGsequivalenttoapproximatelyhalfofCalifornia’sentireannualcarbonbudgetatcurrentlevels.ItisalsoequivalenttoallofthegreenhousegasemissionsthatwillneedtooccurinCaliforniabetween2020and2025toensurethatCaliforniatransitionsfromthe2020Target(setinTheGlobalWarmingSolutionsActof2006,AB32)tothe2030GoalestablishedinExecutiveOrderB‐30‐15.19.Withthelowerestimateof5MMTPAofcoalhandledthroughtheproposedterminal,burningofthecommodityshippedthroughOaklandwouldstillresultinannualGHGemissionsinexcessof4timesallofthosecurrentlyemittedinOakland.(SeeFigure25.)Theemissionsthatwouldresultfromburningasingleyear’sworthofexportedcoal(5millionmetrictonsofcoal,aconservativescenario),wouldbe179timestheamountbywhichOaklandmustreduceitsemissionseachyeartomeetits2020greenhousegasemissionstarget.20.Thereisnosuchthingas“clean”coal.CoalfromUtahissometimesreferredtoas“EPA‐compliant.”Thissimplymeansthatithaslowersulfurcontentthansomeothercoals,allowingusersofthecoaltomoreeasilycomplywithU.S.sulfurdioxidestandardswithoutadditionalairpollutionmitigationtechnology;howeveritdoesnotmeanthatemissionsfromthecoalwillmeetemissionstandardsforanyotherpollutants.21.TheAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentfindsthatworkingconditionsattheterminalwillbedangerous:“…workersattheTerminal,thelargerDevelopmentArea,andthePortofOaklandareanotherpopulationthatwillbeimpactedandcontinuouslyexposedtoworkingconditionsdangeroustotheirhealthandsafety.”Despiteoccupationalhealthregulationsandvettedinfrastructuredesigns,buildupofcoaldustwithinindustrialsettingsisadocumentedproblem.22.Bituminouscoal,suchasthecoalproposedtobehandledthroughthisproject,ishighlyvolatile.23.Coalisexplosivewhenindustorpowderform.Itdoesnottakemuchcoaldusttocauseanexplosion,andinfact,thedustmaybevirtuallyhardlyinvisiblebutstillsufficienttocauseanexplosion.24.Cityworkers(emergencyresponders)willbeathighriskwhenrespondingtocoalfiresorexplosionsinlargepartduetothehiddendangersassociatedwithcoalandcoaldustfires,whichrequiringspecialtrainingandexperiencetoputthemout.25.TheNationalAcademyofSciences,inareviewofrelevantliteratureconcludedthat“airpollutionisnolongeralocalissue.IfandwhenthecoalthatisexportedthroughthisterminalisburnedinAsia,someportionoftheemissionsfromtheburningofthatcoalwillcomebacktoimpacthumanhealthintheBayArea.”
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26.MeasuredozonelevelsintheBayAreaareabovethestandardssetbytheUSEPAandtheCaliforniaEPAtoprotecthumanhealth.OzoneintheBayAreaisworsenedbypollutioncomingfromdistantsources,includingcoal‐burninginChina.27.ClimateChangehasbeencalledthebiggestglobalhealththreatofthe21stcentury.Climatechangeproducesawiderangeofmildtodevastatingeffectsonhumanhealth.Ingeneralthemostvulnerablepeoplewillbemostseverelyaffected.TheEPAstatesthat,“Ourmostvulnerablecitizens,includingchildren,olderadults,peoplewithheartorlungdiseaseandpeoplelivinginpovertyaremostatrisktothehealthimpactsofclimatechange.”28.Emissionsfromenduseofthecoalexportedthroughtheproposedterminalareanindirectsourceofgreenhousegasemissionsfromtheprojectthatwouldhaveasignificantimpactontheenvironment.29.ThehealthandsafetyofBayArearesidents,andspecificallythoseinAlamedaCounty,isexpectedtobeaffectedbyclimatechangeoverthenextfewdecades.ClimatechangethreatensOaklandspecifically,withimpactsthatarefeltasbothdiscreteshocks(coastalfloods,increasedwildfirerisks)andcontinualorperiodicstress(risingseasanddroughts).Astheclimatewarms,droughts,extremeheatdays,largerainstormsandotherabnormalweatherpatternsareexpectedtooccurmorefrequentlyandintensely.30.Sealevelisalreadyrisingasaresultofhumanactivities.InarecentreportonsealevelriseanditsimpactoncoastalfloodingintheSanFranciscoBayArea,ClimateCentralfoundthathuman‐causedglobalsealevelrisehascausedthenumberofflooddaysinSanFranciscotoincreaseby118%overthepast30years.Sealevelhasrisenatleast4inchessince1950,and3.5inchescanbelinkedtohuman‐causedglobalsealevelrise.Between1950‐2014,329flooddays(69%)wereattributabletoanthropogenicglobalsealevelriseinSanFrancisco.Overthepast10yearsalone,81flooddays(82%ofallflooddaysinthatperiod)wereattributabletoanthropogenicsealevelriseinSanFrancisco.
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1.INTRODUCTIONThisdocumentisananalysisandsummaryoffindingsfromandrelatedtotheevidencesubmittedtothepublicrecordbefore,during,andaftertheOaklandCityCouncilpublichearingonthehealtheffectsandsafetyrisksofcoalandpetroleumcoke(petcoke)onSeptember21,2015.1Thefindingsrelatetothepossibletransport,handling,transloading,storage,andexportofcoaland/orpetcokeataproposedbulkandoversizedterminalthatwouldbebuiltontheformerOaklandArmyBasesiteadjacenttoWestOakland,thePortofOakland,andEmeryville.Projectsponsors2havedescribedaterminalthatwouldhandletwocommoditiessimultaneously,operating24hoursperdaynearlyeverydayofyear,withaproposedthroughputof5‐10millionmetrictonnesperyear(mmtpa)ofacommoditydescribedas“verydusty,exhibitsspontaneouscombustionbehavior,potentiallyexplosive”andbelievedtobecoalorpetcoke.3Incomingtrainswouldbeover100railcarslongandtherewouldlikelybemultiplecoaltrainsarrivingatandmultipletrainsdepartingfromtheterminalnearlyeveryday.Sincelittleinformationabouttheterminaldesignhasbeenprovided,thisdocumentanalyzesthehealtheffectsandsafetyrisksofcoaltransport,handling,andtransloadingasitpertainstotheOaklandArmyBasesiteandadjacentcommunitiesandreferstothebasisofdesigndocumentsasexamplesofthetypeofdesignthatcouldbeimplemented.ThereisevidencethatcoalproposedtobeshippedfromtheOaklandterminalwillbeminedinandtransportedfromUtah,andwilllikelybetreatedwithchemicalcompoundssuchassurfactantsand/orfreezeconditioningagentsbeforeitentersOakland.4Thisdocumentexploresthehealtheffectsofcoalandcoaldust,componentsofcoal,chemicalsusedinproduction,transport,andmaintenanceofcoal.Italsolooksathealtheffectsofcoalunderstable(normal)conditions,burningofcoalandemergencydisastersituationsassociatedwithcoal.1DocumentssubmittedtothepublicrecordareavailableatthefollowingCityofOaklandwebsite:http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/NeighborhoodInvestment/OAK0384852“Projectsponsors”refersinthisdocumenttoCaliforniaCapitalandInvestmentGroup;OaklandBulk&OversizedTerminal,LLC;OaklandGlobalRailEnterprise,LLC;andTerminalLogisticsSolutions,LLC.3HDR:BasisofDesign,OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal,CaliforniaCapitalInvestmentGroup,PreliminaryEngineering,PortofOakland,Oakland,CA,July16,2015.InTLSBasisofDesignp10.CCIGOaklandBulkandOversizeTerminalPreliminarySimulationPortofOakland,July24,2015.TLSBasisofDesignSection16‐18p52.4See,forexample:Maffly,Brian(2016).“Proponentsburiedcoal’sroleinOaklandexportterminal;nowquestionsremain,”SaltLakeTribune.http://www.sltrib.com/home/3699366‐155/proponents‐buried‐coals‐role‐in‐oakland;Maffly,Brian(2016).“CalifornialawmakersenterthefrayoverUtahcoalexports,”SaltLakeTribune.http://www.sltrib.com/home/3773403‐155/california‐lawmakers‐enter‐the‐fray‐over;Swan,Rachel(2016).“Oaklandcoal‐shipmentdustupgrows:WhatwillBrowndo?”SanFranciscoChronicle.http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Developer‐planning‐Oakland‐coal‐shipment‐an‐ally‐7116423.php.
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2.CHARACTERISTICSOFCOALANDITSCOMPONENTSCoalisafossilfuelthatexistsintheformofabrownorblackrockthatformedintheearthcrustovermillionsofyearsthroughorganic,predominantlyplantmatter,accumulation.Itisminedinundergroundtunnelsorextractedthroughsurfacemining.Coalconsistsmainlyofcarbon,buthasimpuritiessuchassulfur,lead,andmercury.Someofthosecomponents,likesilica,arereleasedduringphysicalmanipulations(suchasvibration),whencoalbreaksapartandcoaldustiscreated.Somechemicalsareboundintocoal’schemicalstructureandarereleasedduringburningorcombustion,asvapororinflyash.Coalisassignedarank,suchaslignite,sub‐bituminous,bituminous,oranthracite,basedonattributesrelatedtogeologicage,suchasitsspecificcompositionandenergycontentproperties.(SeeAppendixA2.)Eachtimecoalishandled(mined,transported,transloaded,orcoalstoragepilesaredisturbed),coalcanbreakintosmallerpieces,generatinginvisiblysmallparticlesthatmakeupcoaldust.Someofthecoaldustparticlesaresosmallthattheycannotbeseenwithoutamicroscope.Theseinvisibleparticles,withanaerodynamicdiameterlessthan2.5micrometers,arereferredtoasfineparticulatematter(PM2.5)andareofmostconcernbecausetheycanbeinhaledandtraveldeepintothehumanbody,andareconsideredthemostharmfultohumanhealth.5Manyheavymetals(mercury,lead,etc.)andminerals,suchassilica(alsoknownasquartz)containedincoalareharmfulwheninhaledoringestedfromenvironmentalaccumulation.(SeeFigure1andSection3.)Coalandcoaldustisknowntobecapableofself‐heating,highlycombustible,andexplosive,especiallyinenclosedspaces.Utahcoalcontainshighconcentrationsofsilicaandheavymetalsandisknowntobehighlyvolatileandpronetospontaneouscombustion.6
5EPA2003,“Particlepollutionandyourhealth,”https://www3.epa.gov/pm/pdfs/pm‐color.pdf.6Coalthathasavolatileratioof>0.12(12%)isconsideredhighlyvolatile.UtahcoalsminedbyBowieResourceshavevolatileratioscloserto0.50(50%).SeeSection5.1.
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Figure1:Coaldustmineralgrains,asseenthroughascanningelectronmicroscope7Thereisnosuchthingas“clean”coal.8CoalfromUtahissometimesreferredtoas“EPA‐compliant.”Thissimplymeansthatithaslowersulfurcontentthansomeothercoals,allowingusersofthecoaltomoreeasilycomplywithU.S.sulfurdioxidestandardswithoutadditionalairpollutionmitigationtechnology;9howeveritdoesnotmeanthatemissionsfromthecoalwillmeetemissionstandardsforanyotherpollutants.Allcoals(EPA‐compliantornot)emithighlevelsofgreenhousegases,aswellasairpollutantslikeparticulatematter(includingblackcarbon,ashort‐livedclimatepollutant),
7Imagecredit:http://www.atl.semtechsolutions.com/node/52/soot‐id8LauraWisland,SeniorEnergyAnalyst,UnionofConcernedScientists.TestimonySeptember21,2015:“Cleancoalisamyth.It'struethatsomecoal,likethecoallikelytobeshippedfromOakland,wouldhavealowersulfurcontentthansomeothersourcesofcoal.Butnomatterthesulfurcontent,allcoalemitsgreenhousegasemissionsandothertoxicairpollutantslikeparticulatematter,nitrogenoxidesthatformsmog,andothercontaminantssuchasmercury.Burninglowersulfurcoalwillnotshieldcommunitiesfrombeingexposedtoemissionscontainingtheseothertoxiccompounds.”Prof.MaximilianAuffhammer,UCBerkeley,testimonyonSeptember21,2015:“Whilesomeofthematerialinfrontofyousuggeststhatlowsulfurcoalwillimproveenvironmentalqualityelsewhere,thereisnoconclusiveevidencethatthisisthecase.”9Compliancecoalisanycoalthatemitslessthan1.2poundsofsulfurdioxidepermillionBtuwhenburned.
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nitrogenoxides(NOx)thatformsmog,polycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)andothercontaminants(suchasmercury).Theburningoflowersulfurcoalwillnotshieldcommunitiesfrombeingexposedtoemissionscontainingthesetoxiccompounds.10TheStateofCaliforniaofficiallyrecognized“emissionsfromcombustionofcoal”ascancer‐causingandhasincludedcoalemissionsonthelistofchemicalsknowntothestatetocausecancerorreproductivetoxicity,forthepurposesofProposition65.11CoalfromUtahgenerallyhaslowerenergycontent(lowerBTUsperunit)thansomeothertypesofcoal.ThismeansthatmoreUtahcoalwouldneedtobeburnedtoproduceagivenamountofheatandenergyoutput,whichcouldnegateperceivedemissionsavings.12
2.1Fineparticulatematter(PM2.5)incoaldustCoaldustismadeupofparticlesofvarioussizes,rangingfrom“coarse”to“fine”andeven“ultrafine.”13Fineparticulatematter(PM2.5),whichincludesultrafineparticles,becomessuspendedinair.Theseparticlesaresosmallthattheycannotbeindividuallyseenwithoutmagnification.ThelargestPM2.5particlesareatleast20timessmallerindiameterthanatypicalhumanhair,andlessthan1/30ththesizeofagrainoffinebeachsand.14(SeeFigure2.)
10LauraWisland,SeniorEnergyAnalystattheUnionofConcernedScientists.TestimonySeptember21,2015.11CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCauseCancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer12LauraWisland,SeniorEnergyAnalystattheUnionofConcernedScientistswroteinhertestimony:“AccordingtotheEnergyInformationAdministration,becausesub‐bituminouscoalhasalowerBTUcontentthanothersourcesofcoal,youhavetoburnmoreofittoachievethesameenergyoutput,whichwouldlikelyresultinhigheroverallemissions.”13AportionofPM2.5isclassifiedas“ultrafine”particulatematter,characterizedbyhavingaerodynamicdiameterof<0.1µm.Ultrafineparticlesaremoretoxictohumansthanlargerparticlesbecausetheyaremoreefficientatpenetratingdeepintothealveolarregionofthelungs.SeeKurthetal.(2014)“AtmosphericparticulatemattersizedistributionandconcentrationinWestVirginiacoalminingandnon‐miningareas,”JournalofExposureScienceandEnvironmentalEpidemiology.14EPA,“ParticulateMatter:BasicInformation,”https://www3.epa.gov/pm/basic.html.Accessed28April2016.
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Figure2:DiagramshowingrelativesizeofPM2.5andotherobjects.PM2.5ismuchsmallerindiameterthanbeachsand,humanhair,dust,pollen,ormold.Itcannotbeseenwithoutmagnification.15PM2.5particlescanremainsuspendedinairforrelativelylongperiodsoftime(hourstoweeks),duringwhichtheycanbecarriedoverlongdistances.16Theycanalsobedepositedintotheenvironmentclosetotheirpointoforigin.SomecommenterssuggestedthatcoaldustislikelytoberemovedduringtheearlyportionsofthetrainjourneybetweentheminingsitesandtheproposedOaklandterminal.However,evenattheendofalongtraintrip,coaldustwillstillbegeneratedandwilllikelyescapeatandneartheterminal.17ApriorstudyofasimilarproposedterminalwithanenclosedbuildingfoundincreasesinPM2.5thatexceededNAAQSStandards,evenwithoutincludingbackground
15EPA,“ParticulateMatter:BasicInformation,”https://www3.epa.gov/pm/basic.html.Accessed28April2016.16EPA,“ParticulateMatter:FastFacts,”https://www3.epa.gov/pm/fastfacts.html.Accessed28April2016.17See,forexample,Jaffe,D.etal.(2015).“DieselparticulatematterandcoaldustfromtrainsintheColumbiaRiverGorge,WashingtonState,USA,”AtmosphericPollutionResearch,946‐952.SeealsoBounds,W.andJohannesson,K.(2007)“ArsenicAdditiontoSoilsfromAirborneCoalDustOriginatingataMajorCoalShippingTerminal”,Water,AirandSoilPollution.
15
concentrations.18BackgroundconcentrationsofPM2.5arealreadysohighinadjacentcommunities(WestOakland)thattheywerefoundbytheBayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict(BAAQMD)toexceedthe24‐hourPM2.5NAAQSstandardmorethan3timesyear.19
2.2Toxicelementsfoundincoalandcoaldust2.2.aSilicaCoalandcoaldustcontainrespirablecrystallinesilica(crystallinequartz),20whichtheStateofCaliforniahasrecognizedasaknowncarcinogen.21Respirable‐sizedsilicaparticlesareliberatedduringcrushing,loading,anddumpingofcoal.22Freshlyfracturedsilicaismoretoxicthanagedsilica,thereforewhencoalbreaksapartduringtransportandunloading,itislikelytobemoretoxic.23
2.2.bHeavyMetalsCoalandcoaldustalsocontainmetalsthatareharmfultohumanhealth,includingmercury,arsenic,cadmium,chromium,lead,andnickel.Manyofthesemetalshavebeenassociatedwithincreasedriskofcancer,birthdefects,geneticdefects,endocrinedisruption,andneurologicaldamage.24
18TestimonyofDr.MuntuDavis,MD,MPH,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer,AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,October6,2015.“ResponsestoCityAdministrator’sFollow‐upQuestionsandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”19BAAQMD(2014).“ImprovingairqualityandhealthinBayAreacommunities:CommunityAirRiskEvaluationProgramRetrospective&PathForward(2004‐2013).”http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/Files/Planning%20and%20Research/CARE%20Program/Documents/CARE_Retrospective_April2014.ashx?la=en.CitedbyMuntuDavis,MD,MPH,ACPHD.TestimonyofOctober6,2015.20Silicondioxide(SiO2).“Crystalline”referstotheorientationofSiOmoleculesinafixedpatternasopposedtoanonperiodic,randommoleculararrangementdefinedasamorphous.Thethreemostcommoncrystallineformsoffreesilicaencounteredingeneralindustryarequartz,tridymite,andcristobalite.Thepredominantformisquartz.Seehttps://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011‐172/pdfs/2011‐172.pdfp.xii21CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)(2005).ChronicToxicitySummary:Silica(Crystalline,Respirable),CASRegistryNumber7631‐86‐9.http://oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/SILICAcREL_FINAL.pdf.TheUnitedStatesGeologicSurvey(USGS)reportsthatcoalsamplesfromCarbonCounty,UtahandSevierCounty,Utah(thetwocountiesinwhichBowieResourcesoperatescoalmines)containupto84%silica(asdeterminedbycoalashanalysis).BowieResourcesreportsthatcoalproducedbyitsminesinUtahcontain58.4‐59.7%silica(asdeterminedbyashmineralanalysis).22Colinet,J.(2010).HealthEffectsofOverexposuretoRespirableSilicaDust.CDCNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth,OfficeofMineSafetyandHealthResearch.PresentationgiventoSilicaDustControlWorkshop,Elko,NV,Sept282010.ReferencedintestimonyfromPhyllisFox,PE.23Colinet,J.(2010).HealthEffectsofOverexposuretoRespirableSilicaDust.CDCNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth,OfficeofMineSafetyandHealthResearch.PresentationgiventoSilicaDustControlWorkshop,Elko,NV,Sept282010.ReferencedintestimonyfromPhyllisFox,PE.24Seealso:Alameda‐ContraCostaMedicalAssociation,lettersenttoCouncilon12Feb2016fromArthurChen,representing4,200EastBayphysicians.
16
Thoughthesemetalsgenerallyexistatrelativelylowlevelsincoaldust,theycanaccumulateinthenearbyenvironmentovertimeiflargevolumesofcoalaretransportedthroughornearacommunity.25Overtime,themetalscanbecomemorebioavailable,especiallywhenexposedtowater.26Evenlowlevelsofexposuretoheavymetalsfoundincoalproducedebilitatinghealtheffects.Cadmiuminhousedusthasbeenfoundtocontributetoosteoporosis.Outdoors,cadmiumalsoaccumulatesinvegetablesgrowningardenswithelevatedsoillevelsofcadmium.27AreportsubmittedbytheprojectsponsorsstatesthattracemetalsinUtahcoalarenotaconcern.However,thereportindicatesthatthearseniclevelsreportedinUintaBasinUtahcoal(<8mg/kg)areupto11timeshigherthantheUSEPAresidentialsoil‐screeninglevel(0.68mg/kg).TheaverageconcentrationreportedinUintaBasincoalis147%oftheresidentialsoilscreeninglevel,andalsosignificantlyhigherthantheUSEPAcommercial/industriallevel(0.24mg/kg).28ThehealthandsafetyreportsubmittedbyHDRdidnotincludetheCaliforniaHumanHealthScreeningLevelsforsoil,whicharepublishedbyOEHHA.29SomeoftheseCalifornialevelsarelowerthanthosepublishedbytheUSEPA.Forexample,theresidentialbasisCaliforniahumanhealthsoilscreeninglevelforarsenicis7.0x10‐2(0.070)mg/kg.TheUintaBasinaveragearsenicvaluereportedintheHDRreportis14timestheCaliforniascreeninglevel(1429%).ThemaximumarsenicconcentrationreportedforUintaBasincoalis114times(11429%)theCaliforniascreeninglevel.2.2.cCoalcombustionfumesandheavymetalsHeavymetalscanbecomeevenmoreharmfultohumanhealthwhencoalburns,aswouldhappenintheeventofafireorexplosionattheterminal.Metals,suchasmercury,wouldbereleasedasairbornevaporsthatcouldbeinhaledbynearbyworkersandresidents.TheCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard(CARB)hasidentifiedlead,anotherheavymetalreleased
25Bounds,W.andJohannesson,K.(2007)“ArsenicAdditiontoSoilsfromAirborneCoalDustOriginatingataMajorCoalShippingTerminal”,Water,AirandSoilPollution.26Riedel,G.F.etal.(2000).“TemporalandspacialpatternsoftraceelementsinthePatuxentRiver:Awholewatershedapproach.”Estuaries.27Nawrot,T.S.etal.(2010).“Cadmiumexposureinthepopulation:fromhealthriskstostrategiesofprevention,”Biometals.28HDR:OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions.PreparedforCCIG.PreparedbyEdwardLiebsch,MichaelMusso,HDREngineering.September2015.p14.29SeeCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)(nodate).“CaliforniaHumanHealthScreeningLevelsTable1.SoilScreeningNumbers(mg/kgsoil)forNonvolatileChemicalsBasedonTotalExposuretoContaminatedSoil:Inhalation,IngestionandDermalAbsorption.”OEHHA.http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/risk‐assessment/california‐human‐health‐screening‐levels‐chhsls/chhslstableall_0.pdf.Thescreeningnumbersforarsenicareforcontaminationresultingfromhumanactivity.
17
duringcoalburning,asa‘toxicaircontaminant’withnothresholdlevelofexposurebelowwhichtherearenoadversehealtheffectsdetermined.30
3.HUMANHEALTHEFFECTSANDSAFETYRISKSOFCOALANDCOALCOMPONENTSProjectsponsorscontendthatcoalisnotharmfulbecauseitisnotexplicitlymentionedonaparticularlistoftoxicsubstances.31However,manyofthemetalsandmineralsfoundincoalandcoaldustaswellastheemissionscausedwhencoalburns,havebeendesignatedastoxictohumansbytheCaliforniaEPAOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA).32Coaldustisharmfulnotonlybecauseofitsfineparticles(PM2.5)butalsobecauseitcontainsmetals(lead,mercury,arsenic,cadmium,chromium,andnickel)andothersubstancesthatcausepeopletobecomesick,suchastinypiecesofsilica(quartz)thatcausechronicscarringinthelungs(leadingtosilicosisandotherrespiratorydiseases).33
3.1HealtheffectsofcoaldustTheaveragepersonbreathesin2,600gallonsofaireachday.34Asmentionedintheprevioussections,amongotherfactors,coaldustisharmfultohumanhealthbecauseitcontainsextremelysmallparticlesofcoal(PM2.5)thatbecomesuspendedintheair.WhenPM2.5isinhaled,itcanaffectlungtissuedirectlyandcanenterthebloodstream,spreadingdeepwithinthebodyanddamagingotherinternalorgans.(SeeSection3.2forinformationonthehealtheffectsofPM2.5.)
30BAAQMD:http://www.baaqmd.gov/research‐and‐data/air‐quality‐standards‐and‐attainment‐status.“ARBhasidentifiedleadandvinylchlorideas‘toxicaircontaminants’withnothresholdlevelofexposurebelowwhichtherearenoadversehealtheffectsdetermined.”31HDR.OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions.PreparedforCCIG.PreparedbyEdwardLiebsch,MichaelMusso,HDREngineering.September2015.32CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCauseCancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer33CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2016).StateofCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessmentSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986:ChemicalsKnowntotheStatetoCauseCancerorReproductiveToxicity.May20,2016.http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/proposition‐65//p65single05202016.pdf.34Samet,J.(2014).“Introduction,”inAirPollutionandCancer,InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC).http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/books/sp161/index.php.Thisisroughlyequivalentto10,000liters.
18
Recognitionthatlong‐termrespirablecoaldustexposurecausesirreversiblerespiratoryhealtheffectshasbeenacceptedbythemedicalcommunityfordecades.35TheAmericanLungAssociationconsiderscoaldustasourceofparticulatematterthatisdangeroustobreathe.36
Figure3:Backscatteredelectronimageofacross‐sectionofpulverizedcoalshowingcoalparticles(gray)andmineralgrains(white).37Exposuretodustfromhighrankcoal,38suchasthebituminouscoalminedinUtah,appearstocreategreaterrisksofdeath,accordingtotheUSDepartmentofLabor’sMineSafetyandHealthAdministration.39Instudyingpulmonarydiseaseslinkedtocoaldustexposure(in
35MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.FinalRule:LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84(Thursday,May1,2014),Pages24814‐24994.http://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/final/2014finl/2014‐09084.asp36EastBayMayors.“MayorsOpposedtotheShipmentofCoalExportsThroughOakland,”LettertoCityCouncil,14April2016.(SeeAppendixA4.)37http://www.microbeam.com/methods/computer_controlled.shtml(fromMicrobeamTechnologiesInc.)38SeeAppendixA2formoreinformationoncoalranks.Bituminousandanthracitecoalsareconsideredhighrankcoals.39MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84(Thursday,May1,2014),Pages24814‐24994.http://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/final/2014finl/2014‐09084.asp.ThegreaterriskofdeathwasassociatedwithCWPandnonmalignantrespiratorydisease.Also:“SeveralepidemiologicalstudieshaveshownthattheprevalenceofsimpleCWPandPMF[progressivemassivefibrosis]increaseswithincreasingcoalrank[McLintocketal.1971;Lainhart1969;McBrideetal.1966;1963].”“Recentexposure‐
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anoccupationalsetting)thefederalagencytaskedwithprotectingminers’healthandsafetyhasdeterminedthatthereisnotathresholdforsafelevelsofexposuretocoalminedust.40Thisindicatesthatthereisnoestablishedsafelevelofexposuretorespirablecoalminedust.41Thoughanenclosedcoalterminalwouldnotlikelycreateaworkenvironmentthatexactlymimicsamine,healthstudiesamongminersareusefulinbetterunderstandingtheeffectsofoccupationalexposuretoelevatedlevelsofcoaldustinconfinedspaces.
3.2HealtheffectsofexposuretoPM2.5Thereisnosafelevelofexposuretofinecoaldustparticles(PM2.5).ThereisnoknownthresholdbelowwhichthoseexposedtoacertainlevelofPM2.5arecompletelysafe.TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(USEPA),andCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)havespecifiedthereisnosafelevelofexposuretoPM2.5,basedonevidencefromscientificstudies.42AfifteenscientistpanelconvenedbytheNationalAcademyofSciencesconcludedthatthereis“noevidenceofathresholdbelowwhichnoadversehealthimpactsareobserved”forexposuretoparticulatematter.43WhenconcentrationsofPM2.5arereduced,relatedmortalitywillgodown.44ThisindicatesthateachincreaseinexposuretoPM2.5maycontributetothelikelihoodofadversehealthresponsestudieshaveestimatedthattheprobabilityofdevelopingPMFoveraworkinglifetimeisalsohigherforminersexposedtorespirabledustofhigh‐rankcoal[AttfieldandSeixas1995;AttfieldandMorring1992b;HurleyandMaclaren1987].”NIOSH(1995).CriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupationalExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.U.S.DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHANDHUMANSERVICES,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohiohttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf40ThestudyfocusedonCWPorotherclinicallysignificantpulmonaryeffects.41MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84(Thursday,May1,2014),Pages24814‐24994.http://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/final/2014finl/2014‐09084.asp.“Basedonitsreviewoftheavailableevidenceincludedinthe[quantitativeriskassessments]fortheproposedandfinalrulesandtheHealthEffectssectionofthepreambletotheproposedrule,MSHAhasdeterminedthatthebestavailableepidemiologicalevidencefailstosupportathresholdmodelforeitherCWPorclinicallysignificantpulmonaryeffectsduetorespirablecoalminedustexposures.”42WorldHealthOrganization(WHO),2013“Healtheffectsofparticulatematter”http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/189051/Health‐effects‐of‐particulate‐matter‐final‐Eng.pdf.SeealsotestimonyfromBartOstro,PhD.FormerChiefoftheAirPollutionEpidemiologySection,CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(retired),September16,2015.andOctober1,2015.Ostroistheauthorofover100peerreviewedpublicationsonthehealtheffectsofairpollutionandheatwaves.43NationalAcademyofSciences,2010,GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p17.44WorldHealthOrganization(WHO)(2014).FactSheetNumber313“Ambient(outdoor)airqualityandhealth,”March2014.http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/“Thereisaclose,quantitativerelationshipbetweenexposuretohighconcentrationsofsmallparticulates(PM10andPM2.5)andincreasedmortalityormorbidity,bothdailyandovertime.Conversely,whenconcentrationsofsmallandfineparticulatesarereduced,relatedmortalitywillalsogodown–presumingotherfactorsremainthesame.Thisallowspolicymakerstoprojectthepopulationhealthimprovementsthatcouldbeexpectedifparticulateairpollutionisreduced.Smallparticulatepollutionhavehealthimpactsevenatverylowconcentrations–indeed
20
outcomes.45(SeeFigure4.)Bothshortterm(hourstodays)andlongterm(monthstoyears)exposuretoPM2.5leadstonegativehealthimpacts.46TheWHOnotesthatexposuretooutdoorairpollution“isubiquitousandinvoluntary,”underscoringthatanyonelivingneartheterminalinOaklandorEmeryvillewouldhavelittleabilitytoescapepersistentexposuretoPM2.5intheirownhomesandneighborhoods.47IntheUnitedStates,peoplespendthemajorityoftheirtimeindoors;outdoor‐generatedPM2.5isthelargestcontributortoindoorPM2.5.48
nothresholdhasbeenidentifiedbelowwhichnodamagetohealthisobserved.Therefore,theWHO2005guidelinelimitsaimedtoachievethelowestconcentrationsofPMpossible.”45TestimonyofBartOstro,PhD,September16,2015.andOctober1,2015.ThissentencewasreviewedforaccuracybycurrentemployeesofCaliforniaEPA,OEHHA,andCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard.46Long‐termexposuretoPM2.5isassociatedwithanincreaseinthelong‐termriskofcardiopulmonarymortalityby6–13%per10µg/m3ofPM2.5.WorldHealthOrganization(WHO),2013“Healtheffectsofparticulatematter”http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/189051/Health‐effects‐of‐particulate‐matter‐final‐Eng.pdfThereisgoodevidenceoftheeffectsofshort‐termexposuretoPM10(aswellasPM2.5)onrespiratoryhealth,butformortality,andespeciallyasaconsequenceoflong‐termexposure,PM2.5isastrongerriskfactorthanthecoarsepartofPM10(particlesinthe2.5–10µmrange).All‐causedailymortalityisestimatedtoincreaseby0.2–0.6%per10µg/m3ofPM10.47WorldHealthOrganization(WHO),2013“Healtheffectsofparticulatematter”http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/189051/Health‐effects‐of‐particulate‐matter‐final‐Eng.pdf48Turpen,B.(2014).“Characterizingexposurestoatmosphericcarcinogens,”inAirPollutionandCancer,InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC).http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/books/sp161/index.php.InadditiontoPM2.5,particle‐phasePAHsandozone,lead,manganese,cadmium,andsulfatefoundindoorshavebeenreportedtobedominatedbyoutdoorsources.
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Figure4:Illustrativeexampleofhowincreasedairpollutionexposures(amongworkers,adjacentcommunities,orvisitorstotheproposedterminalarea)resultingfromadditionalairpollutionemissionscausedbycoaltransport,handling,storage,and/orexport(solidline)wouldbeassociatedwithincreasedill‐healthand/ormortalityamongtheexposedpopulations.Theexistingexposurecurve,representingcurrentenvironmentalconditionsinWestOaklandandotheradjacentcommunities,isshownwithasolidblackline.Theincreasedexposurecurve,illustratingtheexpectedeffectofincreasedairpollutionfromcoaltransport,handling,storage,andtransloadingattheproposedterminal,isshownwithadashedblueline.Thearrowindicatesthechangeinmeanresponsebetweenthebaselineandtheexposedpopulations,asaresultoftheincreasedpollutionexposurefromintroductionofcoaltothecommunity.Thelowershadedarearepresentstheexistingill‐health/mortalityassociatedwiththeexistingairpollutioninthecommunities;andtheuppershadedarearepresentsthenewill‐health/mortalitythatwouldbeexpectedifexposuresincreasedamongcommunitiesat/neartheterminal.“A”representsthecut‐offbetweennormalandadversehealthresponses.49
49FigureadaptedfromWoodruff,T.etal.(2007).“EstimatingRiskfromAmbientConcentrationsofAcroleinacrosstheUnitedStates,”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1849926/pdf/ehp0115‐000410.pdf.
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ThehealtheffectsofinhalablePM2.5arewelldocumented.StudiesconductedinCaliforniaandthroughouttheworlddemonstrateimportantassociationsbetweendailyexposuretoPM2.5andawiderangeofhealthandeconomicimpacts.50Theseimpactsinclude:51
prematuredeathinpeoplewithlungorheartdisease,suchaslungcancer;52 respiratoryandcardiovascularillness,suchasnonfatalheartattacks,irregular
heartbeat,aggravatedasthma,anddecreasedlungfunction;53 anincreaseinrespiratoryproblemssuchasirritationoftheairways,coughing,or
difficultyinbreathing; increasedemergencyroomvisitsandhospitaladmissions; adversebirthoutcomes;54and missedschoolandworkdays.
50Forexample:“[Aresearcher]examinedhospitaladmissionsofchildrenintheUtahvalleyduring3consecutivewinters.Thesewinterswerebefore,during,andafterastrikethatcloseddownasteelmillinthevalleythatwasthelargestsourceofwintertimeairpollution.Therewasa>50%dropinadmissionsofchildrenforasthmaandforpneumoniaduringtheperiodthatthemillwasclosedandwhenthepollutionwaslower.Inthefollowingyear,admissionswentbacktopreviouslevels.Inaneighboringvalley,therewasnodropinpollutionoradmissionsinthemiddlewinter.Thisisasclosetoaclinicaltrialascanbefoundinairpollutionepidemiology,andtheconclusionsarestriking.Airpollutionisrelatedtoseriousasthmaexacerbationandtopneumoniaexacerbation.”Schwarz,J.(2004).“AirPollutionandChildren’sHealth,”Pediatrics.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/Supplement_3/1037.long.Thisarticlehasbeencited250times.51PleaseseeEastBayMayors.“MayorsOpposedtotheShipmentofCoalExportsThroughOakland,”LettertoCityCouncil,14April2016.(AppendixA4)SeealsotestimonysubmittedbyBartOstro,PhD,submittedSeptember16,2015.andOctober1,2015.Onasthma:“Inepidemiologicalstudiesofasthmaticchildren,short‐termPM2.5exposurewasassociatedwithanincreaseinmedicationuseandrespiratorysymptoms(i.e.,cough,shortnessofbreath,andchesttightness),andshort‐termPM10exposurewasassociatedwithmorningsymptomsandrespiratorysymptoms.Healtheffectsinasthmaticadultshavealsobeendemonstrated(e.g.,asthmaattackswithshort‐termPM10exposure),althoughtheevidenceismorelimited.”Sacks,J.etal.(2011).“ParticulateMatter–InducedHealthEffects:WhoIsSusceptible?”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1002255/.Thisarticlehasbeencited175times.52“Studiesoflong‐termexposuretofineparticleshavefoundlinkstocardiopulmonarymortalityandstrongassociationswithheartdisease.Researchonhealtheffectssuggeststhatexposurestofineparticlescanleadtoinflammationwhichinturncausesexacerbationsoflungdiseaseandofincreasedbloodcoagulation.”BAAQMD(2014).“ImprovingairqualityandhealthinBayAreacommunities:CommunityAirRiskEvaluationProgramRetrospective&PathForward(2004‐2013).”http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/Files/Planning%20and%20Research/CARE%20Program/Documents/CARE_Retrospective_April2014.ashx?la=en53“[W]ehaveexcellentevidencethatchangingpollutionintheshorttermproducesimmediatereductionsinasthmaexacerbations.”Schwarz,J.(2004).“AirPollutionandChildren’sHealth,”Pediatrics.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/Supplement_3/1037.long.Thisarticlehasbeencited250times.54“[P]renatalexposureofpopulationstoprevailinglevelsofairpollutionisassociatedwithearlyfetalloss,pretermdelivery,andlowerbirthweight.”Schwarz,J.(2004).“AirPollutionandChildren’sHealth,”Pediatrics.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/Supplement_3/1037.long.Also:Lamichhane,D.etal.(2015).“Ameta‐analysisofexposuretoparticulatematterandadversebirthoutcomes.”EnvironmentalHealthandToxicology.http://e‐eht.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5620/eht.e2015011Also:Parker,J.D.etal.(2011).“TheInternationalCollaborationonAirPollutionandPregnancyOutcomes:initialresults.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21306972.
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Table1:SummaryofhealtheffectsfromexposuretoPM2.555Humanbodysystem Prematuredeath Illnessorill‐healthRespiratory
Mortalityfromrespiratorydiseases,includinglungcancer
Aggravatedasthma,decreasedlungfunction,irritationofairways,coughing,difficultybreathing,increaseinhospitaladmissions
Cardiovascular
Mortalityfromcardiovasculardiseases
Non‐fatalheartattacks,irregularheartbeat
Becauseoftheirage,currenthealthstatus,andsocioeconomicconditions,somepeopleareatevengreaterriskthanothersforhealthproblemswhenexposedtoPM2.5.Susceptiblegroups56includepeoplewithhealthproblems(suchasasthmaandotherpre‐existinglungconditions,heartdisease,orotherchronicandacutediseases),andpeoplewhoareveryyoungorveryold(infants,children,andelderlypeople)andpeoplewithsuppressedimmunesystems.Pregnantwomenarealsoatparticularriskbecausefetuses’lungsaresensitivetopollutionwhilerapidlydeveloping.57StudiessuggestthatwomenofcolorandlowincomewomensufferdisproportionatelyfromtheadversebirthoutcomeeffectsofPMexposure.58ExposuretoPM2.5alsoaffectslungdevelopmentinyoungchildren,includingchronicallyreducedlunggrowthrateandlong‐termproblemswithlungfunction.Childrenhavegreateractivitylevelsthanadultsandinfantstakeintwiceasmuchairasanadultwhilenotactive.59Childrenalsospendmoretimeoutdoorsandexercisemore,andthereforethey
55PleaseseeEastBayMayors.“MayorsOpposedtotheShipmentofCoalExportsThroughOakland,”LettertoCityCouncil,14April2016(AppendixA4).Also:Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.56PleaseseetwodefinitionscitedinParker,J.D.etal.(2011).).“TheInternationalCollaborationonAirPollutionandPregnancyOutcomes:initialresults.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1002255/.1)AmericanLungAssociation:“Susceptible:greaterlikelihoodofanadverseoutcomegivenaspecificexposure,comparedwiththegeneralpopulation.”2)PopeandDockery:“Susceptible:characteristicsthatcontributetoincreasedriskofPM‐relatedhealtheffects(e.g.,genetics,preexistingdisease,age,sex,race,SES,healthcareavailability,educationalattainment,andhousingcharacteristics).”57Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015..58BellML,EbisuK,BelangerK.AmbientAirPollutionandLowBirthWeightinConnecticutandMassachusetts.EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.2007;115(7):1118‐1124.doi:10.1289/ehp.9759.Also:Morello‐FroschR,JesdaleBM,SaddJL,PastorM.Ambientairpollutionexposureandfull‐termbirthweightinCalifornia.EnvironmentalHealth.2010;9:44.doi:10.1186/1476‐069X‐9‐44.59“Childrenalsohavegreateractivitylevelsthanadultsandthereforearelikelytohaveincreasedpersonalexposuresrelativetoadultsbecauseofanenhancedpersonalcloudofparticles.Inpart,thisistheresultoftheairintakeofarestinginfantbeingtwicethatofanadult.InonestudycomparingactivitypatternsinCalifornianchildrenandadults,childrenspentanaverageof124minutesperdayparticipatinginactivesports,walking‐hiking,oroutdoorrecreation,ormorethan5timesthe21minutesperdayspentbyadultsengaginginthesameactivities.”“Theroleofairpollutioninasthmaandotherpediatricmorbidities.”TrasandeandThurston,2005,AllergyandClinicalImmunology.http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091‐6749(05)00306‐4/fulltext#sec4.7Thisarticlehasbeencited158times.
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breatheagreateramountofpollutionperpoundofbodyweightthanadults.60ThereisevidencethatAfricanAmericanchildrensufferdisproportionatelyfromasthmaandaremorelikelytodiefromcomplicationsofasthma.61Table2:Summaryofgroupsparticularlysusceptibletoparticulatematterairpollution62Susceptibilitycharacteristics ExamplesAge
Pregnantwomen(fetuses),infants,children,elderly
Pre‐existingillness
Asthma,TypeIIdiabetes(ultrafinefraction)
Socioeconomicstatus
Lowincome,loweducationalattainment
PM2.5includesinhalableparticlesthataresmallenoughtopenetratetherespiratorysystem,accordingtotheWHO.63PM2.5cantraveldeepintothebronchiolesandalveoli,creatingirritationinthelungs.64Thiscausesthebody’simmunesystemtoattacktheparticles,creatinginflammationinthesurroundingtissue.65Duetothechemicalcompositionandthesizeofcoaldustparticles,thebodycannotremovecoalandsilicadustinthesamewaythatinvadingpathogensarekilledandremoved.Thesedustparticlesremaininthelungs,accumulatingovertimeanddamaginglungtissue,astheimmunesystemcreatesevenmoreinflammationwhenittriestoremovetheparticles.Thiscreateschronicinflammationthateventuallyleadstoscarringinthelungs,whichisvisibleonx‐raysandinscans.66
60TrasandeandThurston(2005).“Theroleofairpollutioninasthmaandotherpediatricmorbidities.”AllergyandClinicalImmunology.http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091‐6749(05)00306‐4/fulltext#sec4.7Thisarticlehasbeencited158times.61“IntheUSA,racialandethnicdisparitiesinasthmaareamongthemostsignificantamongchronicdiseases…AfricanAmericanchildrenaretwiceaslikelyasEuropeanAmericanstosufferfromasthmaandtodiefromcomplicationsofthedisease.”White,M.(2016)“NovelgeneticriskfactorsforasthmainAfricanAmericanchildren:PrecisionMedicineandtheSAGEIIStudy,”Immunogenetics,http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00251‐016‐0914‐162SeeforexampleEastBayMayors.“MayorsOpposedtotheShipmentofCoalExportsThroughOakland,”LettertoCityCouncil,14April2016;Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.63WorldHealthOrganization(WHO),2013“Healtheffectsofparticulatematter”http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/189051/Health‐effects‐of‐particulate‐matter‐final‐Eng.pdf64Arnold,.C.(2016)“AScourgeReturns:BlackLunginAppalachia.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710586/65Arnold,Carrie.C.(2016)“AScourgeReturns:BlackLunginAppalachia.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710586/66Arnold,Carrie.C.(2016)“AScourgeReturns:BlackLunginAppalachia.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710586/
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Figure5:Asectionoflungshowstheravagesofprogressivemassivefibrosis.Thelungitselfcanappearblackduetotheslowbuildupofcoaldustparticlesovertheyears.67AportionofPM2.5isclassifiedas“ultrafine”particulatematter,characterizedbyhavingaerodynamicdiameterof<0.1µm.ThereismountingevidencethatthisspecificfractionofPM2.5isevenmoredangeroustohealththangeneralizedPM2.5.68Exposuretoultrafineparticlesmaycompoundtheeffectsofchronicorunderlyinghealthconditions,suchasType2diabetes,especiallythoselinkedtoinflammation.69Ultrafineparticleshavealargersurfaceareaperunitmass,largernumberconcentration,andgreateralveolardepositionefficiencycomparedwithlargerPM2.5particles.Theseattributesresultinultrafineparticleshavinggreaterinflammationcapabilities.70ThehealtheffectsofultrafineparticlescaneasilybeunderestimatedinanalysisthatfocusesonPM2.5.PM2.5isusuallymonitoredandreportedonamassconcentrationbasis(µg/m3).Becauseultrafineparticleshaverelativelylessmassthanlargerparticles,evenwhenthey
67Arnold,Carrie.C.(2016)“AScourgeReturns:BlackLunginAppalachia.”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710586/68Oberdorster,G.andUtell,M.(2002).“UltrafineParticlesintheUrbanAir:TotheRespiratoryTract—AndBeyond?”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1240959/pdf/ehp0110‐a00440.pdf69Vora,R.etal.(2014).“Inhalationofultrafinecarbonparticlesaltersheartrateandheartratevariabilityinpeoplewithtype2diabetes..”ParticleandFibreToxicology,DOI:10.1186/s12989‐014‐0031‐y.70Kurthetal.(2014)“AtmosphericparticulatemattersizedistributionandconcentrationinWestVirginiacoalminingandnon‐miningareas,”JournalofExposureScienceandEnvironmentalEpidemiology.
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arepresentinlargenumberstheycontributelittletooverallparticlemass,andthenumberconcentrationofparticlesisimportantfromahealthperspective.71
3.3HealtheffectsofexposuretometalsincoaldustCoaldustcontainstoxicheavymetalssuchasmercury,lead,arsenic,cadmium,chromium,andnickel.72Chronicexposuretothetoxicmetalsincoalhavebeenlinkedtocancer,adversebirtheffects,geneticdefects,endocrinedisruption,neurologicaldamage,andotherseverehealthoutcomes.73Childrenareparticularlyvulnerabletoheavymetals,whichcanleadtodecreasesinbirthweightandchildren’sgrowthrate,andintellectualdevelopmentproblems.74TheCaliforniarisk‐basedscreeninglevelsindicatethatarseniclevelsinUtahcoal(1–8mg/kg)are14to114timeshigherthantheresidentialsoil‐screeninglevel(0.07mg/kg)andarealsosignificantlyhigherthanthecommercial/industriallevel(0.24mg/kg).75AstudyofacoalterminalinVirginiafoundthatcoaldustcontributedtoelevatedlevelsofarsenicinsoilsinthecommunitiesnearthedocks.76Arsenicalsoappearstoleachoutofcoalpilesintonearbywaterwhenthecoalisexposedtorain,somethingthatcouldhappenwhenstockpilesandloadedoremptyrailcarsareexposedtorainattheterminal.77Tracemetalsincoaldustareunderstoodtobethemaindriversofoxidativestress78fromexposuretothedust.Oxidativestresslikelycontributestothedevelopmentofcoal
71Kurthetal.(2014)“AtmosphericparticulatemattersizedistributionandconcentrationinWestVirginiacoalminingandnon‐miningareas,”JournalofExposureScienceandEnvironmentalEpidemiology.72Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.73Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015;Alameda‐ContraCostaMedicalAssociation,letter12Feb2016,ArthurChen,representing4,200EastBayphysicians.74Hu,H.(2002).“HumanHealthandHeavyMetalsExposure..”In:McCally,Mmed.LifeSupport:TheEnvironmentandHumanHealth,Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress;2002.CitedbyMultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”February2013.ReferencedinMuntuDavis,MD,MPH,ACPHD,Feb92016letter.75HDR:OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions.PreparedforCCIG.PreparedbyEdwardLiebsch,MichaelMusso,HDREngineering.September2015.p14.76Bounds,W.andJohannesson,K.(2007)“ArsenicAdditiontoSoilsfromAirborneCoalDustOriginatingataMajorCoalShippingTerminal”,Water,AirandSoilPollution.“[C]oalshippingthroughtheLambert’sPointDocksisaddingparticulatecoalandAstothesoilsofNorfolk,Virginia…Alongwiththeparticulatecoal,arsenicassociatedwiththecoalisalsoenrichedinthesesoilsby2to20timesoveruppercrustalabundances,andby∼fivetimesoverestimatedbackgroundsoilAsconcentrations.ThedatapresentedhereindicatethattheLambert’sPointDocksisasignificantsourceofparticulatecoaltothelocalenvironment,andfurther,thatthiscoalcontributesAstothelocalsoils.”Thisstudyonlyexaminedsand‐sizedparticlesofcoal,sodidnotcapturethecontaminationassociatedwithfinercoaldustinthecommunity.77Bounds,W.andJohannesson,K.(2007)“ArsenicAdditiontoSoilsfromAirborneCoalDustOriginatingataMajorCoalShippingTerminal”,Water,AirandSoilPollution.78“Oxidativestressisadisturbanceintheoxidant/antioxidantsteadystateinfavorofoxidants,whichleadtocellulardamage…Theoxidativepropertyofcoaldustsisprimarilyattributedtoitstransitionmetalconstituents,whichtypicallyincludeFe[iron],Cr[chromium],Co[cobalt],Ni[nickel],Mn[manganese],As
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workers’pneumoconiosis(CWP)(knownas"BlackLungDisease")andchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD),bothseriouslong‐termconditions.79
3.4HealtheffectsofexposuretosilicaincoaldustCoaldustcontainssilica(crystallinequartz),whichhasbeenrecognizedbytheWorldHealthOrganizationandtheStateofCaliforniaasacarcinogen.80ExperttestimonystatesthatUtahcoalshavehighlevelsofsilica.81Utahcoalmineshaveinrecentyearsreceivedmultiplecitationsandthousandsofdollarsoffinesforviolatingrespirableduststandards,andspecificallytherespirableduststandardforquartz(crystallinesilica).82Exposuretorespirablecrystallinesilicaisusuallyconsideredanoccupationalhealthconcernofworkers.However,analysisofairsamplestakenoutsideofacoalexportfacilityinSeward,Alaskashowedthatcrystallinesilicalevelscouldexceedhealthstandardsinambientaircollectednearby,indicatingthatcommunitymemberswerebeingexposedtounsafelevelsofthecarcinogen.83Exposuretocoaldustwithsilicacanresultinsilicosis,chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD),pulmonarytuberculosis,chronicrenaldisease,andlungcancer.84[arsenic],Zn[zinc],andV[vanadium].”Huang,X.andFinkelman,R.(2008).“UnderstandingtheChemicalPropertiesofMaceralsandMineralsinCoalanditsPotentialApplicationforOccupationalLungDiseasePrevention,”JournalofToxicologyandEnvironmentalHealth,PartB.79Huang2008Huang,X.andFinkelman,R.(2008).“UnderstandingtheChemicalPropertiesofMaceralsandMineralsinCoalanditsPotentialApplicationforOccupationalLungDiseasePrevention,”JournalofToxicologyandEnvironmentalHealth,PartB.80CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2016).StateofCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessmentSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986:ChemicalsKnowntotheStatetoCauseCancerorReproductiveToxicity.May20,2016.http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/proposition‐65//p65single05202016.pdf.InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC)(2012,).“SilicaDust,Crystalline,intheformofQuartzorCristobalite,”inArsenic,Metals,Fibres,andDusts:AReviewofHumanCarcinogens.IARCMonographsontheEvaluationofCarcinogenicRiskstoHumans,Vol.100Chttp://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100C/mono100C‐14.pdf.81SeetestimonysubmittedbyDr.PhyllisFox,PhD,PE,September21,2015andbyProf.JasminAnsar,PhD,September21,2015forexample.82Forexample,BowieResourcesSufcoMine(SevierCounty,Utah)wascitedandfinedforviolatingCFR§70.100in2015andCFR§70.101in2013.CoalfromSufcoMinecontains59.00%SiO2(ashmineralanalysis).BowieResourcesDugoutCanyonMine(CarbonCounty,Utah)wascited(proposed)forviolatingCFR§70.100in2016andcitedandfinedforviolatingCFR§70.101(quartzstandard)in2013.CoalfromDugoutCanyonMinecontains58.40%SiO2(ashmineralanalysis).BowieResourcesSkylineMine(CarbonCounty,Utah)wascitedandfinedforviolatingCFR§70.100in2013and2014andcitedandfinedforviolatingCFR§70.101(quartzstandard)twicein2013.CoalfromSkylineMinecontains59.70%SiO2(ashmineralanalysis).83CrystallinesilicalevelsmeasuredinSewardHarborairexceededtheOEHHAinhalationchronicreferenceexposurelimitonatleasttwooccasionsduringthestudy.Concentrationsofcrystallinesilicaaveraged2.22ug/m3,andwereashighas5.03ug/m3.TheOEHHARELis3.0ug/m3.SeeZimmer,H.(2014).“CoalDustinAlaska:HazardstoPublicHealth.”84Donoghue,A.(2004)“Occupationalhealthhazardsinmining:anoverview”OccupationalMedicine54:283–289http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/54/5/283.full.pdf.
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Exposuretotherespirablefractionofcrystallinequartzmaypromoteautoimmunediseases,includingrheumatoidarthritis.85Itcanalsocauseextrapulmonarysilicosis,wherelesionsspreadtotheliver,spleen,kidneys,bonemarrow,andextrathoraciclymphnodes.86Long‐termexposurestoevenlowlevelsofsilicamayleadtothedevelopmentofchronicbronchitisandemphysema.Thereisnomedicationthatcanreversedamagefromsilicadust.87Thoughthereisverylittleknownaboutthedifferentialeffectsofsilicaexposureonchildren,OEHHAcautionsthateffectsonchildren’srespiratorysystemscouldbeevenmorepronouncedthanforadults,atthesameconcentrationofsilica,giventhatchildrenbreatheinmoreairascomparedtotheirbodyweight.88
3.5HealtheffectsofchemicaladditivesProjectsponsorsalsocontendthatthecoaltheywouldliketoshipfromUtahwillnothavechemicaladditives.89However,itislikelythatsubstanceswithundisclosedchemicalingredients,suchassurfactants/toppersandanti‐icers/de‐icers/freezeconditioningagents,willbeappliedtothecoalafteritisminedandbeforeitreachesOakland.TheuseoffreezeconditioningagentsisrequiredbyUnionPacificoncoaltrainsoriginatinginUtah.90Freezeconditioningagentsincludeethyleneglycol(“antifreeze”),whichisconsidereda
85Parksetal.(1999.).“Occupationalexposuretocrystallinesilicaandautoimmunedisease,”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1566238/pdf/envhper00522‐0135.pdf“Autoimmunediseasesincludescleroderma,rheumatoidarthritis,andsystemiclupuserythematosus..”86OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)[nodate].“Silica,CrystallineQuartz(RespirableFraction),https://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_266740.html.87Colinet,J.(2010).HealthEffectsofOverexposuretoRespirableSilicaDust.CDCNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth,OfficeofMineSafetyandHealthResearch.PresentationgiventoSilicaDustControlWorkshop,Elko,NV,Sept282010.ReferencedinPhyllisFox,PhD,PETestimonyofSeptember21,2015.88“Sincechildrenhavesmallerairwaysthanadultsandbreathemoreaironabodyweightbasis,penetrationanddepositionofparticlesintheairwaysandalveoliinchildrenislikelygreaterthanthatinadultsexposedtothesameconcentration.”CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)(2005).ChronicToxicitySummary:Silica(Crystalline,Respirable),CASRegistryNumber7631‐86‐9.http://oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/SILICAcREL_FINAL.pdf.89HDR.OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions.PreparedforCCIG.PreparedbyEdwardLiebsch,MichaelMusso,HDREngineering.September2015.P11.90See,forexample,UnionPacific(2014).Circular6602‐CItem380‐G“ApplyingonLoading,Handling,AccessorialCharges,FuelSurchargesandGeneralRulesforCoalTrainsOriginatinginColo.orUtah.”(Issued2014,EffectiveJanuary12015):“Inordertoreducethepossibilityofunloadingdelaysduetofrozencoal,duringtheperiodfromNovember15thofeachyearthroughMarch15thofeachsucceedingyear,ShipperorShipper'sLoadingOperatorshalluniformlytreatallcoalloadedintorailcarswithanindustry‐approvedfreezeconditioningagentinthequantityandinaccordancewiththeprocessrecommendedbythemanufacturerofthefreezeconditioningagentused.”CSXalsorequiresfreezeconditioningagents.https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/customers/commodities/coal/news/to‐csx‐transportation‐coal‐customers/.
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reproductiveanddevelopmentaltoxin,particularlywheningested.91Aswithtracemetals,itisofconcernthatethyleneglycolcouldentertheenvironment,includingwatersystems,inOaklandthroughleachingwhencoal(inrailcars,stockpiles,orfugitivedustform)isexposedtorainorothersourcesofwaterovertime.(PleaseseeSection6.2formoreonsurfactants.)
3.6CoalcombustionfumesandbyproductsCoalcombustionfumesarereleasedwhencoalspontaneouslycombustsorotherwisecatchesfireinrailcars,whilebeingstored,whilebeinghandledattheterminal(seeSection5),andwhenemissionsfrompost‐exportcoalburningoverseasaretransportedbacktoOakland.Whencoalburns,itemitstoxicsmoke,containingmercury,leadandotherharmfulchemicals.EmissionsofcoalsmokeandparticulatesgeneratedbycombustionofcoalarelistedascarcinogenicbyOEHHA.92Coalcombustionalsocausesthereleaseofpolycylicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs),suchasbenzo(a)pyrene,whichareknowntocausecancerandreproductiveharm.93Benzo(a)pyreneisreleasedfromcoalcombustionandislistedascarcinogenicbytheStateofCaliforniaandtheInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer,andisconsideredapriorityPAHforcontrolbytheEPA.94(SeeSection7.3formoreinformationonbenzo(a)pyrene.)Leadandmercury,metalsfoundincoal,areclassifiedashazardousairpollutants.95Emergenciesattheterminal,suchasfiresinthecoalstockpiles,couldexposesurroundingcommunitiestoairbornelead,aswellasmercury.
91“[E]thyleneglycolisfrequentlysprayedonstockpilestoreducetheformationofclumpsinthematerialatfrigidtemperatures.Thisallowsthematerialtobescreenedand/orloadedeasier.Ethyleneglycolisalsoappliedtomaterialshippedinrailroadcarsandtruckstoorwithincold‐weatherareasinordertopreventthematerialfromformingafrozenmassinthecarortruck.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration(nodate),“MSHA'sOccupationalIllnessandInjuryPreventionProgramHealthTopic"EthyleneGlycol".http://arlweb.msha.gov/Illness_Prevention/healthtopics/ethyleneGlycol.HTM.SeealsoSeealsoCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2015).“EthyleneGlycol(Ingested)ListedasaReproductiveToxicant,”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/ethylene‐glycol‐ingested‐listed‐reproductive‐toxicant.92CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCauseCancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer93PAHsformedduringcoalcombustionincludechrysene,benz(a)anthracene,andbenzo(a)pyrene,four‐andfive‐ringedPAHsknowntocausecancerinbothhumansandanimals.Seealso:Zhang,Y.andShu,T.(2008).“Globalatmosphericemissioninventoryofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)for2004,”AtmosphericEnvironment.94Zhang,Y.etal.(2011).“Transpacifictransportofbenzo[a]pyreneemittedfromAsia,”Atmos.Chem.Phys.,11,11993–12006.www.atmos‐chem‐phys.net/11/11993/2011/.Also:Also:InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC)(2012).“ChemicalAgentsandRelatedOccupations,”Monograph100F.http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100F/.95BAAQMD(2016).“AirQualityStandardsandAttainmentStatus,”http://www.baaqmd.gov/research‐and‐data/air‐quality‐standards‐and‐attainment‐status,accessed22Jun2016.“ARBhasidentifiedleadandvinylchlorideas‘toxicaircontaminants’withnothresholdlevelofexposurebelowwhichtherearenoadverse
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Byproductsofcoalcombustion,suchascoalflyash,oftencontainrelativelyhighlevelsofarsenic,copper,chromium,zinc,antimony,selenium,andcadmium.Inemergencysituations,whenflyashcannotbecontrolledwithemissionreductiontechnologies(aswouldbethecaseifafireorexplosionoccurredattheterminal),coalburningwillcontributetoanincreasedpresenceoftoxicmetalsintheair.96Thereareconcernsthatthoseworkingatorlivingneartheterminalmaybeexposedtomorethanjusttoxiccoalsmokeifanexplosionorfireweretooccur.Thecoalmaybetreatedwithchemicaladditivessuchassurfactantsoranti‐icers.97Thehealtheffectsofexposuretocombustionfumesassociatedwiththeseadditivesarenotclear,butcouldbeserious.Coalcombustionalsocausesthereleaseoftroposphericozoneprecursors,suchascarbonmonoxide(CO),NOx,andvolatileorganiccompounds(VOC).Troposphericozoneisanairpollutantofseriousconcernbecauseitcantriggerasthma,causebreathingproblemsandlungdiseases,andreducelungfunction.(SeeSection7.2.)
4.COALANDHEALTHEFFECTSOFCOALINOAKLANDCoaldustalmostcertainlywillbegeneratedduringtransportthroughOakland,aswellasduringthetransloadingandhandlingofcoalattheproposedterminalfacility.Itnecessarilywillbeimpossibletocompletelycontainthisdust,giventhephysicalpropertiesofcoal(includingitsvolatilityandpredispositiontospontaneouscombustion).ItisalsoclearthatitwillbeimpossibletocompletelyavoidhumanexposuretothiscoaldustinthevicinityoftheformerArmyBase.EvenwithimplementationofthepotentialmitigationtechniquessuggestedbytheprojectsponsorsandsuggestedbyHDR,coaldustwillenterOakland’senvironmentandwillaffectthehealthofpeopleworking,recreating,and/orresidinginthevicinityoftheArmyBasestudyarea.
healtheffectsdetermined.”SeealsoSeealsoEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)[nodate].“InitialListofHazardousAirPollutantswithModifications,”https://www.epa.gov/haps/initial‐list‐hazardous‐air‐pollutants‐modifications.Accessed22June2016.96InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(2015).“OutdoorAirPollution,”Monograph109,p48.http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol109/index.php97See,forexample,UnionPacific(2014).Circular6602‐CItem380‐G“ApplyingonLoading,Handling,AccessorialCharges,FuelSurchargesandGeneralRulesforCoalTrainsOriginatinginColo.orUtah.”(Issued2014,EffectiveJanuary12015).“Inordertoreducethepossibilityofunloadingdelaysduetofrozencoal,duringtheperiodfromNovember15thofeachyearthroughMarch15thofeachsucceedingyear,ShipperorShipper'sLoadingOperatorshalluniformlytreatallcoalloadedintorailcarswithanindustry‐approvedfreezeconditioningagentinthequantityandinaccordancewiththeprocessrecommendedbythemanufacturerofthefreezeconditioningagentused.”
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Asidentifiedinprevioussections,understableoperatingconditions,themajorhealtheffectsofcoalarefromexposuretocoaldust,includinghealthconsequencesthatstemfromthereleaseofPM2.5,silica,heavymetalsandtracemetals.Underemergencyconditions,incaseofanexplosionorspontaneouscombustionadditionalharmfulemissionswouldbereleased.98Someofthepopulationsmostlikelytosuffernegativehealtheffectsofcoalincludeworkersatandaroundtheterminalandpeoplelivinginadjacenttotheprojectcommunities,includingchildren,elderly,pregnantwomenandindividualswithpreexistingchronicandacuteconditions.Inaseriousemergencysituationthosepopulationswillhavethegreatestriskofinjuryorevendeath.TheexactamountofdustemittedinOakland,eitherattheterminalorintransportonadjoiningtraintracks,willdependonthefinaldesignoftheterminalandotherfactors.However,previousstudiesgiveindicationsofthemagnitudeofdustanddustexposurethatcanbeexpected.BNSF,oneoftherailroadcompaniesthatwouldservicetheterminal,haspublishedstudiesindicatingthat500‐2000lbs(oneton)ofcoalcanescapefromasingleloadedcoalcar,andperhapsasmuchas3%oftheload(3600lbsonastandardcar).99(Eachtrainarrivingattheterminalisexpectedtobeover100carslongandtherewilllikelybemultipletrainsarrivingperdayonnearlyeverydayoftheyear.)Effectsonhumanhealtharegenerallydeterminedbythedifferentlevelsofexposuretocoalandcoaldustdependingonproximitytothesourceandconcentrationonharmfulelements.Workerswillbeinclosestcontacttothecoalandcoaldust,sowilllikelybeincloseproximitytothehighestconcentrationsofcoaldustduringnormaloperatingconditions.Workerswilllikelybeprovidedwithsomepersonalprotectiongeartominimizeexposure.Adjacentcommunitieswilllikelybeexposedtoslightlylowerconcentrationsofdust,butsincetheyresidethere,theywillbeexposedupto24hoursperday,everydayoftheyearandwillnothaveanyprotection.VisitorstoOakland,includingthoseusingtherecreationalpathsimmediatelyadjacenttotheterminalanditsstoragefacilities(includingrecreationalvisitorsatEastBayRegionalParksfacilities),willhaveshorter‐termexposures,butwilllikelyhaveincreasedrespirationratesandairvolumeintakeduetotheirphysicalexertionastheywalk,run,bicycleorotherwisemovealongthepaths.Itislikelythatthenumberofpeopleinthiscategorywhowillbeexposedwillcontinuetoincreaseinthenearfuture,asrecreationalpathsandfacilitiesarefurtherdevelopedandupgraded.
98Forexample,carcinogenicemissionsfromcombustionofcoal.CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCauseCancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer99BNSF(2011).“BNSF‐Customers‐WhatICanShip‐Coal‐CoalDustFAQs,Mar2,2011.FilesentasattachmentDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.EmailtoZoeChafe,10February2016.
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Adjacentcommunitiesincludeinfants,children,elders,andthosewithacuteand/orchronichealthconditionsthatwouldbefurtherexacerbatedbyincreasedexposuretoPM2.5,ozone,andotherairpollutants.Table3:SummaryofprojecteddustsourcesfromcoalatterminalDustsource Likelihoodof
dustreleaseinOakland
Notes
RailcarsbeingtransportedthroughOakland
Nearlycertain
Coaldustleaksfrombottomofrailcars(outletgates)duringtransportandmovementatterminal.
Railcarsinterminal(bottom‐dump)
Nearlycertain100
Finedustsettlestobottomofloadduringjourneyandwillbereleasedatterminal.BNSFtestingconfirmedleakageofcoaldustfrom“rapiddischargegates.”101
Openrailcars(full)
Verylikely
Canoccurduringtransport,movementoftraincarsatorneartheterminal,orwaitingperiodbeforeoffloading102
Openrailcars(empty)
Nearlycertain
Emptyrailcarsretaincoaldust,whichwouldlikelybecomeairborneatthebeginningofthereturnjourney.103
Openstorageareas
Nearlycertain
Dustwillbeblownoffanyexposedstockpiles,asdustisgeneratedduringunloadingandblending.104
100Therewasnoevidencefoundsuggestingthatitispossibletousebottom‐dumprailcarswithoutdustleakingfromthebottom‐dumpmechanism.101BNSF‐Customers‐WhatICanShip‐Coal‐CoalDustFAQs,Mar2,2011.SentbyMuntuDavis,AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentonFebruary9,2016.“BNSFhasdonestudiesoverthepastthreeyearsthathaveconfirmedthatwhilesomecoalleaksfromrapiddischargegatesoncoalcars,thevastmajorityofcoaldustthatisdepositedontherailroadrightofwaycomesoffofthetopofloadedcoalcars.”102Jaffe,D.etal.(2015).“DieselparticulatematterandcoaldustfromtrainsintheColumbiaRiverGorge,WashingtonState,USA,”AtmosphericPollutionResearch,946‐952.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215000057103Thereisnoevidencethatemptycoalcarsareorwillberequiredtobetreatedtopreventdustrelease.104CommonwealthofVirginia(1997).ReportoftheJointSubcommitteeStudyingWaystoReduceEmissionsfromCoal‐CarryingRailroadCars,SenateDocumentNo.23.
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Table4:FactorsinfluencingrelativelevelsofexposuretoPM2.5fromcoaldustPopulation #of
peopleIncludesvulnerablepopulations?
Hoursexposedperyear
ConcentrationofPM2.5exposure
Otherconsiderations
Workersatterminal
100‐1,000
Possible >2000hours105
Highest Personalrespiratoryprotectionlikelytobeprovided,asrequiredbylaw.
Adjacentcommunities
10,000‐100,000
Certain106 <8760hours
Elevatedabovecurrentnon‐attainmentlevels107
Nopersonalprotection.Allpeople,includingmostvulnerableindividuals,willbeexposedtoelevatedlevels.
Visitorsandrecreationalusers
100‐10,000
Certain108 Intermittent Elevatedabovecurrentnon‐attainmentlevels109
Respiratoryratewillbeelevatedandairintakeincreasedduetophysicalexertionwhenwalking,running,biking,etc.
4.1Effectsofcoalonworkers’healthandsafetyPeopleworkingatorneartheterminalwillbeaffectedbycoal,coaldustandharmfulelementsincoalatdifferentlevelsofexposuredependingontheirproximitytothecoal,thelengthoftheirexposureandotherfactors.Workerslikelytobeexposedincludethoseemployedbyrailroadcompaniesservingtheterminal,thoseworkingattheterminalitself,andemployeesatthetollplazaontheeasternspanoftheSanFranciscoBayBridge,thenearbyEBMUDfacility,thenearbypostalfacility,andotherworkersatadjacenttotheprojectfacilities,aswellasserviceworkersvisitingtheterminalandsurroundingbusinessesandfacilities.
105Thefederalgovernmentassigns2,087hoursperyearasthevalueforfulltimework.106Adjacentcommunitiesincludeinfants,elders,andthosewithchronicdiseasesincludingbutnotlimitedtoasthmaandotherrespiratoryillnesses,chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD),andcancer.(SeeSection4.2.)107TheBAAQMDiscurrentlyinnon‐attainmentstatusforPM2.5,meaningthatPM2.5concentrationsintheBayArea,andespeciallyinWestOakland,areabovetheleveldeemedsafebytheUSEPA.ShippingcoalthroughthisterminalwouldfurtherelevatePM2.5levelsinlocalcommunities.BAAQMD(2016).“AirQualityStandardsandAttainmentStatus,”http://www.baaqmd.gov/research‐and‐data/air‐quality‐standards‐and‐attainment‐status,accessed22Jun2016.108Visitorstotheareaincludeinfants,elders,andthosewithchronicdiseases,suchasasthmaandchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD).109TheBAAQMDiscurrentlyinnon‐attainmentstatusforPM2.5,meaningthatPM2.5concentrationsintheBayArea,andespeciallyinWestOakland,areabovetheleveldeemedsafebytheUSEPA.BAAQMD(2016).“AirQualityStandardsandAttainmentStatus,”http://www.baaqmd.gov/research‐and‐data/air‐quality‐standards‐and‐attainment‐status,accessed22Jun2016.ShippingcoalthroughthisterminalwouldfurtherelevatePM2.5levelsinadjacentareas,includingrecreationalpaths.
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TheAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentfindsthatworkingconditionsattheterminalwillbedangerous:“…workersattheTerminal,thelargerDevelopmentArea,andthePortofOaklandareanotherpopulationthatwillbeimpactedandcontinuouslyexposedtoworkingconditionsdangeroustotheirhealthandsafety.”110Despiteoccupationalhealthregulationsandvettedinfrastructuredesigns,buildupofcoaldustwithinindustrialsettingsisadocumentedproblem.AstudyofUnitedStatescoal‐preparationandmineral‐processingplantsfoundthatone‐third of themhadhighdustconcentrationsinlocalizedareasoftheplant(upto11mg/m3,ormorethan5timesthecurrentallowablelimit).111ItislikelythatthisfacilitywouldbeconsideredbyOSHAtobeahazardousareaClassII(“locationinwhichcombustibledustsmayormaynotbeinsufficientquantitiestoproduceexplosiveorignitablemixtures”)GroupF(“Atmospherescontainingcombustiblecarbonaceousdustswith8%ormoretrappedvolatilessuchascarbonblack,coal,orcokedust”)location.Additionally,itispossiblethatoccupationalhealthconditionsinthisfacilitywouldbeconsideredtoresembleminingconditions,giventheexpectedblendingofthecommodity,asindicatedinvariousbasisofdesigndocumentsandhealthandsafetyreports.Workersengagedinhandling—andblending—ofcoalattheproposedprojectsitewillworkinanenvironmentthatcanbecomesimilartoacoalmine,especiallyifinanenclosedfacility,asproposedintheBasisofDesign.112“Blending”ismixingofvariouscoalstomeetbuyerspecifications.Whenlower‐qualitycoalsaremixedin,itispossiblethattheycanhavehigherheavymetalcontents.Prolongeddirectoccupationalexposuretocoaldusthasbeenlinkedtohealthissuessuchaschronicbronchitis,decreasedlungfunction,severeemphysema,andcancer.113Asthma,
110Davis,Muntu,MD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.TestimonysubmittedOctober6,2015.“ResponsestoCityAdministrator’sFollow‐upQuestionsandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”111NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(1995).CriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupationalExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohiohttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf112NIOSHdefinesacoalmineas“anareaoflandandallstructures,facilities,machinery,tools,equipment,shafts,slopes,tunnels,excavations,andotherproperty,realorpersonal,placedupon,under,orabovethesurfaceofsuchlandbyanyperson,usedin,ortobeusedin,orresultingfrom,theworkofextractinginsuchareabituminouscoal,lignite,oranthracitefromitsnaturaldepositsintheearthbyanymeansormethod,andtheworkofpreparingthecoalsoextracted,andincludescustomcoalpreparationfacilities.”SeeNIOSHCriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupationalExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.U.S.DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHANDHUMANSERVICES,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohiohttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf113“Chronicexposuretocoaldust,particularlyathighlevels,cancausesevereemphysema.”UtahDepartmentofHealth[nodate].“ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease.”http://health.utah.gov/asthma/pdfs/work/Respiratory_packet.pdf.SeealsoNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(1995).CriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupational
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emphysema,andchronicbronchitiscontributemoretoprematuredeathsandillnessamongcoalworkersthanthemorewidelyknowncoalworkers’pneumoconiosis(CWP).114Beingexposedtocoaldust(inmines)appearstocontributetoemphysemainthesamewaythatbeingexposedtocigarettesmokedoes.115Respirablecoalminedustisaknownfibrogenicdust,whichcausesfibrousgrowthsthatleadtolungdisease.Exposuretocoaldustincreaseslaryngealcancerriskamongworkerswhoareexposedtocoaldustatanypointintheirlives.Onestudyidentifieda“clearandsignificantdose‐responsetrend”observedamongthoseinthehighestexposurecategoryofthislaryngealcancerstudy,meaningthatthosewhohadbeenexposedtomorecoaldustweremorelikelytodevelopcancer.116TheWHOcitescoaldust,alongwithsilicaandasbestos,asbeingresponsibleforthemostoccupationallungdiseaseduetoanyairborneparticulate.117Muchoftheextensiveresearchontheeffectsofcoaldustonminers’healthcanguideourunderstandingofhowproposedterminalworkers’healthwillbeaffectedbyhandlingcoal,especiallyifitsactivitiesinclude“blending”ofcoal.118Documentssubmittedbyproject
ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohiohttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf114Huang,X.andFinkelman,R.(2008).“UnderstandingtheChemicalPropertiesofMaceralsandMineralsinCoalanditsPotentialApplicationforOccupationalLungDiseasePrevention,”JournalofToxicologyandEnvironmentalHealth,PartB.“OSHAspecifiesthefollowing“potentialsymptoms”fromexposuretocoaldust:“chronicbronchitis;decreasedpulmonaryfunction;emphysema.”https://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_228895.htmlAlso,“Emphysemaisseenamongthoseexposedtorespirablecoaldustinamineenvironment:“Cumulativeexposuretorespirablecoalminedustorcoaldustretainedinthelungsweresignificantpredictorsofemphysemaseverity(P<0.0001)afteraccountingforcigarettesmoking,ageatdeath,andrace.”Kuempel,E.etal.(2009).“ContributionsofDustExposureandCigaretteSmokingtoEmphysemaSeverityinCoalMinersintheUnitedStates,”AmericanJournalofRespiratoryandCriticalCareMedicine.ThefirstauthorisassociatedwithNIOSH.115Kuempel,E.etal.(2009).“ContributionsofDustExposureandCigaretteSmokingtoEmphysemaSeverityinCoalMinersintheUnitedStates,”AmericanJournalofRespiratoryandCriticalCareMedicine.“““Coaldustexposureandcigarettesmokinghadsimilaradditiveeffectsonemphysemaseverityinthesemodelsatcohortaveragevalues.”116Shangina,O.etal.(2006).“OccupationalexposureandlaryngealandhypopharyngealcancerriskincentralandeasternEurope.”AmJEpidemiol.164(4):367‐75.CitedInDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”117EastBayMayors.“MayorsOpposedtotheShipmentofCoalExportsThroughOakland,”LettertoCityCouncil,14April2016.118FederalMineSafetyandHealthReviewCommission,2013,SecretaryofMSHAvsSCHTerminalCompanyInc.,DocketNo.KENT2013‐413A.C.No.15‐18639‐311429,p3‐4.https://www.fmshrc.gov/decisions/alj/KENT%202013‐413.pdf.“‘Coalorothermine’isdefinedunder$3(h)(1)oftheActtomean…theworkofpreparingcoalorotherminerals,andincludescustomcoalpreparationfacilities…CongressintendedMSHAtohaveawiderangeofjurisdiction…Courtshaveconsistentlyheldthatthatthe‘mixingorblending’ofcoal,whendonetomeetcustomerormarketspecifications,constitutesthe‘workofpreparingthecoal.’”Similarly,inarecentupdatetoafederalruledesignedtoprotectcoalminers,theterms“respirablecoalminedust,”“coalminedust,”and“respirabledust”
36
sponsorsindicatethatblendingislikelytooccur.119However,itisunclearifanyrelevantminedustregulationswouldbeenforceabletoprotectworkersattheterminalinOakland.Thehealtheffectsofcoaldustexposureinoccupationalsettingsarewell‐describedbyHuangetal.(2008):“…[C]oalminersfacedangersandhardshipsthatmostAmericanswouldfindunacceptableintheirdailylives.Oneofthedangersthatcoalminersfaceisexposuretodustgeneratedbythevariousmethodsemployedtoextractthecoalandtransportitoutofthemine.”120AccordingtoNIOSH,therecommendedexposurelimit(REL)forrespirablecoalminedustshouldapplytoworkersexposedtorespirablecoaldustinoccupationsotherthanjustminingitself.121Thisisbecausestudiesofworkersexposedtocoaloutsideofcoalminesindicatethattheirexposurescanbehighenoughtocausepneumoconiosis.122Thefederalagenciestaskedwithprotectingworkerhealthandsafety,liketheMineSafetyandHealthAdministration,nowstatethatbothcoaldustandrespirablesilicaareharmfultohealth,eitherwhenbreathedinseparatelyorincombination.Whenworkersareexposedtocoaldust,theycandevelopCWPandsevereemphysema,evenifthedustdoesnotcontainsilica;althoughsilicacanworsentheeffectsofrespirablecoalminedustonminers’lungs.123areusedinterchangeably,illustratingthatrespirablecoaldust,nomatteritsoriginorlocation,isviewedandregulatedwiththeunderstandingthatitisharmful.119TLS,BasisofDesign:Volume1.Jul16,2015.“ThereisarequirementforsegregatedstoragetoblendCommodityA.”Seep1andp4.120Huang,X.andFinkelman,R.(2008).“UnderstandingtheChemicalPropertiesofMaceralsandMineralsinCoalanditsPotentialApplicationforOccupationalLungDiseasePrevention,”JournalofToxicologyandEnvironmentalHealth,PartB.121NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(1995).CriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupationalExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohio.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf122NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(1995).CriteriaforaRecommendedStandardOccupationalExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,1.1.3.USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,PublicHealthService,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthEducationandInformationDivision,Cincinnati,Ohio.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/95‐106/pdfs/95‐106.pdf.“Dose‐responserelationshipsbetweencumulativedustexposureandcasesofrespiratorydiseaseshavebeenstudiedbyNIOSHaspartoftheNationalCoalStudy.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration(2014).FinalRule:LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84.Pages24814‐24994.123“Basedonalloftheavailableevidence,MSHAbelievesthatrespirablecoalminedusthasafibrogeniceffectonthedevelopmentofCWPincoalminersindependentofthequartzorsilicacontentofthecoal.HighsilicacontentmayacceleratetheprogressionofCWPtoPMF,themostsevereformofCWP,butthereisnoevidencetosuggestthatthepresenceofsilicaisanecessaryconditionforCWP,PMF,severeemphysema,orNMRDmortality.”DepartmentofLabor,MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.(2014).FinalRule:LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84Pages24814‐24994.http://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/final/2014finl/2014‐09084.asp
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Bituminouscoal,thekindthatwillbeshippedfromUtah,isasubstanceofsuchconcerntoworkerhealththatitisrecommendedthatemployees“mustwearappropriateimperviousclothingandequipmenttopreventrepeatedorprolongedskincontact”aswellas“MSHA/NIOSHapproveddustrespirator”and“splashgogglesorshieldswithsafetyglasses”toprotecteyesand“neopreneorPVC”protectivegloveswhenworkingwithbituminouscoalandcoaldust.1244.1.aExposurelimitsforworkersTheprojectproponentsrepeatedlyclaimthatoccupationalhealthstandardswillguideeffortstoprotectworkersafety.125However,workplacecoalduststandardsdonotappeartobesuccessfullypreventingdiseaseassociatedwithexposuretothedust.126ItisnowclearthatcoalminersaredyingofCoalWorkers’Pneumoconiosis(CWP),evenwhentheystartedworkingduringthetimewhenNIOSHstartedtomandatelowerdust
124Sprague,“BituminousCoal:MaterialSafetyDataSheet.”TLSBasisofDesignSection8p8.125SeeforexampleHDR.OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions.PreparedforCCIG.PreparedbyEdwardLiebsch,MichaelMusso,HDREngineering.September2015,p16:“Asforanyindustrialfacility,workersafetywillneedtobeaddressedbyconformingtoCal/OSHAstandardsfordustsingeneralandforcoaldust.”126TheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)referenceexposurelimit(REL)of1mg/m3(10‐hourTWA)forrespirablecoalminedustappliestorespirablecoalminedustandrespirablecoaldustinoccupationsotherthanmining.(SeeNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(2015).PocketGuidetoChemicalHazards,AppendixC‐SupplementaryExposureLimits,updatedFeb132015.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/nengapdxc.html.)Notethat“TheRELisequivalentto0.9mg/m3measuredaccordingtotheISO/CEN/ACGIH(InternationalStandardsOrganization/ComitéEuropéendeNormalisation/AmericanConferenceofGovernmentalIndustrialHygienists)definitionofrespirabledust.”SeeNIOSH(1995)formoredetailedinformation.TheMineSafetyandHealthAdministrationfurthertighteneditsregulationofcoaldustin2014byloweringtheallowableconcentrationsfrom2.0mg/m3to1.5mg/m3(1500ug/m3)inarulethatbecomesenforceableinAugust2016.However,thislimitisstillhigherthanthatrecommendedbyNIOSH.“AfterAugust1,2016,theconcentrationlimitsforrespirablecoalminedustareloweredfrom2.0milligramsofdustpercubicmeterofair(mg/m3)to1.5mg/m3atundergroundandsurfacecoalmines,andfrom1.0mg/m3to0.5mg/m3forintakeairatundergroundminesandforpart90miners(coalminerswhohaveevidenceofthedevelopmentofpneumoconiosis).Loweringtheconcentrationofrespirablecoalminedustintheairthatminersbreatheisthemosteffectivemeansofpreventingdiseasescausedbyexcessiveexposuretosuchdust.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration(2014).FinalRule:LoweringMiners'ExposuretoRespirableCoalMineDust,IncludingContinuousPersonalDustMonitors.FederalRegisterVolume79,Number84,Pages24814‐24994.http://arlweb.msha.gov/regs/fedreg/final/2014finl/2014‐09084.aspSeeNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(2016).“CoalDust,”NIOSHPocketGuidetoChemicalHazards.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0144.html(1.0mg/m3time‐weightedaverage)andKuempel,E.etal.(2009).“ContributionsofDustExposureandCigaretteSmokingtoEmphysemaSeverityinCoalMinersintheUnitedStates,”AmericanJournalofRespiratoryandCriticalCareMedicine.
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concentrationsinminesandatthesurface.127Minersworkingincurrentlyallowableconditionsarestilldevelopingemphysemaaswell.128Tocomplicatematters,wettingmethodsproposedbyprojectproponentstobeusedtocontrolcoaldustattheterminusmightplaceworkersatriskbyreducingtheefficacyoftherespiratorstheywouldlikelyberequiredtowearwhileinthevicinityofcoalorcoaldust.129RespondingtoworriesthatworkersintheUnitedStates(includingthoseexposedtocoaldust)werebeingexposedtosomuchsilicathatsilicosiswasapersistenthealthandsafetyproblem,OSHAadoptedafinalruleguiding“OccupationalExposuretoRespirableCrystallineSilica”justthreemonthsago.130California’sOEHHAhassetachronicreferenceexposurelevel(REL)of3µg/m3forsilica(crystallinerespirable),basedonhumanhealth
127“Overtimesince1995ithasbecomeincreasinglyapparentthattheobservedprevalenceofCWPinU.S.undergroundcoalminersexaminedintheCoalMiners’X‐raySurveillanceProgram(CWXSP)wasnolongerdecliningasithadfrom1969–1995,buthadbegunincreasing.Thissituationwasfirstnoticedina2003CDC/NIOSHreport.ThisreportalsodrewattentiontothefactthatCWPwasdevelopinginundergroundcoalminerswhohadspentalloftheirworkinglifeinaworkingenvironmentwherethedustconditionsshouldhavebeenasmandatedbythe1969CoalMineAct.BasedonfindingsthatshowedhigherCWPprevalencesincertainworkergroups,thepublicationraisedconcernsaboutpossibleexcessivedustexposuresincertainstates,atsmallermines,andbysomesurfaceandcontractminers.”NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)(2011).“CurrentIntelligenceBulletin64:CoalMineDustExposuresandAssociatedHealthOutcomes,”DHHS(NIOSH)PublicationNo.2011–172.128Kuempel,E.etal.(2009,).“ContributionsofDustExposureandCigaretteSmokingtoEmphysemaSeverityinCoalMinersintheUnitedStates,”AmericanJournalofRespiratoryandCriticalCareMedicine.“Thatis,minersworkingfor45years(e.g.,age20–65yr)at2mg/m3wouldexperienceacumulativedustexposureof90mg/m3for3years…[T]hiscumulativeexposurewouldincreasetheaverageemphysemaseverityindexby99points,providingadditionalevidenceoftheneedtoreduceexposurestorespirablecoalminedustto1mg/m3orless,asrecommendedbyNIOSH.”129Forexample,NIOSHdirectsthatsomerespirators“shouldbediscardedwhen[they]becomedamagedordeformed;nolongerformsaneffectivesealtotheface;becomeswetorvisiblydirty.”NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)NationalPersonalProtectiveTechnologyLaboratory(NPPTL)[Nodate].“Section3:AncillaryRespiratorInformation,”http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/respsource3healthcare.html.CitedinDavis,MuntuPhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”130OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)(2016).OccupationalExposuretoRespirableCrystallineSilica:ARulebytheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationon03/25/2016.”https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/03/25/2016‐04800/occupational‐exposure‐to‐respirable‐crystalline‐silica.“Thisfinalruleestablishesanewpermissibleexposurelimitof50microgramsofrespirablecrystallinesilicapercubicmeterofair(50μg/m3)asan8‐hourtime‐weightedaverageinallindustriescoveredbytherule.”
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effectstudies.131Becauseitissoharmfultohumans,silicaisregulatedatlevelsmuchlowerthanthoseofgeneralizedcoaldustinoccupationalsettings.132
4.1.bOccupationalhealthandsafetyproceduresTheprojectsponsorssubmitteda655pagepreliminaryoperatingplantotheOaklandCityCouncil.133Giventhesubstantialdangerposedbycombustibledustknowntobeproducedbyhandlingofcoal,itisofconcernthattheindustrialhygienesectionoftheoperatingplandoesnotmentioncombustibledustprevention,detection,oremergencyprotocols.134Infact,theentiredocumentcontainsonlypassingreferencestocombustibledust.TheOperationsandMaintenancedraftmentionsthatthesitewillbeevaluatedbyoccupationalhealthprofessionalsfor“explosivedust/respirabledustconditions,”butdoesnotcontainanyfurtherdetailondusthazards,housekeepingprotocols,suppressiontechniques,oremergencyprotocols(besidesone‐linechecklistentriesfortraininganduseof“dustsuppression”systemsonshiploadersandconveyorbelts).135
4.2HealtheffectsofcoalonadjacentcommunitiesCoaldustexposureswilladdpollutiontoanalreadydisproportionatelyburdenedcommunitysufferinglong‐standinghealthrisks.136Thecommunitiesadjacenttothisproject137faceacombinationofconditionsthatleavethemextremelyvulnerabletohealththreatsandsafetyrisksfromthetransport,handling,storage,transloading,andexportof
131CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)(2005).ChronicToxicitySummary:Silica(Crystalline,Respirable),CASRegistryNumber7631‐86‐9.http://oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/SILICAcREL_FINAL.pdf132Fox,Phyllis,PHD,PE.TestimonysubmittedSeptember21,2015.“Environmental,Health,andSafetyImpactsoftheProposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal.”133SeeTLS,“EmployeeOrientationProcedure:IndustrialHygiene,”“PreliminaryOperatingPlan,”p361.134TheTLSPreliminaryOperatingPlanSafetyProcedureNo.TLS‐08EmployeeOrientationProcedurealso,confusingly,includessentencesthatmakeitappearthatthisdocumentwaspreparedforanotherprojectsite,suchas“IntheeventthatalargemagnitudeearthquakeoccurswemaybecutofffromtherestofLosAngeles.”135SeeTLSPreliminaryOperatingPlanOperationsandMaintenancePlansection6.5.4,309p93formentionofexplosivedust/respirabledustevaluation.Relevantsectionsthatdonotincludementionsofcombustibledustorexplosivedustinclude“Weldingprocedure,”(p123).136English,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealthImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”Englishisapublichealthepidemiologistwithover25yearsofexperienceandholdsadoctoratedegreeinepidemiologyfromtheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,SchoolofPublicHealth.Also:“Additionalfugitivecoaldustontopoflong‐termenvironmentalstresswouldverylikelycreatecumulativehealth‐relatedconcernsinanalreadyburdenedandvulnerablecommunity.”SustainableSystemsResearch,LLC(1665,p69).“TechnicalMemorandumAirQuality,ClimateChange,andEnvironmentalJusticeIssuesfromOaklandTradeandGlobalLogisticsCenter,”submittedSeptember18,2015,p.11.137TheAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentstatesthat“AdjacentNeighbors”shouldbedefinedas“allexistingandfutureresidentsofOaklandthatwillbeimpacted,”“particularlyWestOaklandandEastOakland,andexistingandfutureworkersattheOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal(OBOT),thelargerDevelopmentArea,andthePortofOakland.”Davis,Muntu,MD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.TestimonysubmittedOctober6,2015.“ResponsestoCityAdministrator’sFollow‐upQuestionsandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”
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coalattheproposedterminal.Thecommunitiesarehometomanyresidentswhoareparticularlysusceptibletotheeffectsofincreasedairpollutionbecauseoftheirage,socioeconomicstatus,existingenvironmentalhealthburdens,andpre‐existinghealthconditions.138Thecurrenthealthoutcomesforarearesidentsaredescribedas“grim.”WhencomparedtotheoutcomesforresidentsinthehillsideneighborhoodsofOakland,residentslivingneartheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalareaaremorelikelytosufferfromcardiovasculardisease,includingheartdiseaseandstroke,cancer,anddiabetes.139Theyarealsomorelikelytogivebirthtoprematureorlowbirthweightbabies.140IndividualsborninWestOaklandhavealifeexpectancythatis15yearslessthanindividualsbornintheOaklandHills.141
138Morello‐Frosch,R.etal.(2011).CitedinSustainableSystemsResearchLLC(1665p68).“UnderstandingtheCumulativeImpactsOfInequalitiesInEnvironmentalHealth:ImplicationsForPolicy,”HealthAffairs.http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/30/5/879.Forexample:“Lowneighborhood‐levelsocioeconomicstatusmayalsoamplifytheriskofairpollution–relatedpretermbirths,lowerbirthweight,andadultmortality.”CitedinSustainableSystemsResearch,LLC.“TechnicalMemorandumAirQuality,ClimateChange,andEnvironmentalJusticeIssuesfromOaklandTradeandGlobalLogisticsCenter,”submittedSeptember18,2015.139CommunitiesforaBetterEnvironment,(2010).EastOaklandDieselTruckSurveyReport,www.cbecal.org/wp‐content/uploads/2013/01/Diesel‐truck‐study‐FINAL‐092710.pdf.CitedinGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.140CommunitiesforaBetterEnvironment,(2010).EastOaklandDieselTruckSurveyReport,www.cbecal.org/wp‐content/uploads/2013/01/Diesel‐truck‐study‐FINAL‐092710.pdf.CitedinGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.141CommunitiesforaBetterEnvironment,(2010).EastOaklandDieselTruckSurveyReport,www.cbecal.org/wp‐content/uploads/2013/01/Diesel‐truck‐study‐FINAL‐092710.pdf.CitedinGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.
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Figure6:Mapofimpactedcommunities,outlinedinblueline,withtop15%ofthepollution‐vulnerabilityindex(showninbrown),asdeterminedbytheBAAQMD.Notethattheadjacentcommunitiesarewithinboththetop25%oftheemissionsindexandtheTop15%ofthepollution‐vulnerabilityindex.142
142BAAQMD(2014).“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea:Version2.”http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/Files/Planning%20and%20Research/CARE%20Program/Documents/ImpactCommunities_2_Methodology.ashx?la=enReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”
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Afterreviewinginformationpresentedbypartiesfrombothsidesrelatedtoairqualityimpactsofcoaltransportviarail,theAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentfounditreasonabletoconcludethattherewillbeincreasedemissions,particularlyforthoselivingandworkingnearby,fromfugitivecoaldust,resultinginincreasedhealthconcerns.Ofextremeconcernisthefineparticulatefraction(PM2.5)ofthiscoaldustPM2.5.143ThespreadofcoaldustwillbeexacerbatedbygustsofwindalongtheOaklandshoreline,bytrainspassingeachotheronthetracksneartheterminal,andbyoccasionallyextrememeteorologicalconditions.144Communitiestothewestoftheproposedprojectsiteareparticularlyvulnerabletoincreasesinairpollution,duetotheirexistinghealthstatusandenvironmentalhealthburdens.Moreover,theywillsuffergreaterexposuretothepollutionfromtheprojectbecauseofthewindpatterns,whichareexpectedtoconveyairpollutiontowardthosecommunities.WindanalysisfromtheBAAQMDshowsthat100%ofthewindsinthesummertime,whenpeoplespendthegreatestamountoftimeoutdoors,arefromtheWest.Inthewintertime,stillabout70%ofthetime,thewindisfromtheWest.Manydayshavewindspeedabove10mph.145(SeeFigure7foravisualrepresentationofannualwindpatternsatanearbysite.)
143Davis,Muntu,MD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.TestimonysubmittedOctober6,2015.“ResponsestoCityAdministrator’sFollow‐upQuestionsandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”144CommonwealthofVirginia(1997).ReportoftheJointSubcommitteeStudyingWaystoReduceEmissionsfromCoal‐CarryingRailroadCars,SenateDocumentNo.23.Also:SimpsonWeatherAssociates,Inc.,(1993).“NorfolkSouthernRailEmissionStudy,”December30.http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/By+Year/SD581994/$file/SD58_1994.pdf.CommonwealthofVirginia(1995).ReportoftheJointSubcommitteeStudyingWaystoReduceEmissionsfromCoal‐CarryingRailroadCars,totheGovernorandtheGeneralAssemblyofVirginia,SenateDocumentNo.58.http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/By+Year/SD581994/$file/SD58_1994.pdf.CitedinFox,Phyllis,PHD,PE.TestimonysubmittedSeptember21,2015.“Environmental,Health,andSafetyImpactsoftheProposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal.”145SeeOstro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.FormerChiefoftheAirPollutionEpidemiologySection,CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.
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Figure7.Windrosefor2012attheOaklandsewagetreatmentplant.146Thisshowsthatwindspredominatelyblowfromthewest,towardWestOaklandandtheEastBay,fromtheprojectsite.ThereisahighlikelihoodthatadjacentcommunitieswillexperienceveryhighpeaksofPM2.5intheirneighborhoods,atconcentrationsthatcouldcauseadversehealtheffects.147RecentstudiesoftrainsinWashingtonStatereportedtheaveragepeakinnear‐byconcentrationsofPM2.5ofcoaltrainsweretwicethatoffreight.148Addingcoaldustexposureswilladdpollutiontoaminorityareaalreadysufferingfromdisproportionatepollutioneffectsandwillincreasehealthcarecosts.149PreviousstudiesdoneinotherpartsoftheU.S.foundthatpeoplewholivenearcoalfacilities,butdonotthemselvesworkinminesandothercoalhandlingfacilities,may
146BAAQMD(2013).2012AirMonitoringNetworkPlan,p222.http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/Files/Technical%20Services/2012_Network_Plan.ashx147Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.FormerChiefoftheAirPollutionEpidemiologySection,CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.148Jaffe,D.etal.(2015).“DieselparticulatematterandcoaldustfromtrainsintheColumbiaRiverGorge,WashingtonState,USA,”AtmosphericPollutionResearch,946‐952.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215000057149English,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealth.ImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”
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experiencehighermortalityratesrelatedtoheart,respiratory,andkidneyproblems.150Thesestudiesfoundthatthefollowinghealthoutcomeswereassociatedwithcoalactivities:increasedmortalityrates;increasedincidenceofchronicheart,lung,andkidneydisease;increasedincidenceofadulthospitalizationsforchronicpulmonarydisorders,hypertensionandlungcancer.151Coalfacilitiesworkersarepredominatelymale.However,describedhealthproblemsaffectedbothwomenandmen,indicatingthatthoseeffectsarenotsimplyaresultofdirectoccupationalexposureofthepredominantlymalecoalminers.152Communitiesnearcoal‐handlingterminalshavealsoseenincreasesinhealthproblems.InacommunitynearalargecoalterminalinVirginia,forexample,thenumberofresidentssufferingfromasthmawasfoundtobemorethantwicethecityandstateaverage.153Astudyofchildrenlivingnearacoalbulkhandlingportfoundincreasedprevalenceofrespiratorysymptomsinprimaryschoolchildrenexposedtocoaldust.154Thisporthandledlessthan2milliontonnesatitspeak,lessthanaquarteroftheproposedcapacityoftheterminalinOakland.
150Hendryx,M.etal.(2010).“Ageographicalinformationsystem‐basedanalysisofcancermortalityandpopulationexposuretocoalminingactivitiesinWestVirginia,UnitedStatesofAmerica,”GeospatialHealth.4(2):243–256.Hendryx,M.(2009).“Mortalityfromheart,respiratory,andkidneydiseaseincoalminingareasofAppalachia.”InternationalArchivesofOccupationalandEnvironmentalHealth.82(2):243–249.Hendryx,M.andAhern,M.(2008).“RelationsbetweenhealthindicatorsandresidentialproximitytocoalmininginWestVirginia,”AmericanJournalofPublicHealth.98(4):669–671.Hendryx.M.etal.(2007).“HospitalizationpatternsassociatedwithAppalachiancoalmining,”JournalofToxicologyandEnvironmentalHealth,PartA.70(24):2064–2070.AllcitedinMultnomahCountyHealthDepartment,(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”February2013.ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”AndinGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.151M.Hendryx,M.M.Ahern,PublicHealthRep.124,541(2009).Citedinhttp://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5962/148.fullandGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.“Previousresearchthatexaminedspecificformsofmortalityincoalminingareasfoundthatchronicformsofheart,respiratory,andkidneydisease,aswellaslungcancer,remainedelevatedafteradjustingforsocioeconomicandbehavioralfactors.Elevatedadjustedmortalityoccurredinbothmalesandfemales,suggestingthattheeffectswerenotduetooccupationalexposure,asalmostallcoalminersaremen.Theseillnessesareconsistentwithahypothesisofexposuretowaterandairpollutionfromminingactivities.Thereisevidencethatthecoalminingindustryisasignificantsourceofbothairandwaterpollution.”152HendryxM.(2009).“Mortalityfromheart,respiratory,andkidneydiseaseincoalminingareasofAppalachia.”InternationalArchivesofOccupationalandEnvironmentalHealth.82(2):243–249.Citedinhttp://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5962/148.fullandGutierrez,Irene.Earthjustice.“Re:ProposedOaklandCoalExportTerminal,”TestimonysubmittedSeptember2,2015.153YarnallLoarie,Jessica.“RE:ImproperUseofProposition1BTradeCorridorImprovementFundsforcoalexportfacilityprojectatOaklandArmyBaseRedevelopment.”LettertoLorettaDunn,CaliforniaTransportationCommission,24September2015,p5.154Brabin,B.etal.(1994).“RespiratorymorbidityinMerseysideschoolchildrenexposedtocoaldustandairpollution,”ArchivesofDiseaseinChildhood.70:305‐312.
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4.2.aExistingenvironmentalpollutioninadjacentcommunitiesLowincomeneighborhoodsandcommunitiesofcolorareoftenunjustlyburdenedbyadisproportionatenumberofhazardousfacilitiesthatpollutetheair,groundwaterandsoilwithtoxiccontaminants.155Residentslivingnearsuchfacilitiescanbeexposedtomorepollutantsthanpeoplewholiveinmoreaffluentneighborhoodslocatedfurtherfromthesesourcesofpollution.156InAlamedaCounty,thedensityofindustrialchemicalandfuelreleasesitesinveryhighpovertyneighborhoods,suchasWestOakland,isfourtimeshigherthaninaffluentneighborhoods.(SeeFigure9forgeographicdistributionofexposuretotoxicairpollutantswithcancerrisk.)Inpartasaresultofpoliciesandpractices,suchasdefactoresidentialsegregation,someneighborhoodshavefewerresourcesandweakerinfrastructuretosupportgoodhealth.Thoseneighborhoodsoftenalsohavehigherlevelsofexposurestomultiplestressorsthatharmhealth.157TheCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)hasratedpartsoftheWestOaklandareaassomeofthehighestcensustractsintheStateburdenedbypollution.Forexample,censustract4017inWestOaklandisratedatthe78thpercentileforoverallpollutionburdenandthetoppercentileforclean‐upsitescomparedtoallotherCAcensustracts.158AccordingtotheCalEPA,thecommunityadjacenttotheredevelopmentareaisseverelyburdenedbydieselpollutionandhazardouswasteexposure.159Rsidentsinthosecommunitiessufferfromveryhighratesofasthma.160Additionally,areasofWestOakland
155AsnotedbytheWorldHealthOrganization:“[A]lthoughallpopulationsareaffectedbyairpollution,thedistributionandburdenofconsequentill‐healthareinequitable.Thepooranddisempowered,including…thoselivingnearbusyroadsorindustrialsites,areoftenexposedtohighlevelsofambientairpollution,levelsthatappeartobeworseninginmanycities.”WorldHealthOrganization(2015).“Healthandtheenvironment:addressingthehealthimpactofairpollution,ReportbytheSecretariat,”Sixty‐EighthWorldHealthAssembly.http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA68/A68_18‐en.pdf156Morello‐Frosch,R.etal.(2011).“UnderstandingtheCumulativeImpactsOfInequalitiesInEnvironmentalHealth:ImplicationsForPolicy,”HealthAffairs.http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/30/5/879.CitedinSustainableSystemsResearch,LLC.“TechnicalMemorandumAirQuality,ClimateChange,andEnvironmentalJusticeIssuesfromOaklandTradeandGlobalLogisticsCenter,”submittedSeptember18,2015.157ACPHD2015“EastandWestOaklandHealthData:ExistingCumulativeHealthImpacts,”September3,2015.PresentationandhandoutforWestOaklandResidentialActionCouncilMeeting.158PaulBEnglish,PhD,MPH,14September2015(1,pg7).Englishisapublichealthepidemiologistwithover25yearsofexperienceandholdsadoctoratedegreeinepidemiologyfromtheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,SchoolofPublicHealth.159CalEnviroScreenResultsforCensusTract6001401700,availableathttp://oehha.ca.gov/ej/ces2.html.CitedinEarthjustice252p5.160Asthmaisachroniclungconditionthatcausesswelling,excessmucus,andnarrowingoftheairways.Anasthmaattackoccurswhentheairwaysbecomesoswollenandcloggedthatthepersonhastroublegettingenoughairtobreathe.Thereisnocureforasthma,soeffectivemanagementisessential.SeeCalEnviroScreenResultsforCensusTract6001401700,availableathttp://oehha.ca.gov/ej/ces2.html.CitedinEarthjustice252p5.ThisisasubsetofanareastretchingfromtheSanFranciscoBayeastwardacrossthecityofOaklandthatiscommonlynotedtoincludethecommunitiesofgreatestconcernregardingasthmaburdeninAlamedaCounty.ProgressinpediatricasthmasurveillanceII:geospatialpatternsofasthmainAlamedaCounty,California.RobertsEM,EnglishPB,WongM,WolffC,ValdezS,VandenEedenSK,RayGT.PrevChronicDis.2006Jul;3(3):A92.Epub2006Jun15.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1637800/.Citedin
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havesomeofthehighestratesofemergencyroomvisitsforasthmaforchildreninAlamedaCounty.161Aneconomicanalysisshowedthatthatthehighestcosts(inAlamedaCounty)tosocietyfortreatingasthmaalsooccurredinthisregion.162Allowingconstructionofacoalterminaltogoforwardwillonlyaddtotheseburdensandcreatessubstantialriskstoresidentsinthecommunity.BAAQMDhasdesignatedWesternAlamedaCounty,shadedinredinFigure10,asan“impactedarea,”accordingtoanalysisofapollution‐vulnerabilityindex.Thisimpactedareaincludesnotonlytheproposedprojectsitebutalsotheadjacentcommunities.163
Figure8:Cancerriskandairpollutionlevelsmappedtozipcodeareas:a)cancerriskfromairtoxics,b)annualPM2.5,andc)mean8‐hourozoneabovebackgroundlevels.164
English,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealthImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”161Roberts,E.etal.(2006).ProgressinpediatricasthmasurveillanceII:geospatialpatternsofasthmainAlamedaCounty,California,”PrevChronicDis.CitedinEnglish,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealthImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”162OneZIPcodeintheneighborhoodofWestOakland,94607,hasbeennotedtohaveapediatricasthmahospitalizationrateseventimesthestatewideaverage.Roberts,E.etal.(2006).ProgressinpediatricasthmasurveillanceII:geospatialpatternsofasthmainAlamedaCounty,California,”PrevChronicDis.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1637800/.CitedinEnglish,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealthImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”163BAAQMD(2014).“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea:Version2.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”164BAAQMD2014“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”
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Figure9:ProjectedBayAreacancerrisk‐weightedemissionsfor2015.Thismapshowsthattheadjacentcommunitieshavethehighest2015cancertoxicity‐weightedemissionsofanywhereintheBayArea.Thepollutantsshownhereareexpressedinpoundsperday,witheachpollutantmultipliedbyitsrespectiveunitcancerriskfactor.165
165BAAQMD2014:ImprovingairqualityandhealthinBayAreacommunities:Communityairriskevaluationprogramretrospectiveandpathforward(2004‐2013).April2014.ReferencedinMuntuDavisFeb102016email.
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Figure10:Impactedcommunities,asdefinedbyBAAQMD.ThemethodologyforidentifyingthecommunitieswasdiscussedandreviewedbytheCommunityAirRiskEvaluation(CARE)TaskForce166166BAAQMD(2014).“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea:Version2.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.
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Figure11:AsthmaHospitalVisits(rateper100,000),amongchildren<4yearsofage,inEastOakland,WestOakland,allOakland,andallAlamedaCounty.167Despitethesignificantdecreaseinasthmahospitalvisitsfrom2002‐2013(SeeFigure11:Asthmahospitalvisits),themostrecentpediatricasthmahospitalratesinWestOaklandandEastOaklandaregreaterthantheworstaveragerateforthetimeperiod,forallofAlamedaCounty.Children’shealthinWestOaklandandEastOaklandstillseverelyadverselyaffectedbyasthma(withapproximately900asthma‐relatedhospitalvisitsperyearper100,000residents).Ifcoaltrainscamethroughtheseneighborhoods,itislikelythatthattherateswouldpushupward.
167SentbyMuntuDavis,powerpointfile,10February2016.Source:OfficeofStatewideHealthPlanningandDevelopment,PatientDischargeData.
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Figure12:PotentialcancerriskfromtoxicaircontaminantsfortheBayAreainyear2005(left)and2015(right).168Thefigureshowsrisklevelsassuminga70‐yearexposureataconstantlevelofemissions.Unitsarepotentialexcesscancerspermillionpeopleexposed.Figure12showsthatthecancerriskinmanypartsoftheBayArea,includingadjacentcommunities,haslessenedoverthepastdecadeasadvanceshavebeenmadeinreducingtheveryhighconcentrationsofPM2.5andothercarcinogenicpollutantsfoundinWestOaklandandotherpartsofOakland.Despitetheseimprovements,cancerriskfromtoxicaircontaminantsremainshigherinadjacentcommunitiesthananywhereelseintheBayArea. Recenteffortstobeginreversingthesehighlevelsofairpollutionhavebeensuccessful.Theadditionalairpollutionexpectedtobegeneratedbythetransport,transloading,andhandlingofcoalattheproposedterminalwilllikelyundothehealthgainsthathavestartedtoaccrueaftermanyyearsofhardwork.
4.2.bCumulativeimpactsofpollutioninvulnerablecommunitiesVulnerablemembersofacommunityareoftenreferredtoas“sensitivereceptors,”definedbytheAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentas“membersofthepopulationwhoareparticularlysensitivetotheeffectsofairpollutants,suchaschildren,theelderly,and
168BAAQMD(2014).“ImprovingairqualityandhealthinBayAreacommunities:CommunityAirRiskEvaluationProgramRetrospective&PathForward(2004‐2013).”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”
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peoplewithrespiratoryillnesses.”169Sensitivereceptorscanalso,accordingtotheBAAQMD,befacilitiesorlanduses,suchasschools,hospitals,andresidentialareas,wheresensitivereceptorslive,work,andplay.170StaffatBAAQMDhavebeeninstrumentalindevelopinganddefiningsensitivereceptorsandcumulativeimpactswork.Forvulnerablepopulations,thereisahigherriskofdifferentialexposure,susceptibilityandsensitivity,differentialpreparedness,anddifferentialabilitytorecoverasaresultofcumulativeenvironmentalstress.171Forexample,thereisconcernthatvulnerablemembersofthegeneralpopulationmaynotcurrentlybeadequatelyprotectedfromexposuretorespirablesilicainoutdoorair.172
169Davis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”170BAAQMD(2014).“ImprovingairqualityandhealthinBayAreacommunities:CommunityAirRiskEvaluationProgramRetrospective&PathForward(2004‐2013).”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”171EPA(2003).“FrameworkforCumulativeRiskAssessment,”May2003,EPA/630/P‐02/001F;“Concepts,Methods,andDataSourcesforCumulativeHealthRiskAssessmentofMultipleChemicals,ExposuresandEffects:AResourceDocument,”August2007,EPA/600/R‐06/013F.CitedinSustainableSystemsResearch,LLC.“TechnicalMemorandumAirQuality,ClimateChange,andEnvironmentalJusticeIssuesfromOaklandTradeandGlobalLogisticsCenter,”submittedSeptember18,2015. 172“EPAconcludedthat‘forhealthyindividualsnotcompromisedbyotherrespiratoryailmentsandforambientenvironmentsexpectedtocontainlessthan10%crystallinesilicafractioninPM‐10,themaintenanceof50μg/m3annualNAAQSforPM‐10shouldbeadequatetoprotectagainstthesilicoticeffectsfromambientcrystallinesilicaexposures’.ThisstandardwasbaseduponaverageambientconcentrationsofsilicainUnitedStatesandriskwascalculatedbyconvertingambientexposurestoequivalentoccupationalexposures.Noepidemiologicalstudieswerecarriedoutinthecommunitytoderivethestandards.Consideringamaximumof10%silicaindust,aninterimstandardof5μg/m3forambientsilicacanbeassumed.”Bhagia,L.(2012).“Non‐occupationalexposuretosilicadust,”IndianJOccupEnvironMed.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3683189/Notethat5ug/m3exceedstheOEHHAchronicRELof3ug/m3.
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Figure13:Thepollution‐vulnerabilityindexusesinformationonairpollutionlevelsandhealthoutcomesforeachzipcodearea.Onlypopulatedportionsofeachzipcodeareaareshown.173Notethatcommunitiesadjacenttotheproposedprojectsiteareamongthosewiththeveryhighestpollution‐vulnerabilityindex.
173BAAQMD2014“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea.”(referencedinMuntuDavisFeb102016)
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Communitieswithapredominatelylow‐incomepopulationandhigherpopulationsofracialorethnicminorities,coupledwithhighercombinedstressorssuchasnoise,crime,andunder‐employmenthaveelevatedstresslevelsaswellasreducedresiliencytotheaddedhealthburdenofairpollution174Incombinationwithreducedaccesstohealthcarethesefactorscreatehigherriskofserioushealthconsequences.(SeeTable5:Examplesofvulnerabilityfactors.)Table5:Examplesofvulnerabilityfactors,intermediateoutcomes,andhealthoutcomesinvulnerablecommunities.BasedoninformationprovidedfromBAAQMD2014.175VulnerabilityFactors Intermediateoutcomes Healthoutcomes
Low‐incomecommunities Communitieswithhigher
populationsofracialorethnicminorities
Communitieswithcombinedstressors(noise,crime,under‐employment,etc.)
Underlyingchronichealthconditions(e.g.hypertension,diabetes,cardiovasculardisease,
Malnutrition
Lessaccesstohealthcare
Elevatedstresslevels Reducedresiliencyto
airpollutionandotherenvironmentalconsequences
Asthma Cancer Heartdisease Stroke Lowbirthweight/
prematurebirth/smallforgestationalage
TheAlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentreferstheCitytothefollowingexplanationof“cumulativeimpact”:“[T]heimpactontheenvironment,whichresultsfromtheincrementalimpactoftheactionwhenaddedtootherpast,present,andreasonablyforeseeablefutureactionsregardlessofwhatagency(Federalornon‐Federal)orpersonundertakessuchotheractions.Cumulativeimpactscanresultfromindividuallyminorbutcollectivelysignificantactionstakingplaceoveraperiodoftime.”176174BAAQMD(2014).“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea:Version2.”Davis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”175BAAQMD(2014).“IdentifyingareaswithcumulativeimpactsfromairpollutionintheSanFranciscoBayArea:Version2.”Davis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”176Davis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”ReferencingDepartmentofTransportationFederalHighwayAdministration,“Howandwherearedirect,secondary,indirect,andcumulativeeffectsandimpactsdefined?”https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/projdev/qaimpact.asp.Thefollowingisadditionalinformationoncumulativeimpacts:“Cumulativeimpactanalysismaybethoughtofasacomparisonofthepast,present,andreasonableforeseeablehealthorconditionofaspecificresourceasdescribedinthefollowingairqualityexample.Theairqualityofanareatodayisinameasurablecondition,relativetotheNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS).Inthepast,perhapsrecently,thequalityoftheairmayhavebeenworse,thesame,orbetterthanitistodaydependingonanumberoffactorssuchasautomobileuse,industry,residential
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Figure14:Cumulativeimpactdiagram.177ApreviousanalysisofrailtransportofcoalinOregon,includingspatialanalyses,foundthatthefollowingshouldbeconsideredvulnerablepopulations,amongothers:
development(fireplaces),andclimaticconditions.Eachoftheseindividualfactorsmayhaveinfluencedthepositiveornegativechangeintheairqualityofthearea.Theconditionoftheairtodayistheresultofthesefactors,whichconstitutesthepasteffectsofthecumulativeimpactquestion.Addtheimpactsoftheproposedproject,otheroccurringactivities,andthepositiveandnegativereasonablyforeseeableimpactsfromanysource(someofwhichmaybeindirect)andtheresultequatestotheairqualitycumulativeimpact.”177DepartmentofTransportationFederalHighwayAdministration,[nodate]“Howandwherearedirect,secondary,indirect,andcumulativeeffectsandimpactsdefined?”https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/projdev/qaimpact.asp.
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Table6:ExamplesofvulnerablecommunityorsensitivereceptorattributesCategoryofvulnerability/sensitivereceptors DetailsPeoplelivingclosetoraillinescarryingcoal178 Coaldustmaytravelapproximately500mto2km
(1/3to1¼miles)fromthetraintracks,dependingonweatherconditionsandtrainspeed179
Peoplewhoaresusceptiblebecauseoftheirage Humanembryos,infants,children,andolderadults180
Peoplewithunderlyingacuteorchronichealthconditions
Race,ethnicity,income,and/orlevelofexposuretootherhealthrisks181
Pregnantwomen,especiallywithpregnancycomplications
Exposuretoairpollutionduringsusceptiblefetaldevelopmentalwindowsleadstopoorbirthoutcomesandriskofdiseasethroughoutlife182
178MultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”179TrivediR,TewaryBK,ChakrabortyMK.(2009).“DustdispersionmodelingusingfugitivedustmodelatanopencastcoalprojectofWesternCoalfieldsLimited,India.JournalofScientificandIndustrialResearch.68:71–78.InMultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).Seealso:Brabin,B.etal.(1994).“RespiratorymorbidityinMerseysideschoolchildrenexposedtocoaldustandairpollution,”ArchivesofDiseaseinChildhood.70:305‐312.CitedinMultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”180MultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”181MultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”Thereferencenotesthat“[a]widebodyofresearchhasfoundthatraceandethnicityareassociatedwithhealthstatus—independentofpovertystatus—becauseofstress,accesstohealthcare,otherfactors.”182Morello‐Frosch,R.andShenassa,E.D.(2006).“Theenvironmental"riskscape"andsocialinequality:implicationsforexplainingmaternalandchildhealthdisparities,”EnvironHealthPerspect,114(8):p.1150‐3.Also:Nepomnyaschy,L.andN.E.Reichman(2006).“Lowbirthweightandasthmaamongyoungurbanchildren,”AmericanJournalofPublicHealth,96(9):p.1604.Also:Barker,D.J.P.,(2004).Thedevelopmentaloriginsofadultdisease.JournaloftheAmericanCollegeofNutrition,23(6):p.588S‐595S.Langley‐Evans,S.C.andS.McMullen(2010).“Developmentaloriginsofadultdisease,”MedPrincPract,2010.19(2):p.87‐98.
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ForpeoplewhofallintoseveralofthecategorieslistedinTable6,risksmaybemultiplied.183Thismeansthat,youngoroldresidentslivinginWestOakland,especiallythosewithpre‐existingchronichealthconditions(suchasasthmaordiabetes),willlikelyexperiencelevelsofrisk(associatedwithcoaltransport,handling,andexport)farbeyondthoseexpectedamongthegeneralpopulation.184(SeeTable2:CharacteristicsofSusceptibleGroups.)
4.3Effectsofcoalonvisitors’andrecreationalusers’healthWorkersattheterminalandinadjacentareas,andthetensofthousandsofresidentslivingdownwindoftheterminal,arenottheonlypeoplewhowillbeexposedtocoaldustfromtheproposedproject:thousandsofvisitorstoOaklandwillbeexposedtocoaldusteachyear,includingthosewalking,running,bicycling,rollerblading,skateboarding,orotherwiseusingtherecreationalareasdesignedtobeimmediatelyadjacenttotheterminal’sstorageareas,suchasMiddleHarborPark.185ConceptualdrawingssubmittedbyTLSshowthatcoalwouldbestoredlessthanonehundredfeetfromapubliclyaccessiblerecreationalpathanddockimmediatelyadjacenttotheterminal.(SeeFigure15.)TheEastBayRegionalParksDistrictisactivelyconcernedabouttheeffectsofcoaldustonconstituentswhovisitparksandpublicareasneartheproposedterminal.Highlightingtheriskstothoseusingexistingparksandfuture“GatewayPark,”186aregionalparkcurrently
183MultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”ReferencedinDavis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”Thereferencenotesthat“[a]widebodyofresearchhasfoundthatraceandethnicityareassociatedwithhealthstatus—independentofpovertystatus—becauseofstress,accesstohealthcare,otherfactors.”184Asjustoneexample,peoplewithdiabeteswhohaveelevatedurinarylevelsofcadmiummaybemoresusceptibletorenalfailure.Nawrot,T.S.etal.(2010).“Cadmiumexposureinthepopulation:fromhealthriskstostrategiesofprevention,”Biometals.185Peopleengagedinphysicalactivities(bicyclists,pedestrians,runners,etc.)arelikelytohaveincreasedrespiratoryrates,meaningthattheybreatheinmoreairperunittimethanthosesittinginthesamearea.Giventheunderlyinghealthconcernsofthesurroundingcommunity,breathingaircontaminatedbyexcessparticulatematterwouldincreasethelikelihoodofadversehealthevents,suchasasthmaattacks,amongthoseengagedinactivetransportation.186“ThecreationofanewparkisproposedattheeasttouchdownoftheSanFrancisco‐OaklandBayBridgeinOakland,California.Thelinearparkincludesapproximately170acres,fromthewaterfrontnearthetouchdownofthenewEastSpantoMandelaParkwayinWestOakland.ItsworkingtitleisGatewayPark.InadditiontoopeningupaccesstothewaterfrontandprovidingvistasoftheBayandthenewbridge,theparkwillconnecttheEastSpanbicycle/pedestrianpathwiththelocalbikepathnetworkandtheBayTrail.TrailuserswillbeinremarkableproximitytohistoricmovementsystemssuchastheKeySystemtrainroute,aswellascontemporarymovementsystemsincludingmunicipalutilities,portactivitiesandinterstatehighways.”http://baybridgegatewaypark.org.s3‐website‐us‐west‐1.amazonaws.com/plan/index.htm
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beingdevelopedbyapproximatelytenregionalagenciesandcitygovernmententities,,theDirectoroftheEastBayRegionalParkDistrictBoard,JohnSutter,wroteinanOctober2015lettertoMayorSchaaf,“Therisktoourparkusersisobvious.Thegradefromtheparktothebridge(alongtheAlexZuckermannPath)willbeuphilltherebyexertingbikers,joggersandwalkerswhowillprobablyinhalecoaldustintheprocess.”187
Figure15:“Conceptualcivilsiteplan”drawingcreatedbyHDRforOBOT/TLS/CCIGinJuly2015188TheEastBayRegionalParkDistrictpassedaresolutioninNovember2015explainingthattheneweasternspanoftheOakland‐SanFranciscoBayBridgefeaturestheverypopularAlexanderZuckermannbicycleandpedestrianpathalongitssouthernedgewhichisnowadestinationofregionalsignificance;andthepathwaywillconnecttoasegmentoftheBayTrailonaspitofU.S.Armypropertylocatedattheeastendofthebridge,whichisplannedtobetransferredtotheEastBayRegionalParkDistrictforthedevelopmentofGatewayPark;andthepossibilityofdailyreleaseofcoaldustdirectlyadjacenttoaparkiscountertotheDistrict'smissiontoprovidehealthfulrecreationandincludeanenvironmentalethicintheDistrict'sactivity;andcoaldustpresentsclearhealthriskstocommunities,astests
187Sutter,John.EastBayRegionalParkDistrict.LettertoMayorSchaaf,October52015.188HDR,“ConceptualCivilSitePlan,”datedJuly17,2015.PartofTLSBasisofDesigndocuments.Downloadedfromhttp://tlsoakland.com/pdf/19.pdf.
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showthatcoaldustcontainssubstancesknowntoimpacthumanhealthincludingarsenic,lead,chromium,nickel,seleniumandothertoxicheavymetals.TheAlexZuckermannPathiscurrentlyopentothepublicandislikelytobeevenmoreheavilyusedasitislinkedtoTreasureIslandandotherbikeinfrastructureinthefuture.EBRPDis“anactive,committedleaderintheinternationalHealthyParksHealthyPeoplemovement”189whichseeksto“reframetheroleofparksandpubliclandsasanemerging,powerfulhealthpreventionstrategy”and“harnessesthepowerofparksandpubliclandsinpromotingthehealthofpeopleandtheenvironment.”190Giventheelevatedlevelsofrespiratoryillnessandotherdiseasesamongthoselivingclosetotheproposedcoalfacility,expectedairpollutioninthepark,asaresultofthisproposedproject,isofparticularconcern.
Figure16:GatewayPark(ProposedPlan;SubjecttoChange)191ThereareplansunderwaytoupgradeinfrastructureforpedestriansandbicyclistswithintheformerOaklandArmyBaseandinadjacentneighborhoods.TheCityisactivelyseekingfundstoattractbicyclistsandpedestrianstotheareaimmediatelyadjacenttotheproposedterminal,fromtheAlamedaCountyTransportationCommission.192AmongthegoalsstatedbytheCityinitsapplicationisthefollowing:“TheprojectwillalsoimproveinternalaccessandsafetyforpedestriansandcyclistswithintheformerOaklandArmyBase,specifically
189SeeEastBayRegionalParkResolution,AppendixA4.190SeeNationalParkServiceHealthyParksHealthyPeopleUS:https://www.nps.gov/public_health/hp/hphp.htm.191GatewayPark:proposedplan,subjecttochange.Downloadedfromhttp://baybridgegatewaypark.org.s3‐website‐us‐west‐1.amazonaws.com/plan/index.htmon31May2016.192“OaklandArmyBasetransportationinfrastructureimprovements,”CityofOaklandapplicationtotheAlamedaCountyTransportationCommission2016CountywideTransportationPlan,RTP240024.
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alongMaritimeStreetandWestBurmaandEngineersRoadandconnectionstotheadjoiningWestOaklandneighborhood.”193
5.COALCOMBUSTION,EXPLOSIONANDOTHEREMERGENCIES
5.1Self‐heating,combustion,spontaneouscombustionofcoalBituminouscoal,suchasthecoalproposedtobehandledthroughthisproject,ishighlyvolatile.“Itiswellknownthathigh‐volatilebituminouscoalis easiertosetalightthananthracitewithitslowvolatilemattercontent.Inasituationwherecoalispresentasfinelydisperseddustparticles,thisprinciplestillholdstrueandmorehighlyvolatilecoaldustparticlesaremorepronetopresentingadustexplosionhazardthancoalswithlowvolatiles.”194 Itisnotuncommonforcoaltoself‐heatandbeginburningwithoutaseparateignitionsourcewhenitisstoredinstockpiles,asproposedinthisproject,orduringtraintransport,especiallyifitwaspreviouslystoredinstockpilesbeforetransport.Self‐heatingmostoftenoccursinoutdoorpilestorage,butitispossiblewithotherkindsofstorage.195Coalhasanignitiontemperatureof260‐265degreesF.196The(former)UnitedStatesBureauofMinesdefinedtheVolatileRatioasfollows:VolatileRatio=[VolatileMatterContent(%)]/[VolatileMatterContent(%)+FixedCarbonContent(%)].CoalwithVolatileRatiosinexcessof12%(0.12)canbothcatchonfireandexplode.197
193OthergoalsstatedontheCity’sapplicationinclude:“ImprovementstothemajorthoroughfaresontheArmyBasewillimprovepedestrianandbicyclesafety,includingabikelaneonMaritimeStreetandotherimprovementsonBurmaRoadandEngineersRoad.”(p7)“BicycleandpedestrianaccessalongMaritimeStreetwillbegreatlyimproved,includinglinkagestotheBayTrailandfutureBayBridgePath.TherightofwaysafetyonMaritimeStreetinparticulariscurrentlyextremelypoorandwillbesignificantlyimprovedforbothpedestriansandbicycliststhroughthereconstructionandwideningofMaritimeStreetbetween7thStreetandWestGrandAvenue.”(p8)See“OaklandArmyBasetransportationinfrastructureimprovements,”CityofOaklandapplicationtotheAlamedaCountyTransportationCommission2016CountywideTransportationPlan,RTP240024.194deCorte,GJandMangena,SJ.(2004)ThermalDryingofFineandUltra‐fineCoal,ReportNo.2004–0255.195https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_3644.pdf196Sprague,“BituminousCoal:MaterialSafetyDataSheet.”TLSBasisofDesignSection8p7.197Seeforexample:Stephan,C.[nodate].“Coaldustexplosionhazards.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.
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Table7:VolatileratioincoalfromBowieResourcesminesinUtah198BowieResourcesminename
Volatilemattercontent(%)
Fixedcarboncontent(%)
Volatileratio(%)
Highlyvolatile?
Pronetocoaldustexplosion?
DugoutCanyon 34.80 46.70 42.69 Yes YesSkyline 39.20 40.80 49.00 Yes YesSufco 34.00 44.50 43.31 Yes YesThecombustionpotentialofcoalandcoaldustishighwhen(1)thevolatilemattercontentofthecoalishigh,(2)coaldustcomposedofverysmallparticlesispresent,andevenmoresoif(3)methanegasispresent,asisforeseenandexpectedbytheprojectsponsors.199Utahcoalsareconsideredhighlyvolatile,whichmeansthattheygiveoffgasessuchasmethane.Whenthegasescollectinanenclosedarea,suchasinacoveredrailcaroranenclosedstoragespace,concentrationsmaybecomehighenoughtocausethreatofamajorfireorexplosion.Themorecoalthereis,themorefueltherewillbeforafire.Ifthecoal,andespeciallyfinecoaldust,isexposedtohighheatoranignitionspark(whichcouldbeasimpleasanelectricalorstaticspark),fireorexplosionwillresult.Coaldustthathasformedasalayeronasurfacemaysmolderatfirst,andthissmolderingcancausesmallexplosionsthatre‐suspendcoaldust.Suspendedcoaldust(dustthatispresentintheair)hasthepotentialtocauseverylarge,damaging,andpotentiallyfatalexplosions.Thissituationalsocanoccurwhenlargeamountsofveryfinedustaregeneratedinanenclosedspace.Theseaspectsarecombinedinametriccalledthe“MinimumExplosiveConcentration”(MEC).“TheMECdependsonanumberoffactors,suchasthevolatilemattercontentofthecoal,theparticlesizedistributionofthecoalandalsoonwhetherornotapotentiallycombustiblegassuchasmethaneispresent.TypicalMECvaluesformedium‐volatilebituminouscoalareoftheorderof40to50gpercubicmetreofair.”200Spontaneouscombustionalsoispossibleinpilesofcoaldust.201Dustexplosionsand/orfirecanoccurwhencoaldustconcentrationsarehighenough,thereisanignitionsource,
198DatafromBowieResourcePartnersLLCwebsites:http://bowieresources.com/about‐us/199“ThetoxicandexplosivegasesthatmaybegeneratedduringstoragearecarbonmonoxidefromCOMMODITY,duetospontaneouscombustion,andmethane.”TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,309p167.200deCorte,GJandMangena,SJ.(2004)ThermalDryingofFineandUltra‐fineCoal,ReportNo.2004–0255.201Sprague,“BituminousCoal:MaterialSafetyDataSheet.”TLSBasisofDesignSection8p8.Also:“Smallparticlesofcoalrequirelessenergythanlargerparticlestotriggeranignition.Theliteraturesuggeststhatcoalparticleslargerthanabout800micronscannotbeignitedeasilyenoughtopresentacoaldustexplosionhazard.Particlessmallerthanthis,however,docontributetoanexplosionhazardandthefinertheparticles,thegreaterthepropensitytowardseasyignition.Thevolatilemattercontentofthecoalalsoplaysaroleinthisregardandsmallparticlesofhigh‐volatilecoalrequireonlyarelativelysmallamountofenergyforignitiontostart.Theultra‐finecoalsizefractionistypicallybelow150micronsinsizeandhencemostdefinitelyfallsintothesizeconsistofcoalthatmaybeconsideredpronetodustexplosions.Spiral‐sizedcoalalsocontainsarelativelylargeproportionofmaterialthatisfinerthan800microns.”
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andoxygenispresent.202Coaldustcanigniteasasuspendeddustbedinair,orasaprecipitateddustlayer,withtheignitingenergythatcanbeprovidedbyasparkorevenhumanstaticdischarge.203BNSFhasacknowledgedthatcoaldustcausesfiresinplaceswhereitaccumulates.204ThehealthandsafetyimpactreportcommissionedbyTLS,coalinfrastructureprojectsponsors,recognizesthatsignificantcombustionriskfromcoaldustispresent:“…theemissionsshouldbecontrolledproperlytoeliminatethatpotential,aswellastoavoidposingasignificantexplosion/firehazardforworkersorportinfrastructureoranuisancetothepublic.”205TLSrepeatedlystatedthatitistheirintentiontocreateafullyenclosedstoragefacilityforcoalattheterminal.206Thestoragefacilityisalternatelydescribedashavingafabriccoveringovermetalsupports,orbeingadome‐likestructure.However,thereisevidencethatthespecifictypeofUtahcoaldestinedforexportfromthisterminalhasahistoryofspontaneouscombustionwhenstoredinenclosedareasandmayhavetobestoredoutside.207Theriskoffireexistsanywheresignificantamountsofcoalareinuseorstorage.208Thereisanon‐negligibleriskofexplosionand/orfireincoalstoragefacilitiestobebuiltattheterminal.Assuchbothworkersattheterminalandpeoplelivinginorvisitingadjacentcommunitieswillbeatriskofsufferinginjuriesandpossibledeathfromcoalexplosionsandexposuretopost‐explosioncoalcombustionemissions,whichareconsideredtoxicandarelistedontheProp65listofchemicalsknowntocausecancerorreproductivetoxicityinhumans.209Long‐lastingfiresarepossibleinenclosed,evenundergroundcoalstorage
202English,Paul,PhD,MPH.TestimonysubmittedSeptember14,2015.“RE:PublicHealthImpactsofCoalExportsattheFormerOaklandArmyBase.”203Sipila,J.(2013).“Emergingriskissuesinundergroundstorageofbituminouscoal.”AaltoUniversity166/2013.204BNSF(2011).“BNSF‐Customers‐WhatICanShip‐Coal‐CoalDustFAQs,Mar2,2011.”ScreenshotsentbyDr.MuntuDavis,MD,MPHtoZoeChafe,10February2016.205HDRreport“OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalAirQualityandHumanHealthandSafetyAssessmentofPotentialCoalDustEmissions”(Sept2015)p6206LetterfromJerryBridges,PresidentandCEOofTLS,toHonorableMayor(ofOakland)LibbySchaaf,July15,2015.304p1‐5.207UtahcoalfromtheSUFCOminewasusedinaDepartmentofEnergy/NationalEnergyTechnologyLaboratorydemonstrationprojectinNevadaintheearly2000s.Thecoalwasstoredina16,400toncapacitydome,untilitcaughtonfireandhadtobemovedoutside.“Someproblemswereencounteredwithspontaneouscombustionofcoalinthedome…Thesolutionwastostorethecoaloutside.”DepartmentofEnergy(2002).“PiñonPineIGCCPowerProject:ADOEAssessment,DOE/NETL‐2003/1183.”https://www.netl.doe.gov/File%20Library/Research/Coal/major%20demonstrations/cctdp/Round4/PinonPineR2.pdf.CitedinNoCoalinOaklandtestimony,September18,2015.208DepartmentofEnergy(1993).“TheFireBelow:SpontaneousCombustioninCoal,”EnvironmentalSafety&HealthBulletin,IssueEH‐93‐4,May1993.209CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCause
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facilitiesinindustrializedsettings.In2008inFinlandasmolderingfirelasted4monthsinanundergroundstoragefacility.210Carefuldesignofcoalprocessing,handling,andstoragefacilitiesisnotenough.Evenifsafetyprotocolsarefollowed,coalandcoaldustareverycombustibleandcanposesubstantialriskandsubstantialdamagefromfiresandexplosions,butalsohealththreatsfromcoalcombustionemissions.211Severalscientificstudieshavefoundthatmany(perhapseventhemajorityof)explosionsincoalprocessingandstoragefacilitiesoccurasaresultof“humanerror”and“technicalfailure/malfunctionofcomponentorequipment”inareassuchassilosandhoppers.212Whencoalisburned,itcreatesfineparticulatematterandpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)andoftenresultsinthereleaseofmercuryandleadintotheenvironment.“Emissionsfromcombustionofcoal”wasaddedtotheCaliforniaEPAOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)listofchemicalsknowntotheStatetocausecancerforpurposesofProposition65.213Othertoxicairpollutantsemittedwhencoalburnsincludemetalssuchaschromiumandarsenic,whichcancausearangeofdangeroushealthproblemsinadults,fromcancertorespiratoryillnesses.”214Ifcoalweretoburnattheterminalorwhilebeingtransported,unexpectedly,itwouldnothaveanyofthepollutionreductiontechnologiesthatmustbeusedincoal‐firedpowerplantsorothercoalburningfacilities.Theemissionswouldbeuncontrollableforthedurationofthefire,emittingproductsofincompletecombustion.DuringtherelativelyshorttimethatthePortofLosAngeleshadacoalandpetcoketerminal,therewereseveralseriousincidentsthatthreatenedhealthandsafetyofthoseworkingattheterminalaswellascommunitiesinthearea.Apieceofequipmentusedtotransfercoalandpetroleumcoke(shiploader)caughtfiretwiceinsixmonths(inSeptember2000andFebruary2001).Partoftheequipmentmalfunctioned,causingtemperatureshighenoughtoignitecoalandpetcokeparticlesthathadenteredthe
Cancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer.210Sipila(2013).“EmergingRiskIssuesinUndergroundStorageofBituminousCoal,”AaltoUniversity.And:Sipila(2013).“Emergingriskofautoignitionandfireinundergroundcoalstorage”JournalofRiskResearchhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13669877.2012.729525.211Sipila(2013).“EmergingRiskIssuesinUndergroundStorageofBituminousCoal,”AaltoUniversity.212Fabiano(2014).“Coaldustemissions:Fromenvironmentalcontroltoriskminimizationbyundergroundtransport.Anapplicativecase‐study,”ProcessSafetyandEnvironmentalProtection.213CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2013).“ChemicalListedEffectiveAugust7,2013asKnowntotheStateofCaliforniatoCauseCancer:EmissionsfromCombustionofCoal.”http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition‐65/crnr/chemical‐listed‐effective‐august‐7‐2013‐known‐state‐california‐cause‐cancer214EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)(2016).“Finalconsiderationofcostintheappropriateandnecessaryfindingforthemercuryandairtoxicsstandardsforpowerplants.”https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016‐05/documents/20160414_mats_ff_fr_fs.pdf
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bearings.Thiscausedachainreactionthatcausedthefiretospreadtootherpartsoftheequipment.215Federalagenciesarecallingforstricterstandardsoncombustibledust,indicatingthatcurrentstandardsdonotadequatelyprotectworkersintheUSandthatfailuretocreateacomprehensivecombustibleduststandardcouldcostlives.216TheUSChemicalSafetyBoard,anindependentfederalagencythatinvestigateschemicalaccidentstoprotectworkers,thepublic,andtheenvironment,callstheneedfora“generalindustrystandardforcombustibledust”the“MostWantedSafetyImprovement.”217
5.2ExplosionCoalisexplosivewhenindustorpowderform.Itdoesnottakemuchcoaldusttocauseanexplosion,andinfact,thedustmaybehardlyvisiblebutstillsufficienttocauseanexplosion.“Iffootprintsarevisibleincoaldustonthefloororthecoaldustisseenonthewallsofaplant,thenthereisenoughcoaldustatthatparticularlocationtopropagateanexplosion.”218Coaldustexplosionscreateincrediblydamagingforces.“Thespeedanddurationofthemovingairinanexplosioniscapableofdispersingadditionalcoaldustfromthefloor,walls,overheadbeams,andequipment,”whichcanthenfeedasecondaryfireand/orexplosion.Inmostcoaldustexplosions,theairspeedhasbeenfoundtoexceed200milesperhour.219Recentcoaldustexplosiontragediesinclude: OakCreek,Wisconsin,2009:Sixworkerswereinjuredwhencoaldust,collectedoffof
arrivingcoaltrains,explodedinasilothatwasusedtocatchthedust.220 SouthDakota,2011:Twofirefighterswerekilledwhentherewasafireinacoalstorage
area.Firefightersbroughtitundercontrolatfirst,butitflaredupagain.Twofirefightersthenclimbedontotheroofanddirectedawaterhosestreamthroughahatch.Anexplosionkilledbothofthem.Theexplosionmayhaveinvolvedcombustibledust,flammablegases,steam,oracombinationofthesefactors.221
215Exponent(nodate).“CokeandCoalShiploaderFire:LosAngelesPort.”http://www.exponent.com/experience/coke‐and‐coal‐shiploader‐fire‐los‐angeles‐port/216Moure‐Eraso,R.(2014).“TheDangerofCombustibleDust,”NewYorkTimes,Aug22,2014.Quotefromeditorial:“Dustexplosionsarereadilypreventablewithengineeringcontrols,ventilation,trainingandothermeasures.Thevoluntary,industry‐supportednationalfirecodeshaveurgedthesemeasuresfordecades,andtheynowmustbecodifiedandenforcedthroughfederalregulations.”“Inactioncouldcostlives.”217ChemicalSafetyBoard,[nodate].“MostWantedSafetyImprovement:OSHACombustibleDustStandard,”http://www.csb.gov/recommendations/mostwanted/combustibledust/viewed12May2016.218Stephan,C.[nodate].“Coaldustexplosionhazards.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.219Stephan,C.[nodate].“Coaldustexplosionhazards.”MineSafetyandHealthAdministration.220Kertscher(2009).“WeEnergiescoaldustsiloexplosioninjures6workers,”http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/38864087.html221OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)(2013).“FirefightingPrecautionsatFacilitieswithCombustibleDust,”https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_3644.pdf
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GreenBay,Wisconsin,1991:Dustinafacilitywasignitedbyaminorexplosion,orpuff,whichtriggeredamassiveexplosion,blowingouttheouterbuildingwallsandroof.Therehadalsobeenpreviousfiresatthefacility,whichusesbituminouscoal..222
Dearborn,Michigan,1999:Sixpeoplewerekilledanddozensmoresustainedseriousinjurieswhenaninitialexplosioncauseddisturbedcoaldusttoalsoexplodeinsideafacility.223Thisexplosioncaused$1billioninpropertylosses.224
Thereareotherexplosionrisksassociatedwithcoal,beyondcoaldustaccumulation.Coalstockpilesemitmethane,andhandlingandstorageofcoalisexpectedtogeneratecarbonmonoxideduetospontaneouscombustion.225Projectsponsorssubmitteddocumentsstatingthatthecommoditywillbestoredoutdoor(contradictingmuchoftheinformationprovided,whichstatesthatcommoditywouldbestoredinfullyenclosedfacilities)andappearstoimplythatnaturaldispersionwillbereliedupontodissipateanygasesreleased.226
5.3DerailmentCoaldustisknowntocausetrainderailmentsbyweakeninganddestabilizingtraintracks.227Coaldustcontributestorailproblemsbecauseitaccumulatesinballast,thematerialplacedunderrailroadtrackstoprovidedrainageandstructuralsupporttothetracks,reducingtheeffectivenessoftheballast.228(SeeFigure17.)Accumulationofcoal
222HossfeldandHatt,(2005).“PRBCoaldegradationcausesandcures,”http://www.coalcombustion.com/pdf/PresentationsPDFs/PRBCoalDegradation.pdf223OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration[nodate].“PotentialforNaturalGasandCoalDustExplosionsinElectricalPowerGeneratingFacilities,”TechnicalInformationBulletin.https://www.osha.gov/dts/tib/tib_data/tib20001106a.pdf.Seealso:ChemicalandHazardInvestigationBoard(2006).“InvestigationReport:CombustibleDustHazardStudy.”REPORTNO.2006‐H‐1.http://www.csb.gov/assets/1/19/dust_final_report_website_11‐17‐06.pdf.224Bresland,J.(2010).WrittenTestimonyBeforetheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesCommitteeonEducationandLaborSubcommitteeonWorkforceProtectionsHearingon“ExaminingtheTragicExplosionattheKleenEnergyPowerPlantinMiddletown,Connecticut”June28,2010.U.S.ChemicalSafetyBoardhttp://www.csb.gov/assets/1/19/FINAL_Bresland_Written_Testimony_Kleen_Energy.pdf225309,“TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,”forexample,p167:“ThetoxicandexplosivegasesthatmaybegeneratedduringstoragearecarbonmonoxidefromCOMMODITY,duetospontaneouscombustion,andmethane.”226“COMMODITYstorageisoutdoorsandanygasesreleasedoutdoorswillbedispersed.”TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,p167.227Coaldustisconsidereda“persistentballastfoulant”bytheSurfaceTransportationBoard.Foulingreferstotheconditionofrailroadballastwhenvoidsinthisunboundaggregatelayerarefilledwithrelativelyfinermaterialsorfoulingagents,suchascoaldust.Coaldust,inparticular,isaconcerningballastfoulantbecauseittrapsmoisture(SeeHuang,H.etal.(2009).“LaboratoryCharacterizationofFouledRailroadBallastBehavior,”TransportationResearchRecord:JournaloftheTransportationResearchBoard,No.2117,TransportationResearchBoardoftheNationalAcademieshttp://trrjournalonline.trb.org/doi/pdf/10.3141/2117‐12)228“Theblockageofthedrainagepathwaysbythefoulingagentsslowsandreducestheballast’sdrainagecapabilities.Whenthishappens,watercanremainontheballastparticlesurfacesandcanevenaccumulate
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dustleadstotrainderailments,ofbothcoaltrainsandothertrainsusingtheaffectedtracks.Scientiststestingmaterialsthataccumulatearoundrailroadtracksfoundthatcoaldustwas“byfartheworstfoulingagentforitsimpactontracksubstructureandroadbed,anditcausedthemostdrasticdecreasesinshearstrength,especiallyathighfoulinglevels.”229SurfaceTransportationBoard,thefederalgovernmententity,highlightedthatcoaldustisnotnecessarilyvisiblepriortoatrackfailure.230Buildupofcoaldusthasinthepastresultedintrackdamagesoseverethatrailroadsegmentshavehadtoberebuilt,disruptingthedeliveryofgoods.231
Figure17:Representationofhowcoaldustcandestabilizetraintracksbyfillinginspacesbetweentheballast.Inthisfigure,(a)represents“cleanballast”;(b)represents‘partiallyfouledballast”;and(c)represents“heavilyfouledballast”.232
withintheballastsection.Theseconditionsweakentheballast’sloadcarryingcapacity,thewateressentiallyactingasalubricantbetweentheballastparticles.Additionally,thefoulingagentsthemselvescanactasalubricantontheballastparticlesurfaces.Wherelargeportionsofballastarefouled,thetrackthencanbecomesusceptibletomovementwhenatraintravelsoverthetracks.”229Huang,H.etal.(2009).“LaboratoryCharacterizationofFouledRailroadBallastBehavior,”TransportationResearchRecord:JournaloftheTransportationResearchBoard.http://trrjournalonline.trb.org/doi/pdf/10.3141/2117‐12.230SurfaceTransportationBoard(2011).SurfaceTransportationBoardDecisionDocketNo.FD35305.ARKANSASELECTRICCOOPERATIVECORPORATION—PETITIONFORDECLARATORYORDERMarch3,2011.http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WebDecisionID/40436.Notealso:“[C]oaldust’shighvolumerelativetoitsweightandhighmoisture‐absorbingcapacitymakeitauniqueproblem.”231DepartmentofEnergy,InfrastructureSecurityandEnergyRestoration,OfficeofElectricityDeliveryandEnergyReliability(2007).“DeliveriesofCoalfromthePowderRiverBasin:EventsandTrends2005‐2007,”October2007,https://www.oe.netl.doe.gov/docs/Final‐Coal‐Study_101507.pdf.“Duringthefirsttwophasesofthetrackrebuildingeffort,coalshipmentswerereducedtoabout85percentofnormalcapacity.SinceUPdoesnothavealternatetrackstomovePRBcoaltomarkets,therailroadwasforcedtodeclareForceMajeureoncontracteddeliveriesofPRBcoal.”232Huang,H.etal.(2009).“LaboratoryCharacterizationofFouledRailroadBallastBehavior,”TransportationResearchRecord:JournaloftheTransportationResearchBoard,No.2117,TransportationResearchBoardoftheNationalAcademieshttp://trrjournalonline.trb.org/doi/pdf/10.3141/2117‐12
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TheoverallformerArmyBaseredevelopmentprojectincludestheplacementofadditionalandupgradedraillinestofacilitatetheimportandexportofgoodsfromthePortofOakland.Giventheimpactsofcoaldustonrailtracks,itwouldnotbeinthebestinterestoftheCityorthePorttoallowanyon‐goingbuildupofcoaldustonsaidtracks.233
Figure18:PicturespostedonBNSFwebsiteshowingeffectofcoaldustontrainballast.Notethatthecoaldustisnotalwaysvisibleatthesurfaceoftheballast,asitaccumulatesbetweentheaggregate(rocks).ThepossibilityofacoaltrainderailmentinornearOaklandthatwouldpotentiallyaffectresidents,workers,visitors,andanyonewhohappenstobeinthevicinityoftherailyardorterminalwhenthederailmentweretohappenisnotnegligible.234Despiteeffortsbyrailcompaniestopreventderailments,coaltrainderailmentsstillhappenwithfrequencyintheUnitedStates.Therewereatleast6coaltrainderailmentsin2015,and9derailmentsin2014,thatweresignificantenoughtowarrantmassmediacoverage.235233SeeforexampleAttachment7totheLDDA,whichdescribespotentialrailimprovements.234“Thehistoryoftheshipmentofhazardousproductsshowsthataccidentsarelikelytooccuroveranextendedperiodoftime.If/whenanaccidentoccursinthiscongestedarea,itcouldhavesevereconsequences.”Karp,Larry,PhD.ProfessorofAgricultural and Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Written Testimony submitted October 2, 2015. “Proposal to ship coal through Oakland.” 235See,forexample:WCJBTV‐20(2014).“TrainDerailmentSpills500TonsOfCoalInDunnellon,”WCJBTV‐20.http://www.wcjb.com/local‐news/2014/01/train‐derailment‐spills‐500‐tons‐coal‐dunnellon;AssociatedPress(2014).“BNSFtrainderailsnearWorden;13carsofftracks,”AssociatedPress.http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/bnsf‐train‐derails‐near‐worden‐cars‐tracks/12543891/World‐HeraldNewsService(2014).“Coaltrainderails,spillscontentsinYorkCounty,”World‐HeraldNewsService.http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/coal‐train‐derails‐spills‐contents‐in‐york‐county/article_e4ec09ae‐5842‐11e4‐a31e‐001a4bcf6878.html;EyewitnessNews(2014).“TrainDerailmentCausesEnvironmentalConcerns,”EyewitnessNews.http://www.pahomepage.com/news/train‐derailment‐causes‐environmental‐concerns;US92/KTIV(2014).“TrainderailmentinNebraskaleaves22carsofftracks,”US92/KTIV.http://www.ktiv.com/story/27710928/2014/12/26/train‐derailment‐in‐nebraska‐leaves‐22‐cars‐off‐tracks;KETV(2014).“CassCountySheriff:BNSFtrainderailsinLouisville,”KETV.http://www.ketv.com/news/train‐derails‐in‐louisville/31331178;AssociatedPress(2015).“BNSFtrainderailsinWeldCounty,”AssociatedPress.http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/03/22/bnsf‐train‐derails‐in‐weld‐county/25187775/Jordan,Greg(2014).“Railroadcrossingreopenedaftercoalcarderailment,”BluefieldDailyTelegraph.http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/BREAKING‐NEWS‐‐Train‐Derailment‐Reported‐in‐Kanawha‐173284391.html;Knapp,Aaron(2015).“ClearingdebrisfromtrainderailmentexpectedtotakeuntillateFebruary,”JournalTimes.http://journaltimes.com/news/local/clearing‐debris‐from‐train‐derailment‐expected‐to‐take‐untillate/article_c428c050‐874f‐11e3‐b3ae‐0019bb2963f4.html;Moody,SeanandJerrikaInsco(2014).“TraincarryingcoalderailsindowntownParis,”WKYT.
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5.4ConcernsforemergencyrespondersCityworkers(emergencyresponders)willbeathighriskwhenrespondingtocoalfiresorexplosionsinlargepartduetothehiddendangersassociatedwithcoalandcoaldustfires,whichrequiringspecialtrainingandexperiencetoputthemout.Coalisconsidereda“ClassA”material,whichmeansthatisknowntoheatupwhenwetted.Emergencyrespondersareadvisednottousewaterasapreventivemeasureonsuchfuels.236Oneofthemainconcernswithdeep‐seatedfiresisthatemergencyresponderactionscouldgenerateadustcloudthatleadstoanexplosion.237Coalfirescanbefollowedbyexplosions,ifthefirefightingresponsestirsupexistingdustatthefacility.Thiscomplicationhasresultedinthedeathsofemergencyrespondersinthepast.238Thisaspectofcoalandcoaldustnecessitatesspecialtrainingamongthosethatwouldberesponsibleforrespondingtoemergenciesattheproposedprojectsite.Recognizingthedanger,LosAngelesCityFireDepartmentdecidedin2000tocancelits18‐weektrainingprogramsintheirharborafterapreliminaryreportindicatedthatexposuretopetroleumcokedustintheharbormightincreasetheriskofcancerfortraineesandstaff.239ThepreliminaryoperatingplansubmittedbyTLSattemptstominimizeorignorethedireworkersafetyandpublicsafetyconsequencesassociatedwithemergencyresponseataterminaldesignedtohandlecommoditiespronetospontaneouscombustion.240The
http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Train‐derailment‐shuts‐down‐East‐Main‐Street‐in‐Paris‐285795031.html;Rector,Kevin(2014).“CSXtraincarryingabout8,000tonsofcoalderailsinBowie,”BaltimoreSun.http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs‐md‐csx‐derailment‐20140501‐story.html;Uebelherr,Jan(2015).“CoaltrainderailsinCaledonia;trackmayhavecrackedincold,”JournalSentinel.http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/coal‐train‐derails‐in‐caledonia‐forcing‐road‐closure‐b99187285z1‐241075621.html;Whitten,Jeff(2015)“TrainhitsRoadGrader,causesderailmentinDesMoinesCounty,”KWQC.http://kwqc.com/2015/11/09/train‐derailment‐in‐des‐moines‐county/;Wilson,MarkD.(2015).“140‐cartrainloadedwithcoalderailsonSouthSide,”SanAntonioExpress‐News.http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Train‐loaded‐with‐coal‐derails‐on‐South‐Side‐6675477.php;Zemba,Liz(2015).“8traincarshaulingcoalderailinBrownsville,”TribTotalMedia.http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/9332546‐74/reported‐brownsville‐cars236OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)(2013),FirefightingPrecautionsatFacilitieswithCombustibleDust,https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_3644.pdf237OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)(2013).“FirefightingPrecautionsatFacilitieswithCombustibleDust,”https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_3644.pdf238OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)(2013).“FirefightingPrecautionsatFacilitieswithCombustibleDust,”https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_3644.pdf239Weikel,D.(2000).“DebateRisesOverCokeDustatPorts,”LATimes.http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jan/07/local/me‐51790240“TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,”forexample,p169:“ThisfacilitywillhavetheabilitytodetectifspontaneouscombustionhasignitedthestoredCOMMODITY.”
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operatingplanincludespassagessuchas“Intheeventthatafirebreaksoutthepersonwhonoticesthefirewillhavetomakeajudgmentcallregardingwhethertheycanputthefireoutwithanextinguisherclosebyoriftheymustseekhelp,”241whichseemtominimizethesubstantialdangerposedbypresenceofcombustibleorexplosivedustattheterminalandignoretheneedfortailoredemergencyresponsesdesignedtopreventsecondaryexplosions.Moreover,the“SafetyandHealth”sectionoftheOperationsManualdraft,whilementioningtheneedforgasdetectionand“hotcommodity”detection,makesnomentionofdustorthepotentialfordustexplosion.242
6.DUSTMITIGATIONPROPOSALSTheprojectproponentssuggestthattherewillbeeffortstominimizecoaldustbycoveringfacilitiesandusingwatersprays.Giventhevolumeofcoalthatwouldbeprocessedthroughtheterminal,andtheamountofmovementofcoalnecessaryatandwithintheterminal,itisunlikelythatanycombinationofmitigationeffortsorinterventionswillsucceedincompletelyandsafelycontainingcoaldustassociatedwiththerailtransport,unloading,handling,stockpiling,andtransloadingofthecoalinquestion.Forexample,evenadesigncreatedsolelywithdustmitigationinmindwouldfacethechallengesofbalancingtotalenclosurewiththeever‐presentriskofcombustionandexplosion,giventhatcoalishighlyvolatile,friable,andpronetoself‐heatingwhenexposedtooxygen.243Therearealsoconcernsthat,duetothehighlycombustibleandexplosivenatureofcoaldust,dustmitigationmeasuresmayactuallyincreasehealthandsafetyriskstoworkers,especiallyinenclosedspaces.Nomatterthemitigationmeasure,itisclearthatnotallcoaldustwillbecontainedwhentransportedthroughOakland.Evenifcoveredcarsweredesigned,manufactured,andfullytestedforsafetybeforebeingusedinOakland,coaldustwouldcontinuetoleakfromthebottom‐dumphoppersorthroughotherventilationportals.244Ventilationwouldbe
241“TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,”forexample,p290“SAFETYPROCEDURENO.TLS‐03HAZARDCOMMUNICATIONPROCEDURE”.242“TLSPreliminaryOperatingPlan,”p166‐173.243Carras,J.andYoung,B.(1994).“Self‐heatingofcoalandrelatedmaterials:Models,applicationandtestmethods.”ProgressinEnergyandCombustionScience.“Self‐heatingcanbedefinedasthephenomenonofatemperatureriseinamaterialunderambientconditions,wheretheheatingresultsfromsomechemicaland/orphysicalprocessoccurringwithinthematerial.Thetemperaturerisemayincreasesufficientlythatcombustionoranexplosionfollows…Theself‐heatingofcoalstockpilescancreateproblemsforcoalproducersaspracticesmayhavetobeadoptedtominimizeself‐heatinginstoredcoal.Similarlyself‐heatingcanbeaproblemfortransportationofcoaloverlargedistances,particularlyasitmayaffectthesafetyofvessels...Inrecentyearstheexploitationoflow‐rank,low‐sulphurcoalsinwesternU.S.A.alsoraisesissuesconcernedwithself‐heatingduringdrying,storageandtransport.”244BNSFhastestifiedthat,onaverage,eachbottomloadingrailcartransportingcoallosesanaverageof45lbsofcoalpercarper400miletrip.“Unittrains”usuallyhaveatleast100carspertrain,soitisreasonabletoassumethat450lbsofcoalcouldbelostbyeachtrainover400miles.Conservativelyassumingauniformdistributionofcoalandcoaldustlostfromthebottomofthetrainoverthecourseofthejourney,thiswouldindicatethatmorethanonepoundofcoalandcoaldustcouldbedepositedalongtracksinOaklandfromeach
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necessarybecausecompletelyenclosingcoalincreasestheretentionofheatreleasedduringself‐heatingandalsoincreasestheaccompanyingriskofcombustionorexplosion.245
6.1CoveredrailcarsProjectsponsorsclaimthatcoaldustwillbefullycontainedwithincoveredrailcars.246Althoughcoveredrailcarsdoexist,thereisnoevidencethatcoveredrailcarsthatmaybeappropriateforcoaltransportandcontaincoaldustareavailableorinuseintheUnitedStates.ProjectsponsorsfurtherassertedthatproposedcoveredcoalcarshavebeenapprovedbytheUSDepartmentofTransportationandtheUSFederalRailroadAdministration.247Yet,thereisnoevidencethatcoveredrailcarsthatcontaindusthavebeentested,manufactured,orapprovedforuseintheUnitedStates.248
trainthatenterstheterminal.Itispossiblethatmorecoalwouldbelosttowardtheendofthetrain’sjourney,asfinedustsettlesoverthecourseoftransportandthetrainswillbejostledwhenuncoupledintheterminalrailyard.Thefugitivecoalandcoaldustissubjecttoreentrainmentfromwindgusts.SeeRailEnergyTransportationAdvisoryCommittee(2009).“Minutes,”September10,2009,http://www.scribd.com/doc/129350651/Surface‐TransMinutes‐9‐10‐09‐1.CitedbyFox,Phyllis,PHD,PE.TestimonysubmittedSeptember21,2015.“Environmental,Health,andSafetyImpactsoftheProposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal.”245Carras,J.andYoung,B.(1994).“Self‐heatingofcoalandrelatedmaterials:Models,applicationandtestmethods.”ProgressinEnergyandCombustionScience.246See,forexample,8September2015letterfromJerryBridgestoMayorLibbySchaaf;seealsoHDR:BasisofDesign,OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminal,CaliforniaCapitalInvestmentGroup,PreliminaryEngineering,PortofOakland,Oakland,CA,July16,2015.InTLSBasisofDesignDoc964p14.Thereportstatesthatthecarswouldbebottomhopper(bottomdumping),rapiddischargestylecars,withremovable,fiberglasscovers;seealso“AnycoalthatmaybeshippedthroughOaklandGlobalwillnotemitcoaldust.”TLSMediaAdvisory,May22,2016,“OaklandCommunityandCivicLeadersVoiceConcernOverOaklandCityCouncilDelaysandLossofExistingSkilledJobsatFormerOaklandArmyBaseDevelopment.”http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160522005047/en/MEDIA‐ADVISORY‐Oakland‐Community‐Civic‐Leaders‐Voice247SeeforexampleCCIGResponsetoFollowupQuestionsp47“TheDepartmentofTransportation(DOT),hasdeterminedthatthe“EcofabRailcarCoverSystem”meetsthecriteriaforaclosedtransportvehicle,asspecifiedinTitle49CFR173.403(c).TheU.S.FederalRailroadAdministration(FRA)hasindicatedto“EcoFab”thattheircoverdesigniscompliantwithNorthAmericanSafetyApplianceRegulations.”248See,forexample,emailfromDougBockofEcoFabtoLoraJoFooon27May2016.“EcofabhasatnotimesoughtorreceivedFRAapprovalforthecoverwehavepresentedtoTLS.”SeealsoemailfromHarold(Tom)BlankenshipofFederalRailroadAdministrationtoLoraJoFooonMay272016:“FRAdoesnotgetinvolvedwithanyfugitivecoaldustemissiontestsasfarasIknow…FRAdoesNOTapprovecoversEXCEPTwhenrequestedtoprovideguidanceforaparticulardesignasitrelatestothesafetyappliancearrangementcontainedintheproposal.Oncereviewed,theFRAmayissuealetterthattheproposeddesignmayormaynotcomplywithcurrentsafetyapplianceregulationscontainedinAARS‐2044andTitle49CodeofFederalRegulations(CFR)Part231...FRAdoesnot“approve”anycoverdesigninthemarketplace.Wedoregulateandenforcesafetyapplianceappurtenanceswhencoversmayplaceworkersatasafetyrisk.”Mr.Blankenshipisthesubjectmatterexpertwhoprovidesguidancetocarandlocomotivebuildersontheinterpretation,applicationandenforcementofTitle49CodeofFederalRegulationsPart§215RailroadFreightCarSafetyStandards.
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ThereisnoevidencetocontradictthenotionthatanyuseofcoveredrailcarstotransportcoalthroughOakland,andtostorecoalinOaklandbeforeoffloadingortransloadingattheproposedterminalshouldbeconsideredexperimentalandwillcomewithaccompanyinguncertaintyregardingtheefficacyoftheircontainmentofcoaldust.Theuseofcoveredcarswouldincreaseriskoffire,sincethecoalispronetospontaneouscombustionand,whenenclosed,heatfromthecoalcannotdissipateeffectively.249Projectsponsors,inrepeatedlyguaranteeingtheuseofcoveredcarstotransportcoalintoandthroughOakland,appearnottohaveaddressedthesafetyconcernsassociatedwithenclosingcoalfortransportandduringtheoffloadingtimewhenunittrainswillbesplitontoladdertracksinOakland.
6.2Surfactantsandotheropen‐carmitigationtechniquesWhileassuringthatcoveredcarswillbeusedtomitigatecoaldust,theprojectsponsorssimultaneouslystatethatsurfactantsmaybeusedtoreducecoaldustreleasefromrailcarstravelingthroughOaklandandsittingattheterminal,aswellasloadprofilingandloadpacking.250Surfactantshavenotbeenshowntocompletelymitigatecoaldustemittedfromopencoalrailcars,eitherwhilemovingorstationary;CCIGacknowledgesthis.251ThereisnoevidencethatsurfactantsarecurrentlyrequiredtobeappliedtorailcarstransportingcoalfromUtah.252Evenmandateduseofsurfactantsdoesnotguaranteeanydiscernablesuppressionofcoaldust.Cloudsofdustareseenemanatingfromsomecoal‐carryingtrainswheredust
249MultnomahCountyHealthDepartment(2013).“TheHumanHealthEffectsofRailTransportofCoalThroughMultnomahCounty,Oregon:AHealthAnalysisandRecommendationsforFurtherAction.”February2013.Davis,Muntu,PhD,MPH.AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartment,DirectorandCountyHealthOfficer.LettertoZoeChafe,9February2016.“Re:Clarificationof10/6/15responsestotheCityAdministrator’sfollow‐upquestionsabouttheproposedOaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalprojectandreviewofHDREngineeringReport.”SeealsoTrimming,T.(2013).“DerailingPowderRiverBasinCoalExports:LegalMechanismstoRegulateFugitiveCoalDustFromRailTransportation,”GoldenGateUniversityEnvironmentalLawJournal,Vol.6,Issue2,Article7.250CCIGResponsetoFollowupQuestions:“Anypotentiallymaterialreleaseoffugitivedustfromrailcarsisadequatelymitigatedviatheuseofstandardindustrybestmanagementpracticesincludingtheapplicationofsurfactantsandspecificstackingandlayeringofcoal.”251CCIGResponsetoFollowupQuestions:“AsdiscussedintheHDRReport,studiesshowthattheuseofprofilingandtoppingagentsinopenrailcarsreducescoaldustemissionsbymorethan85%.”252UnionPacificdoesnotrequiretheuseofsurfactantsoncoalshippedbyrailfromUtah,accordingtoanewspaperreportfromApril2016.Aspokespersonfortherailroadcompanysaidthatcoalisshippedinopencars,butthatUtahcoalisconsideredbythecompanytobelessdustythancoalfromWyoming,whichiswhysurfactantisnotrequired.ThisraisesthequestionofwhethercoalarrivinginOaklandviaUnionPacificwouldhaveanydustmitigationmeasuresapplied,aswellaswhetherthedeveloperswouldbepermittedtoconsiderusinganydustmitigationmeasureswhenshippingviaUnionPacific.“AspokesmanforUnionPacificsaiditshipscoalinuncoveredoropencars.Wyomingcoalissprayedwithatoppingagenttoreducedust.CoalfromUtahisnotasdustyandisnotsprayed,UPofficialssaid.”Bizjack,T.(2016).“California,cleanfuelleader,weighsoil,coaltrains,”SacramentoBee,April3.
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mitigationtechniquesshouldhavebeenused,mostlikelyintheformofsurfactants.253These“superdusters”representedabout5%ofobservedtrainsinapeer‐reviewedstudypublishedin2015andproduceddocumentedconcentrationsofPM2.5from53‐232ug/m3.254BNSFacknowledgesthat,evenifapplicationofsurfactantsisrequired,therecanbe“significantvariationinthequalityandconsistencyofthephysicalapplicationoftopicaltreatmentsatthemines.”255If20trainsweretoarriveinOaklandeachday,andsimilarratesofsuperdusterswereobserved,residentsinadjacentcommunitiesandvisitorstoadjacentparkswouldbeexposedtotheeffectsofatleastonesuperdustertraineachdayforthe362daysperyeartheterminalprojectsponsorsexpectthatitwilloperate.TheeffectsofelevatedPM2.5fromsuperdustersonthehealthofvulnerablepopulationsandsensitivereceptorswithinadjacentcommunitiesisofseriousconcern.ThisPM2.5wouldbeinadditiontothebaselineairpollutionexperiencedbypeopleinnearbycommunities.Therearealsoconcernsthatnotallchemicalsusedinsurfactantshavebeendisclosed,thereforepotentialhealththreatsandsafetyrisksfromhandlingtreatedcoal,exposuretofugitivedustfromtreatedcoal,andenvironmentalaccumulationandleachingoftreatedcoalarenotknown.256
253CommunicationwithProf.DanJaffe.Seealsowww.atmos.washington.edu/jaffegroup/modules/APOLLO/Jaffe_trains_August2015_final_presentation.pdfandJaffe,D.etal.(2015).“DieselparticulatematterandcoaldustfromtrainsintheColumbiaRiverGorge,WashingtonState,USA,”AtmosphericPollutionResearch,946‐952.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215000057254Jaffe,D.etal.(2015).“DieselparticulatematterandcoaldustfromtrainsintheColumbiaRiverGorge,WashingtonState,USA,”AtmosphericPollutionResearch,946‐952.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215000057.CCIGnotedinsubmittedcommentsthatthemonitorusedintheJaffestudywasnotcalibratedforcoaldust(p52).Boththeauthorsandthepeer‐reviewerswereawareofthisfact,whichdoesnotinvalidatethefindings.Themonitormeasuresmassofparticles,afterscreeningforsize,notcomposition.Thereisa~20%differenceinmassscatteringefficiency,accordingtoProf.Jaffe,firstauthorofthestudy.Dr.Jaffeistheauthorof139peer‐reviewedpublicationsontopicsinatmosphericscienceandchemistry.255SustainableSystemsResearch,LLC.“TechnicalMemorandumAirQuality,ClimateChange,andEnvironmentalJusticeIssuesfromOaklandTradeandGlobalLogisticsCenter,”submittedSeptember18,2015.Inpersonalcommunication,Prof.Jaffe(UW‐Bothell)alsosurmisedthatinconsistentapplicationofsurfactantcouldbeacauseofsuperdusters.256“Mostoftheresearchondustsuppressantshasbeenconductedbyindustryandhasfocusedontheeffectiveness(orperformance)ofdustsuppressants,thatis,theabilitytoabatedust.Littleinformationisavailableonthepotentialenvironmentalandhealthimpactsofthesecompounds.Potentialenvironmentalimpactsinclude:surfaceandgroundwaterqualitydeterioration;soilcontamination;toxicitytosoilandwaterbiota;toxicitytohumansduringandafterapplication;airpollutionfromvolatiledustsuppressantcomponents;accumulationinsoils;changesinhydrologiccharacteristicsofthesoils;andimpactsonnativefloraandfaunapopulations.”EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)(2002).“PotentialEnvironmentalImpactsofDustSuppressants:“AvoidingAnotherTimesBeach”,”ExpertPanelSummary,May30‐31,2002,LasVegas.CitedinNoCoalinOaklandtestimony,September18,2015.
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7.TRANSPACIFICPOLLUTIONFROMEASTASIATOBAYAREAProjectsponsorsindicateintheirsubmissionsthatmuchofthe<9millionmetrictonsofcoaltobehandledatthisterminaleachyearislikelytobeexportedtocountriesinAsia.ScientificevidencenowirrefutablyshowsthataportionoftheairpollutionexperiencedbyCaliforniansoriginatesinAsia,includingfromcombustionoffossilfuelssuchascoal.TheNationalAcademyofSciences,inareviewofrelevantliteratureconcludedthat“Airpollutionisnolongeralocalissue.”257Asshowninthefigurebelow,awiderangeofairpollutantsthatareofconcernbecauseoftheirimpactsonhumanhealtharereachingtheWesternUnitedStates.IfandwhenthecoalthatisexportedthroughthisterminalisburnedinAsia,someportionoftheemissionsfromtheburningofthatcoalwillcomebacktoimpacthumanhealthintheBayArea.
Figure19:Thisfigureshowselevatedlevelsofhealth‐damagingpollutantssuchasfineparticulatematter,ozone,andmercuryinanairplumefromAsia,measuredatastudysiteinOregoninApril2004.258StudiessuchasthesehavedeterminedthatairpollutiondoestravelfromAsiatotheWestCoastoftheUnitedStates,usuallyover1‐2weeks.
257“Airpollution,oncethoughtofaspurelyalocalissue,nowisrecognizedasacomplexproblemthatisalsosubjecttoregional,hemispheric,andevenglobalinfluences.Althoughdomesticsourcesaretheprimarycontributorstomostofournation’sairqualityproblems,theUnitedStatesisbothasourceandareceptorforpollutantstransportedgreatdistances.PollutantsnotonlyflowacrossourborderswithCanadaandMexicobutalsotravelbetweenNorthAmericaandAsia,Africa,andEurope.Thesepollutantscontributetopublichealththreats,degradedvisibility,agriculturalandnativevegetationinjury,decreaseddomesticandwildanimalviability,infrastructurematerialsdamage,poorerwaterquality,degradedaquaticecosystems,andclimatechange.”NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p12.258NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p36.
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7.1PM2.5TheBayArearegioniscurrentlyinnon‐attainmentstatusforPM2.5,implicatingthatPM2.5concentrationsintheBayArea,andespeciallyinWestOakland,areabovetheleveldeemedsafebytheUSEPA.PM2.5isapollutantwithserioushealthimplications(seeSection3.2).SomeofthePM2.5intheBayAreacomesfromAsiaviaatmospherictransport.259PlumesofparticulatematterpollutionfromAsiaprimarilyaffecttheWesternUnitedStates.260Analyzingairborneleadisotopes,UCBerkeleyresearchersfoundevidenceofanongoing,“background”contributionoftrans‐PacificpollutiontoBayAreaairpollution,andindicationsthatabout29%ofairpollutionsampledoriginatedfromAsia.261InadditiontodirectimpactsofcoaltransportationinWestOakland,airqualitycouldbefurtherdegradedthroughtheseindirecteffectsthroughtrans‐Pacificmigration.Thereisevidencethat“aged”PM2.5,suchasthatwhicharrivesinCaliforniaaftertransportfromitsoverseassource,isespeciallyhealthdamaging.SomeoftheseparticlesformintheairandareknownassecondaryPM2.5.Secondaryparticlescandissolveinlungfluids,depositingdissolvedchemicals.Manyofthesesecondaryparticleshaveanultrafinecore,whichmeansthattheyfacilitatethedepositionofultrafineparticlesdeepinthelung.262Researchershaveestimatedthat1,100annualprematuredeathsinNorthAmericaresultfromexposuretohuman‐causedoutdoorairpollution(PM2.5)thatoriginatesinothercountries.TheypointoutthattheseprematuredeathscounteracthealthimprovementsresultingfrompoliciesthathavereducedothertypesofairpollutionintheUS.263AndasairqualitystandardstighteninCaliforniaandacrosstheUS,emissionsfromAsiamaywellaccountforanincreasingpercentageofthetotalairpollutionintheBayArea,andthatfractionwillnotbecontrolledbydomesticairpollutionregulations.264
259“SomeinstancesofelevatednondustPMhavealsobeenreportedatWestCoastsitesandattributedtosulfurandotherAsianindustrialemissions.”NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p80.260NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p79.261Ewing,S.etal.(2010).“PbIsotopesasanIndicatoroftheAsianContributiontoParticulateAirPollutioninUrbanCalifornia,”EnvironmentalScience&Technology.262Turpen,B.(2014).“Characterizingexposurestoatmosphericcarcinogens,”inAirPollutionandCancer,InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC).http://www.iarc.fr/en/publications/books/sp161/index.php.“Whensecondaryparticlescomprisingconcentratedaqueoussolutionsdepositinthelung,theydissolveintothelungsurfactant,deliveringdissolvedchemicals.These(largely)secondaryaccumulation‐modeparticlessometimescontainanultrafineprimarycore,facilitatingthedepositionofultrafinesolidparticles.Hygroscopic(secondary)particlescanalsotransportwater‐solublevapor(e.g.hydrogenperoxide,organicperoxides)intothelowerlung.”263NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.p87.“ItisworthnotingthatthisnumberofprematuremortalitiesinNorthAmericaiscomparabletothereductioninprematuremortalitiesexpectedtoresultfromtighteningtheU.S.8‐hrO3standardfrom84ppbvto75ppbv.”264NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.p87.
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7.2OzoneGround‐levelOzone,acontributortosmog,isanairpollutantofmajorconcerntohumanhealth.265Ozoneiscreatedwhenpollutantssuchascarbonmonoxide(CO),NOx,andvolatileorganiccompounds(VOC)—allpollutantsformedwhencoalisburned—interactintheatmosphere,especiallyinwarmtemperaturesandsunlight.Excessiveground‐levelozoneintheaircanhaveaseriousdeleteriouseffectonhumanhealth.266Itcancausebreathingproblems,triggerasthma,reducelungfunctionandcauselungdiseases.267Childrencanhavehigherexposurestoozonethanadults.268Short‐termexposuretohighambientozonelevelsleadstosignificantprematuremortality,andtheriskofmortalityisnotlimitedtothosealreadyatahighriskofdeath.269Acuteexposuretoelevatedozoneisassociatedwithincreasedhospitaladmissionsforpneumonia,chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease,asthma,allergicrhinitisandotherrespiratorydiseases,andwithprematuremortality.270Ozoneincreasesriskofincidentasthmainadditiontoexacerbatingexistingcases.271Therisktochildrenofexperiencingozone‐relatedasthma
265Here,ozonereferstoatypeofoutdoorairpollutionclosetothegroundthatisdetrimentaltohumanhealth.Itdoesnotrefertothe(beneficial)ozonelayer,whichisinthestratosphere,12‐19milesaboveEarth.Unhealthylevelsofozone(abovetheozoneairqualitystandard)wereassociatedwithanestimated800prematuredeaths,4500hospitalandemergencydepartmentadmissions,900,000schoolabsences,and>1millionminorrestricted‐activitydays(peryearaveragedoverthethreeyearsstudied)intheUSintheearly2000s.NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.p.35.266Forexample,astudyofUCBerkeleystudentsfoundthatexposuretoozoneexposureovertimenegativeaffectedlungfunction:“[Researchers]collectedresidentialaddresshistoriesforfreshmanattheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyandmatchedthemtomonitorsneartheirhomes.Cumulativeozoneexposurewasassociatedwithasignificantdecrementinforcedexpiratoryvolumein1second.”Schwarz,J.(2004).“AirPollutionandChildren’sHealth,”Pediatrics.Thisarticlehasbeencited250times.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/Supplement_3/1037.long.267WorldHealthOrganization(WHO)(2014).FactSheetNumber313“Ambient(outdoor)airqualityandhealth,”March2014.http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/“Therearerecentconclusiveassociationsbetweendailymortalityandlowerozoneconcentrations.Ozoneatgroundlevel–nottobeconfusedwiththeozonelayerintheupperatmosphere–isoneofthemajorconstituentsofphotochemicalsmog.Itisformedbythereactionwithsunlight(photochemicalreaction)ofpollutantssuchasnitrogenoxides(NOx)fromvehicleandindustryemissionsandvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs)emittedbyvehicles,solventsandindustry.Asaresult,thehighestlevelsofozonepollutionoccurduringperiodsofsunnyweather.”268“Ozoneisahighlyreactivegas,producingoxidativedamageinthelung…Childrentendtobeoutdoorsintheafternoonandinthesummer,whichresultsinmuchhigherexposureforchildrenthanadults,whoareprotectedbytheirindoorenvironment.”Schwarz,J.(2004).“AirPollutionandChildren’sHealth,”Pediatrics.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/Supplement_3/1037.long.269NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.p.17.270NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.p.71.271McConnell,R.etal.(2002).“Asthmainexercisingchildrenexposedtoozone:acohortstudy.”Lancet.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11844508.Studyhasbeencitedmorethan600times.
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exacerbationsisgreatestamongthosewithsevereasthma.ThatriskexistsevenwhenambientozonelevelsfallwithinthelimitssetbytheEPAtoprotectpublichealth.272
Figure20:ModeledUSsurfaceozoneattributabletoAsiananthropogenicemissionsduringstudyperiodin2006.273MeasuredozonelevelsintheBayAreaareabovethestandardssetbytheUSEPAandtheCaliforniaEPAtoprotecthumanhealth.274OzoneintheBayAreaisworsenedbypollutioncomingfromdistantsources,includingcoal‐burninginChina.275IntheabsenceofAsian
272Lockwood,A.etal.(2009).“Coal’sassaultonhumanhealth.”PhysiciansforSocialResponsibility.http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/psr‐coal‐fullreport.pdf273Zhang,L.etal.(2008).“TranspacifictransportofozonepollutionandtheeffectofrecentAsianemissionincreasesonairqualityinNorthAmerica:anintegratedanalysisusingsatellite,aircraft,ozonesonde,andsurfaceobservations,”AtmosphericChemistryandPhysics.“Figure15:MeansimulatedUSsurfaceozoneenhancementsfromAsiananthropogenicemissionsduringtheINTEX‐Btimeperiod(17April–15May2006).”Thispaperhasbeencited194times.274SeeBAAQMD(2016).“AirQualityStandardsandAttainmentStatus,”http://www.baaqmd.gov/research‐and‐data/air‐quality‐standards‐and‐attainment‐status,accessed22Jun2016.TheBayAreaisoutofattainmentforallozonestandards:the8hour(averagingtime)Californiastandard(0.070ppm),the1hourCaliforniastandard(0.09ppm),andthe8hourfederalstandard(0.070ppm).275AfifteenscientistcommitteeconvenedbytheNationalAcademiesofSciencesfoundclearevidencethat“distantpollutiondoescontributetoincreasedconcentrationsofO3overpopulatedregionsandthatsuchincreasesmayhavedetrimentalimpactsonhumanhealth,agriculture,andnaturalecosystems…OnestudyestimatesthatthenumberofprematurecardiopulmonarydeathsthatcouldbeavoidedperyearinNorth
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anthropogenicemissions,53%ofozoneexceedances(8houraveragingtime)of75ppbinthemodelwouldnothaveoccurredinthesouthwesternUSA.276ArecentstudyfoundthattranspacificemissionsfromAsiancountriescontribute8–15ppbozoneondayswhenobserveddailymaximum8houraveragedozoneexceeds60ppb.EastAsia’slevelofozone‐relatedemissionsisexpectedtoincreaserapidlyoverthenextfewdecadesandwilllikelyraisethesurfaceozonebaselineintheUnitedStatesbyafewppb(themetricusedtomeasureozone).277
Figure21:ThebluelineshowstheinfluenceofAsianemissionsonozonelevelsataNorthernCaliforniasite(inPointReyes,seelowerpanel)overastudyperiodin2006.278
Americaduetoa20percentemissionreductioninothermajorNorthernHemisphereindustrialregionsisinthehundreds.”NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates.276Lin,M.etal.(2012)“TransportofAsianozonepollutionintosurfaceairoverthewesternUnitedStatesinspring,”JournGeophysResearch.277NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p61.278Zhang,L.etal.(2009).“IntercontinentalsourceattributionofozonepollutionatwesternU.S.sitesusinganadjointmethod.”GeophysicalResearchLetters.ReferencedintestimonybyLauraWisland.
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Figure22:ScientificstudyofthetransportofAsianpollutantstoCaliforniaonMay8,2010.279IfozonecontinuestobetransportedtoCaliforniaasaresultofcoalburninginothercountries,itwillcontributetofutureBayAreaozoneairqualitystandardviolationsand,moreimportantly,willimpactthehealthofBayArearesidents.280Inaddition,climatechangewilllikelyexacerbatetheproblemofhighozonelevelsintheBayArea.Ozoneisproducedmoreefficientlyintheatmospherewhentemperaturesarehigher.ThatiswhyozoneisofmostconcernduringthesummerintheBayArea.PollutedU.S.sitesshowastrongcorrelationofhigh‐ozoneepisodeswithelevatedtemperature.281
279ModelAsianenhancementstothetroposphericcolumnO3indobsonunit.Thedashedblacklinedenotesthelocationoftheozoneverticalcross‐sectionshowninFigure7b.ThewhitelineindicatestheNOAAWP‐3Dflightpath.280NationalAcademyofSciences(2010).GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStatesp5.281Theeffectofhighertemperatureonozonelevelsis“driveninpartbychemistry,biogenicVOCemissions,andtheassociationofhightemperatureswithstagnationeventsthattrappollution”NationalAcademyofSciences(2010)GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStatesp74.
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Figure23:Modelshowingtrajectoryofcarbonmonoxide(aprecursortoozonepollution)fromAsiatoCalifornia.282
7.3HeavymetalsandtoxicsWhencoalisburned,toxicmetalssuchasmercuryarereleasedintotheair.Mercuryisaneurotoxinthatcancausehandtremors,increasesinmemorydisturbance,andotheradversehealthimpacts.283Becausemercurycreatessuchapublichealthhazard,theUSEPAhastakenstepstodrasticallyreducemercurypollutionfromcoalburningwithintheUnitedStates.284However,theamountofmercuryreleasedannuallyinAsiais>400timesthatwhichisreleasedannuallyinCalifornia,andhalfoftheAsianreleaseoccursinChina.285OaklandresidentsandothersintheBayAreaareatriskfrommercurypollutiontracedtocoalburninginAsia.286ThereisdocumentedevidencethatmercuryreleasedinAsiais
282Zhang,L.etal.(2009).“IntercontinentalsourceattributionofozonepollutionatwesternU.S.sitesusinganadjointmethod.”GeophysicalResearchLetters.ReferencedintestimonybyLauraWisland.“Kinematic7‐daybackward(opencircles)and3‐dayforward(solidcircles)trajectoriesfortheenhancedCOlayersofAsianpollution(CO>125ppbvand2–7km)observedintheINTEX‐BDC‐8flightonMay9.”283NationalAcademyofSciences(2010)GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p17.284EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)(2016)“SupplementalFindingthatitisAppropriateandNecessarytoRegulateHazardousAirPollutantsfromCoal‐andOil‐FiredElectricUtilitySteamGeneratingUnits”https://www3.epa.gov/mats/pdfs/20160414_mats_ff_fr.pdf285Jaffe,D.etal.(2005).“ExportofatmosphericmercuryfromAsia,”AtmosphericEnvironment.Thisarticlehasbeencited292times.286Globalemissionsofmercuryhaveincreasedfrom1400*106gperyearin2000to2000*106gperyearin2008,primarilydrivenbycoalcombustioninEastAsia.Weiss‐Penziasetal.(2016)“TrendsinmercurywetdepositionandmercuryairconcentrationsacrosstheU.S.andCanada,”ScienceoftheTotalEnvironment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969716300614.Fossilfuel‐firedpowerplantsarethelargestsourceofmercuryemissionstotheair.Oncemercuryfromtheairreacheswater,microorganismscanchangeitintomethylmercury,ahighlytoxicformthatbuildsupinfish.Peopleareprimarilyexposedtomercurybyeatingcontaminatedfish.https://www3.epa.gov/mats/health.html#impacts
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foundontheWestCoast.287AscientificpanelconvenedbytheNationalAcademyofSciencesfoundthat“intercontinentaltransport”ofmercuryis“animportantprocessthatclearlyaffectsU.S.exposures.”288Mercuryistransportedgloballyintheatmosphere,andbecauseitcanstayintheatmospherefor6‐12months,itcantravellongdistances,fromChinatoCalifornia,forexample.289MercurythatenterstheSanFranciscoBayAreaisconvertedtotheneurotoxinmethylmercury.290MethylmercuryisnowfoundinfogalongthecoastofCalifornia.291Iteventuallyaccumulatesinecosystemsandwildlifeandendangershumanhealth.292Methylmercuryexposureisaparticularconcernforwomenofchildbearingage,unbornbabies,andyoungchildren.Studieshavelinkedhighlevelsofmethylmercurytodamagetothedevelopingnervoussystem.293Mercuryexposurecanimpairchildren’sabilitytothinkandlearn.294
Figure24:AnnualmeantotalBaPconcentration(pgm−3)overthenorthernPaci icOceanin2004:horizontaldistributionoftotalBaPconcentrationat3kmaboveground.295
287Jaffe,D.etal.(2005).“ExportofatmosphericmercuryfromAsia,”AtmosphericEnvironment.Thisarticlehasbeencited292times.288NationalAcademyofSciences,2010,GlobalSourcesofLocalPollution:AnAssessmentofLong‐RangeTransportofKeyAirPollutantstoandfromtheUnitedStates,p7.289http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969716300614(Weiss‐Penzias2016)290“Methylmercury[CH3Hg]isthemosttoxicform[ofmercury]…Environmentsthatareknowntofavortheproductionofmethylmercuryinclude…coastalwetlands,particularlyalongtheGulfofMexico,AtlanticOcean,andSanFranciscoBay.”USGSMercuryintheEnvironmentFactSheet146‐00(October2000).https://www2.usgs.gov/themes/factsheet/146‐00/291http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=136056&org=NSF292Zhang2016http://www.pnas.org/content/113/3/526.full.pdf293“Arecentstudyhasestimatedthatbetween316,588and637,233USchildreneachyearsufferlossofIQresultingfrommethylmercurytoxicity,costingtheUnitedStates$8.7billion(in2000dollars;range,$2.2‐43.8billion)inlosteconomicproductivity.”“Theroleofairpollutioninasthmaandotherpediatricmorbidities.”TrasandeandThurston,2005,AllergyandClinicalImmunology.http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091‐6749(05)00306‐4/fulltext#sec4.7Thisarticlehasbeencited158times.294https://www3.epa.gov/mats/health.html#impactsandEPA(2016).“Finalconsiderationofcostintheappropriateandnecessaryfindingforthemercuryandairtoxicsstandardsforpowerplants.”https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016‐05/documents/20160414_mats_ff_fr_fs.pdf295Zhang,Y.etal.(2011).“Transpacifictransportofbenzo[a]pyreneemittedfromAsia,”Atmos.Chem.Phys.,11,11993–12006.www.atmos‐chem‐phys.net/11/11993/2011/.
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PAHs,suchasbenzo(a)pyrene,areotherhealth‐harmingchemicalsthatarereleasedwhencoalisburned.Benzo(a)pyreneisaPAHfoundincoaltarthatisknowntobecarcinogenic.TheInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancerspecificallymentionsthatbenzo(a)pyrenecanbeingestedviavegetablesgrowninareaswithsurfacecontaminationfromatmosphericPAHfall‐out.296PAHsandothersemi‐volatilecompoundsaretransportedacrossthePacificOceaninaboutaweekundercertainmeteorologicalconditions.297EastAsianemissionsofPAHscontributed97%ofthemodeledaveragebenzo(a)pyreneconcentrationsoverNorthAmerica,includingsignificantcontributionsinCalifornia.298(SeeFigure24.)
8.BURNINGCOAL:GLOBALANDBAYAREAEFFECTSThemagnitudeofgreenhousegasemissionsexpectedtoresultfromtheburningofcoalproposedtobeexportedthroughOaklandcannotbedownplayed,especiallyinlightofOakland’sandCalifornia’seffortstoreducecontributionstoclimatechange(undertheCity’s2012EnergyandClimateActionPlanandtheState’sAB32TheGlobalWarmingSolutionsAct).Theseemissionsarerelevanttothehealthandsafetyofpeopleliving,workingandvisitingOaklandbecauseitisnowunderstoodthatclimatechangewillhaveawiderangeofeffectsonOakland,assoonasthiscentury.(SeeSection8.2.)Localandstateeffortstomitigategreenhousegasesandotherclimaterelevantemissions,thusreducingfuturehealthandsafetyharmsfromclimatechange,willbecounteractedbytheemissionsthatwillresultwhenlargequantitiesofcoalexportedthroughOaklandareeventuallyburned.Theprojectsponsorsindicatethattheterminalwillhavethecapacitytohandleupto9MMTPAofcommodity.Ifcoalweretheonlycommoditytobehandledattheterminal,andvirtuallyallofthecoalweretobeeventuallyburnedinpowerplantsoverseas,thisburningwouldgenerateapproximately23MMTCO2eperyear.299Thisismorethan8timesallofthe
296IARC(2012).“ChemicalAgentsandRelatedOccupations,”Monograph100F.http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100F/.297Zhang,Y.etal.(2011).“Transpacifictransportofbenzo[a]pyreneemittedfromAsia,”Atmos.Chem.Phys.,11,11993–12006.www.atmos‐chem‐phys.net/11/11993/2011/.298Zhang,Y.etal.(2011).“Transpacifictransportofbenzo[a]pyreneemittedfromAsia,”Atmos.Chem.Phys.,11,11993–12006.www.atmos‐chem‐phys.net/11/11993/2011/.299EmissionfactorsforcoalwereprovidedbytheCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard(ARB):Non‐PowerPlant:2.347MTCO2e/shortton,PowerPlant:2.341MTCO2e/shortton.TheseemissionfactorsarereferencedintheMandatoryGHGReportingRegulation,whichincorporatesU.S.EPAPart98emissionfactorsbyreference.Seehttp://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/reporting/ghg‐rep/regulation/subpart_c_rule_part98.pdf,TablesC‐1andC‐2.Theseemissionsfactorsrepresentaconservativeestimateofemissionsfromendusofcoal,giventhatburnconditionsinpowerplantsarehighlycontrolledandcanoptimizecompletecombustion.Actualemissionsofairpollutantsarelikelytobegreater.Amountofcoalexpected:TheHDRreportsubmittedbyprojectsponsorsindicatesatotaldesigncapacityof9MMTPA.Thisfiguredoesnotincludeemissionsassociatedwiththeminingofthecoal,thetransportofthecoaltoOakland,theterminalactivities,orthetransportofthecoalfromOaklandtoitsendusedestination.
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greenhousegasesemittedintheCityofOaklandin2013,thelastyearforwhichdataareavailable.300ClimateChangehasbeencalledthebiggestglobalhealththreatofthe21stcentury.301Climatechangeproducesawiderangeofmildtodevastatingeffectsonhumanhealth.302Ingeneralthemostvulnerablepeoplewillbemostseverelyaffected.303TheEPAstatesthat,“Ourmostvulnerablecitizens,includingchildren,olderadults,peoplewithheartorlungdiseaseandpeoplelivinginpovertyaremostatrisktothehealthimpactsofclimatechange.”304TheWorldHealthOrganizationestimatedglobalwarmingtoberesponsiblefor166,000deathsin2000,frommalaria,malnutrition,diarrhea,anddrowning.305(Thisisjustasmallsubsetofthecausesofill‐healthanddeathassociatedwithclimatechange.)With19milesofshoreline,Oakland’sresidentsarevulnerabletosealevelrise,volatileweatherpatterns,warmingoceans,andrisingtides;theseconditionsputthecity—particularlynearourshoreline—amongthosemostthreatenedbyimpactsfromclimatechange,andcreateyetanothersourceofenvironmentalstressforvulnerableresidents.306
8.1CaliforniaandOaklandGHGreductionplansToconservativelyestimatethegreenhousegasemissionsassociatedwiththeeventualuseofthecoal,forthepurposesofunderstandingOakland’spotentialroleinhandlingaclimate‐relevantcommodity,itisassumedthatalmostallofthecoalwillbeburnedforfueloverseas.307
300CityofOakland“core”emissions(thoseemittedstrictlywithincitylimits,notcountingupstreamorlifecycleemissions)fromCityofOakland 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (2013 Data Year), March 2016. See page 7: “In 2013, core emissions equaled 2,768,150 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO2e).” 301Costello,A.etal.(2009).“Managingthehealtheffectsofclimatechange,”TheLancet.Thisarticlehasbeencited>1100times.SeealsotestimonybyPaulEnglish,14September2015.302IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(2014).“Chapter11:Humanhealth:impacts,adaptation,andco‐benefits,”ClimateChange2014:Impacts,Adaptation,andVulnerability.WorkingGroupII,FifthAssessmentReport.303“TheimpactsofclimatechangearealreadybeingfeltinCaliforniaandwilldisproportionatelyimpactthestate'smostvulnerablepopulations.”https://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=19047July21,2015“GovernorBrowntoWorld’sMayors:It’sUptoUstoMakeitHappen.”RemarksattheVatican.304https://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/fact‐sheet‐clean‐power‐plan‐benefits‐cleaner‐more‐efficient‐power‐sector305http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/psr‐coal‐fullreport.pdf306CityofOakland(2016).2013GreenhouseGasEmissionsInventoryReport.http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/pwa/documents/report/oak059097.pdf307EmissionfactorsforcoalprovidedbyCaliforniaAirResourcesBoardfromMandatoryGHGReportingRegulation,whichincorporatesU.S.EPAPart98emissionfactorsbyreference.Seehttp://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/reporting/ghg‐rep/regulation/subpart_c_rule_part98.pdf,TablesC‐1andC‐2.Thecoalemissionfactorisbasedonbituminouscoal.Emissionsestimatesreportedhereassumethatallcoaliscombustedinpowerplants.Thisisaconservativeassumption,asnon‐industrialusesofcoalwouldresultinhigheremissionfactorsofmostpollutants,duetonon‐optimizedburnconditions.
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8.1.aCaliforniagreenhousegasreductionsOverjust10yearsoffulloperation(at9MMTPAcoal),combustionofcoalexportedthroughthisterminalwouldlikelyresultinthereleaseofatleast232MMTCO2e.308ThisisequivalenttoapproximatelyhalfofCalifornia’sentireannualcarbonbudgetatcurrentlevels.309ItisalsoequivalenttoallofthegreenhousegasemissionsthatwillneedtooccurinCaliforniabetween2020and2025toensurethatCaliforniatransitionsfromthe2020Target(setinTheGlobalWarmingSolutionsActof2006,AB32)310tothe2030GoalestablishedinExecutiveOrderB‐30‐15.311Ifcoalweretobeexportedthroughoutthe66yearlifeofthisproject(asleased),combustionofthe5‐9MMTPAexportedthroughthisterminalwouldlikelyresultinatleast851MMTCO2eandasmuchas1531MMTCO2e.California’semissiontargetfor2050,ayearwhichwillfallinthemiddleoftheleasecycle,islessthan100MMTCO2e.312Thismeansthatemissionsfromburningcoalexportedoverthelengthofthelease,asunderstoodfromdocumentssubmittedbyprojectsponsors,wouldbeequivalenttoapproximatelyonedecade(andpossibly15years)ofCalifornia’sentirecarbonbudgetat2050Targetlevels.
308Theleaseperiodis66years.309California’semissionswere441.5mmtCO2ein2014,themostrecentyearforwhichdatawereavailable.California’s2020Targetis431mmtCO2e.310NotethatAB32ispartofCalifornia’sHealthandSafetycode(Section38500):Globalwarmingposesaseriousthreattotheeconomicwell‐being,publichealth,naturalresources,andtheenvironmentofCalifornia.Thepotentialadverseimpactsofglobalwarmingincludetheexacerbationofairqualityproblems,areductioninthequalityandsupplyofwatertothestatefromtheSierrasnowpack,ariseinsealevelsresultinginthedisplacementofthousandsofcoastalbusinessesandresidences,damagetomarineecosystemsandthenaturalenvironment,andanincreaseintheincidencesofinfectiousdiseases,asthma,andotherhumanhealth‐relatedproblems.311AssumingthatCaliforniaachievesthe2020Target(431MMTCO2e)andprogressesonalineartrajectorytowardthe2030Goal(260MMTCO2eor40%below1990levels),progressiveannualreductionsof17MMTCO2ewillberequired.Thecumulativereductionsfrom2020‐2025wouldbe256MMTCO2einthisscenario.“Thisnewtargetisconsistentwiththepathnecessarytoreachthescientificallyestablishedlevelsneededtolimitglobalwarmingbelow2degreesCelsius(°C)–thewarmingthresholdatwhichscientistsagreethattherewilllikelybemajorclimatedisruptions–andalignsCalifornia'sGHGreductiontargetswiththoseofleadinginternationalgovernments.”StateofCalifornia2030TargetScopingPlanConceptPaperJune17,2016.http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/document/2030_sp_concept_paper2016.pdf312The2050Targetis80%below1990levels.StateofCalifornia2030TargetScopingPlanConceptPaperJune17,2016.http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/document/2030_sp_concept_paper2016.pdf.
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8.1.bComparisontoOaklandgreenhousegasreductionsIn2009,theOaklandCityCounciladoptedGHGreductiongoalsof36percentfeweremissionsby2020and83percentfeweremissionsby2050.313Oakland’sEnergyandClimateActionPlannotesthat,“Achievinga36%reductioninGHGemissionswillrequireunprecedentedleadershipbytheCityandallmembersoftheOaklandcommunity.”314However,witheven5MMTPAofcoalhandledthroughtheproposedterminal,burningofthecommodityshippedthroughOaklandwouldresultinannualGHGemissionsinexcessof4timesallofthosecurrentlyemittedinOakland.315(SeeFigure25.)Theemissionsthatwouldresultfromburningasingleyear’sworthofexportedcoal(5millionmetrictonsofcoal,aconservativescenario),wouldbe179timestheamountbywhichOaklandmustreduceitsemissionseachyeartomeetits2020greenhousegasemissionstarget.316AccordingtoOakland’sEnergyandClimateActionPlan,meetingitsambitiousemissiongoalswillrequirethefollowingeffort:a20%reductioninvehiclemilestraveledannuallyasresidents,workersandvisitorsmeetdailyneedsthroughtransit,walking,andbicycling;24milliongallonsofgasolineanddieselsavedannuallyonlocalroadsduetolessdrivingandmorefuelefficientvehicles;32%reductioninannualelectricityconsumptionthroughconservationandenergyefficiencyinhomesandbusinesses;14%reductioninannualnaturalgasconsumptionthroughretrofitstoOakland’shomesandcommercialbuildingsandaggressiveconservation;62millionkWhand2.7millionthermsofrenewableenergyproductionannuallyfromlocalsolarpanelsandotherrenewableenergytechnologies;375,000tonsofwastedivertedannuallyawayfromlocallandfillsthroughwastereduction,reuse,recycling,andcomposting.317Theseemissionreductionefforts,whicharemotivatedinlargepartbythegoalofprotectingOaklanders’long‐termhealthandsafetyinlightofclimatechangeandsealevelrise,wouldbecounteractedandsubstantiallyreversedbytheemissionsassociatedwithburningcoalexportedthroughOakland.
313CityofOakland(2016)Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (2013 Data Year). SeetestimonybyLauraWisland,UnionofConcernedScientists.InJuly2009,theOaklandCityCouncilapprovedapreliminaryplanningGHGemissionsreductiontargetfortheyear2020at36%below2005levels,onapathtowardreducingGHGemissionsbymorethan80%below2005levelsby2050(83%).(SeeCityofOakland 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (2013 Data Year), March 2016.)ThisplanningtargetwasdevelopedbasedonrecentpublicationsoftheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC),widelyrecognizedastheworld’sleadingbodyofclimatescientists.AccordingtoarecentIPCCreport,achievingthislevelofGHGreductionsthroughouttheindustrialworldwillhelptoproducealevelofclimatestabilizationthatwouldavoidtheworstfutureclimateimpactscenarios.AdditionalbackgroundonthisGHGreductiontargetisprovidedintheECAPAppendix.OaklandhasanopportunitytodemonstrateleadershipbystrivingtoachievethislevelofGHGemissionsreductions,reinforcingourcommitmenttolocalclimateaction.314SeetestimonyfromLauraWisland,UnionofConcernedScientists.SeealsoCityofOakland(2012).EnergyandClimateActionPlan.315LatestdataforOaklandemissionsarefrom2013.SeeCityofOakland(2016)Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (2013 Data Year). The comparison is with City of Oakland’s core emissions. Since emissions from coal burning as calculated here do not include upstream emissions (such as those associated with mining or transport), it is most appropriate to compare them with Oakland’s core emissions. 316AssumesalinearreductioninOaklandcoreemissionsbetween2005and2020,necessitatingapproximately71,800mtCO2ereductionperyearduringthattimeperiod.Burning5millionmetrictonsofcoalinapowerplantreleasesabout12.9millionmtCO2e.3171751p101,OaklandECAP
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Figure25:ComparisonofgreenhousegasemissionsfromOaklandandproposedcoalexports(5MMTPA),2005‐2050.ThegreenbarsshowthetrajectoryneededtomeettheCityofOakland’sEnergyandClimateActionPlan’sgoalofreducing“core”cityemissionsto36%below2005in2020,whichwasadoptedin2012,assuminglinearemissionreductions.The2050barshowsOakland’stargetof83%below2005levelsin2050.ThebluestarsrepresentOaklandcoreemissionsestimatesfor2005,2010,and2013,asdeterminedbytheCityofOakland.ThegraybarsshowtheemissionsexpectedtoresultfromcoalshippedthroughtheproposedOaklandterminal,attheconservativerateof5MMTPA.Thisfigureassumesthatthecoaliseventuallyburnedinpowerplants.318Oakland’seffortstoreduceitsemissions,bothdirectlyandindirectly,arementionedinproposedterminalplanningdocuments.The2013StandardConditionsofApprovalandMitigationMonitoringandReportingProgram(SCA/MMRP),asrevisedbytheCityCouncil,includestherequirementofaGHGreductionplan,whichmustanswertothisquestion(emphasisadded):
“Wouldtheprojectgenerategreenhousegasemissions,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,thatmayhaveasignificantimpactontheenvironment?”319
ThegoaloftherequiredGHGreductionplan,asspecified,isto“increaseenergyefficiencyandreduceGHGemissionsbyatleast20percent,withagoalof36percentbelowtheproject’s“adjusted”baselineGHGemissionstohelpachievetheCity’sgoalofreducingGHG
318In2009,theOaklandCityCounciladoptedGHGreductiongoalsof36percentfeweremissionsby2020and83percentfeweremissionsby2050.ThisfigureassumesalinearreductioninOaklandcoreemissionsbetween2005and2020,necessitatingapproximately71,800mtCO2ereductionperyearduringthattimeperiod.Burning5millionmetrictonsofcoalinapowerplantreleasesabout12.9millionmtCO2e.Targetsand2010and2013emissioninventoryestimatesarederivedfromCityofOaklandEmissionInventory,March2016.319StandardConditionsofApprovalandMitigationMonitoringandReportingProgram,RevisedbyCityCouncil16July2013.Seep.27.http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/ceda/documents/report/oak042281.pdf
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emissions.”TheSCA/MMRPspecifiesthatprojectsponsorsmustsubmittheGHGReductionPlanforCityreviewandapproval.320ProjectsponsorTLSclearlyexpressedtheneedtoconformtotheSCA/MMRPindesign,construction,andoperationoftheterminal.321Emissionsfromenduseofthecoalexportedthroughtheproposedterminalareanindirectsourceofgreenhousegasemissionsfromtheprojectthatwouldhaveasignificantimpactontheenvironment.TobeconsistentwiththeintentandrequirementsoftheCity’sEnergyandClimateActionPlanandtheSCA/MMRP,theprojectshouldbothreduceitsoperationalbaselineasdirectedandavoidcausingsignificantimpactontheenvironmentthroughnetindirectgreenhousegasemissionsresultingfromtheproject;thelattertakingintoaccounttherangeofcommoditiesavailableforexport.ExportofcoalthroughtheproposedterminalwillmakeitpracticallyimpossibletofulfilltheindirectGHGreductionrequirement.8.1.cInternationalgreenhousegasreductionsTheOECDandotherinternationalorganizationshavemadeclearthatcoalcombustionwillneedtobereducedinordertomeetlocal,state,national,andinternationalclimatechangemitigationgoals.Eventhemostadvanced(andcostly)coal‐firedpowerplantsarenotgoingtobeconsistentwiththemitigationeffortsrequiredtokeepclimatechangebelow2°Cofwarmingabovepre‐industriallevels(agoalcommonlycitedbytheworldcommunity)unlesstheycancaptureandstoretheCO2theyproduce.322Effortstolowerheat‐trappinggreenhousegasemissionsinOaklandandCalifornia,andlowercoalusethroughouttheUnitedStatesthroughtheObamaAdministration’sCleanPowerPlan,willbenegatedtotheextentthatthecoalweavoidusinginthiscountryisexportedtobeusedelsewhere,followedbytheimpactsofglobalwarmingtoourcommunities.323CaliforniaGovernorJerryBrownhasstatedthat,“Itdoesn'tmakesensetobeshuttingdowncoalplantsandthenexportit[coal]forsomebodyelsetoburnitinamoredirtyway.
320StandardConditionsofApprovalandMitigationMonitoringandReportingProgram,RevisedbyCityCouncil16July2013.Seep.27.http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/ceda/documents/report/oak042281.pdf321“InadditiontothenormalCaliforniaregulatoryregimeofexistingfederal,state,andlocalregulations,theTerminalLogisticsSolution(TLS)projectmustbedesigned,constructed,andoperatedwithinandinconformancetotheOaklandArmyBaseRedevelopmentprogramStandardConditionsofApproval/MitigationMonitoringandReportingProgram(SCA/MMRP)requirements.”TLSBasisofDesignIntroduction.322“Betweennowand2050,ifnofurthermitigationmeasuresareundertaken,coalgenerationisprojectedtoemitmorethan500GtCO2.Thatisaroundhalftheremainingcarbonbudgetconsistentwithstayingunder2°C.”http://www.oecd.org/environment/climate‐what‐has‐changed‐what‐has‐not‐and‐what‐we‐can‐do‐about‐it.htm,OECD2015.Forreferencetothe2°Cgoal,pleaseseeforexampleUNFCCC(2015).“AdoptionoftheParisAgreement,”ConferenceoftheParties,21stSession,Paris,30Nov‐11Dec2015.http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09r01.pdf.323Severalwrittentestimonyletterssubmittedbythepublicaddressedthispoint.
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Butwhatweneedisanationalplantoreduceallfossilfuels.Certainly,coalwouldbeatthetop.”324GovernorBrownhasalsospecifiedthat“over90percent”ofcoal“canneverbetakenoutoftheground.”325UCBerkeleyProfessorMaximilianAuffhammerwrote,“Asweareworkingtowardsaglobalclimatearchitecture,leakageofcarbonfromregulatedareas[suchasCalifornia]isamajorconcernasitpartiallyoffsetstheeffectivenessofsuchlegislation...UsingthisterminaltoshipcoaltoAsiasimplyprovidesavalvetoleakcoaltoitsbiggestconsumerandoffsetUSfederalandCalifornialegislation.”326
8.2HealtheffectsofclimatechangeinBayAreaThissectiondetailstheexpectedeffectsofclimatechangeonOaklandandsurroundingareas.ThehealthandsafetyofBayArearesidents,andspecificallythoseinAlamedaCounty,isexpectedtobeaffectedbyclimatechangeoverthenextfewdecades.ClimatechangethreatensOaklandspecifically,withimpactsthatarefeltasbothdiscreteshocks(coastalfloods,increasedwildfirerisks)andcontinualorperiodicstress(risingseasanddroughts).Astheclimatewarms,droughts,extremeheatdays,largerainstormsandotherabnormalweatherpatternsareexpectedtooccurmorefrequentlyandintensely.327Oakland’spoorerresidents,theelderly,andchildrenmaybedisproportionatelyvulnerabletotheseincreasingthreats.328(SeeFigure26.)MortalityinAlamedaCountymayincrease17.4%forevery10degree(F)changeinmeandailytemperature,withanexcessmortalityriskof9.2%forpeopleover65.329Mortalityfromcardiovascularconditionsonextremelyhotdaysisestimatedtobeupto28percenthigherthannormal.330Theelderly,infantsand
324Yardley(2015).HowUtahquietlymadeplanstoshipcoalthroughCalifornia.LATimes.Dec112015.325OnJuly21,2015,GovernorJerryBrownmadethefollowingremarksattheVatican:“One‐thirdoftheoilthatweknowexistsasreservescanneverbetakenoutoftheground.Fiftypercentofthegascanneverbeusedandover90percentofthecoal.Now,thatisarevolution.Thatisgoingtotakeacalltoarms.”https://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=19047“GovernorBrowntoWorld’sMayors:It’sUptoUstoMakeitHappen.”Thepressreleaseabouthisremarksnoted:“Earlierthisyear,GovernorBrownissuedanexecutiveordertoreducegreenhousegasemissionsinCalifornia40percentbelow1990levelsby2030‐themostambitioustargetinNorthAmericaandconsistentwithCalifornia'sexistingcommitmenttoreduceemissions80percentunder1990levelsby2050.TheUnder2MOUbuildsonotherinternationalclimatechangepactswithleadersfromMexico,China,NorthAmerica,Japan,IsraelandPeru.”326WrittentestimonyprovidedbyDr.MaximilianAuffhammer,onSeptember21,2015.Dr.AuffhammerisaProfessorofEnvironmentalEconomicsandAssociateDeanofSocialSciences,UCBerkeley,andwasaLeadAuthoroftheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeFifthAssessmentReport.327CityofOakland2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.:www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp328CityofOakland2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.:www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp329Ostro,B.etal.(2011).“QuantifyingthehealthimpactsoffuturechangesintemperatureinCalifornia,”EnvironmentalResearch.330CaliforniaClimateChangeCenter(2012).“OurChangingClimate:Vulnerability&AdaptationtotheIncreasingRisksfromClimateChangeinCalifornia,”http://www.energy.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC‐500‐2012‐007/CEC‐500‐2012‐007.pdf.
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AfricanAmericansareathigherriskforhospitalizationforstroke,diabetes,acutekidneyfailure,dehydrationandpneumonia.Pretermdeliveryismorelikelyforallpregnantwomen.(SeeSection4.2.bformoreonhealtheffectsinvulnerablepopulations.)
Figure26:Intersectionofsocialdeterminantsofhealthandvulnerability331
8.2.aHighertemperaturesAveragetemperaturesinAlamedaCountyareexpectedtorisebetween3.3and5.6degreesFahrenheitinthenexthalfcentury.332AlamedaCountyislikelytoexperiencethehighestpercentchangeinriskestimateper10˚Cincreaseinapparenttemperature(17%),nearlytwiceasmuchofanincreaseper10˚Cthanthestate‐wideaverage(9%),accordingtoastudyoffuturetemperatureprojectionsinCalifornia.333Extremeheatcanhavepublichealthimpacts,particularlytotheelderlyandchildrenunderfive:prematuredeath;cardiovascularstressandfailure;andillnessessuchasheatstroke,
331Gamble,J.L.,(2016)Ch.9:PopulationsofConcern.TheImpactsofClimateChangeonHumanHealthintheUnitedStates:AScientificAssessment.U.S.GlobalChangeResearchProgram,Washington,DC,247–286.http://dx.doi.org/10.7930/J0Q81B0T332LauraWisland,UnionofConcernedScientists,citingCaliforniaEnergyCommission(2015),CalAdapt,http://cal‐adapt.org/tools/factsheet/.333Ostro,B.etal.(2011).QuantifyingthehealthimpactsoffuturechangesintemperatureinCalifornia.EnvironmentalResearch1111258–1264.
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heatexhaustionandkidneystones.334Mortalitylinkedtoextremeheatmaydoubleortripleduringanextremeheatevent.335Workerswhomustlaboroutsideareatparticularriskforhealthimpactsfromhighertemperatures.336Thenumberofextremeheatdaysinthestateisexpectedtorise21‐24peryear.337Historically,therehavebeenfourextremeheatdaysinanygivenyear,statewide.ClimatemodelspredictincreasesinboththeintensityanddurationofheatwavesinCaliforniaandanincreaseinozonepollution.ThehealtheffectsofhighertemperaturesandhigherozoneconcentrationsinCaliforniahavebeenwelldocumentedandwillresultinincreasesinmortality,hospitalizationandemergencyroomvisitsinOakland.338
8.2.bAirpollutionItislikelythatclimatechangewillworsenPM2.5pollutionaswell,especiallyinareaswheremediumandhighsocialvulnerabilityexist.339Byaround2050,949,000AlamedaCountyresidentsareexpectedtoliveinareaswithhighPM2.5and747,000oftheseresidents(79%)willbeinareasclassifiedashavingmediumorhighsocialvulnerability.340
334CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.:www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp335CaliforniaClimateChangeCenter(2009),“EstimatingtheMortalityoftheJuly2006CaliforniaHeatWave,”CaliforniaEnergyCommissionCEC‐500‐2009‐036‐F.336Itiswith“highconfidence”thattheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeexpects“consequencesforhealthoflostworkcapacityandreducedlaborproductivityinvulnerablepopulations”ifclimatechangecontinuesatprojectedinthescenariosevaluated.IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(2014).“Chapter11:Humanhealth:impacts,adaptation,andco‐benefits,”ClimateChange2014:Impacts,Adaptation,andVulnerability.WorkingGroupII,FifthAssessmentReport.337LauraWisland,UnionofConcernedScientists,citingCaliforniaEnergyCommission(2015),CalAdapt,http://cal‐adapt.org/tools/factsheet/.TheStateofCaliforniadefinesanextremeheatdayasadayduringthemonthsofAprilthroughOctober,wherethemaximumtemperatureexceeds81degreesFahrenheit(inOakland).338Ostro,Bart,PhD.TestimonysubmittedSeptember16,2015andOctober1,2015.FormerChiefoftheAirPollutionEpidemiologySection,CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.339Cooley,H.(2013).“SocialVulnerabilitytoClimateChangeinCalifornia,”PacificInstitutereportpreparedforCaliforniaEnergyCommission.p57.“By2050,anestimated14millionresidentslivedincensustractswithPM2.5levelsprojectedtobeabovetheCaliforniastandardin2050,whichiscategorizedashighexposure(Table15).Abouthalfofthosewithhighexposurealsolivedinareaswithhighsocialvulnerability.”PotentialcausesofincreasedPM2.5includehighertemperatures,morewildfires,andmorebiogenicemissionsofPM2.5precursors(suchasVOCs).340Cooley,H.(2013).“SocialVulnerabilitytoClimateChangeinCalifornia,”PacificInstitutereportpreparedforCaliforniaEnergyCommission.p60.
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Figure27:AveragePM2.5concentrationunderpresent(7yearaverage2000‐2006)andprojectedfutureconditions(2047‐2053).341
8.2.cDroughtandwildfireTheCity’sLocalHazardMitigationPlannotesthatCalifornia’sfutureclimateoffrequentdroughtandhigherheatleavesOaklandatextremeriskforwildfire,akintothe1991Oakland‐Berkeleyfire,whichkilled25people,injured150people,destroyedmorethan3,000homesandresultedin$9billionoflosses.Thehazardmitigationplannotesthat“[g]iventhecurrentdroughtconditionsofthelastfewyears,theprobabilityofanotherwildfireisextremelyhigh.Assuch,theOaklandhillsarearemainsvulnerabletoanothercatastrophicevent.”342GlobalwarminghasalreadymeasurablyworsenedtheongoingCaliforniadrought.343Whilescientistslargelyagreethatnaturalweathervariationshavecausedalackofrain,risingtemperaturesaremakingthingsworsebydrivingmoisturefromplantsandsoilintothe
341ProjectionsarebasedontheNCARB06.44BusinessasUsualEmissionsScenario.Source:Cooley,H.(2013).“SocialVulnerabilitytoClimateChangeinCalifornia,”,PacificInstitutereportpreparedforCaliforniaEnergyCommissionp57.342CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp343Williams,A.etal.(2015).“ContributionofanthropogenicwarmingtoCaliforniadroughtduring2012–2014,”GeophysicalResearchLetters.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL064924/full
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air.Onestudyestimatesthatincreasedtemperatureshavedrivenupwaterdemandsbyasmuchastwenty‐fivepercent.344
8.2.dInfectiousdiseasesClimatechangemayaffectthegeographicrangeandincidenceofseveralenvironmentalinfectiousdiseases,includingWestNileencephalitis,Lymedisease,coccidioidomycosis(“valleyfever”),denguefever,andhumanhantaviruscardiopulmonarysyndrome.345WestNilevirusactivityoftenappearstobegreatestduringLaNiñaconditionsofdroughtandhotsummertemperatures,bothofwhicharesimilartotheconditionslikelytobeinducedbyclimatechangeinCalifornia.346ModeledresultsalsoindicatethatfutureclimateconditionswillalsosupportincreasedplagueactivityintheCentralandNorthCoastcounties.347
8.3SealevelriseinOaklandSealevelriseiscausedbyrisingtemperaturesandmeltingiceandisexacerbatedbythereleaseofheat‐trappinggreenhousegasesandshort‐livedclimatepollutants.WhenthecoalthatisproposedtobeexportedthroughOBOTiseventuallyburned,itwillcontributetotheglobaltemperatureincreaseandsealevelrise.TheOaklandArmyBasesiteisconsidered“mostatrisk”fromsealevelrise.348Severalexistingfirestationsarealsoatriskoffutureflooding,accordingtotheBayConservationandDevelopmentCommission.349PredictionsarethatglobalclimatechangewillincreasethesealevelriseofSanFranciscoBay,andthatthefrequencyandextentofshortterm,temporarycoastalfloodingwill
344Williams,A.etal.(2015).“ContributionofanthropogenicwarmingtoCaliforniadroughtduring2012–2014,”GeophysicalResearchLetters.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL064924/full345English,P.(2011).“EnvironmentalHealthIndicatorsofClimateChangefortheUnitedStates:FindingsfromtheStateEnvironmentalHealthIndicatorCollaborative,”EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives.http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/0900708/346CaliforniaDepartmentofPublicHealth,(nodate).“Vector‐bornediseaseandclimatechange,”CaliforniaEnvironmentalHealthTrackingProgram.http://cehtp.org/faq/climate_change/vectorborne_disease_and_climate_change.347Holt,A.C.etal.(2009)“SpatialanalysisofplagueinCalifornia:nichemodelingpredictionsofthecurrentdistributionandpotentialresponsetoclimatechange.”InternationalJournalofHealthGeographics,doi:10.1186/1476‐072X‐8‐38.348CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp“Oaklandisprojectedtoexperience36‐66inchesofsealevelrisebytheyear2100,which,withoutaction,couldsubstantiallyimpactcoastalareas:lowlyingcoastalresidences,thePort,theformerOaklandArmyBase,theOaklandAlamedaCountyColiseumcomplex,OaklandInternationalAirport,andI‐880aremostatrisk.”349“FireStation#22servestheairportandhasspecialequipmentforaviationdisasters;stations#27and#29servetheneighboringcommunities.Thefirestationsarevulnerabletofuturefloodingbecausethebuildingsareatgradeandfirefightersrelyonvulnerableroadstoperformtheiremergencyresponsefunction.”BCDC(2015),“Oakland/AlamedaResilienceStudyPhase1Report:VulnerabilityandRiskAssessmentFindings,November2015Draft”,pgs‐20‐31.CitedinLocalHazardMitigationPlan.
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increase.Eventually,permanentdailytidalinundationwillbereached.350Stormsareexpectedtoincreaseinintensity,aswell.WithOakland’solderstormwaterdrainagesystem,processingthewaterfromthepredictedhighertidesandlargerstormscouldleadtosignificantincreasesinbothcoastalandurbanfloodingandflooddamage.Sealevelisalreadyrisingasaresultofhumanactivities.InarecentreportonsealevelriseanditsimpactoncoastalfloodingintheSanFranciscoBayArea,ClimateCentralfoundthathuman‐causedglobalsealevelrisehascausedthenumberofflooddaysinSanFranciscotoincreaseby118%overthepast30years.Sealevelhasrisenatleast4inchessince1950,and3.5inchescanbelinkedtohuman‐causedglobalsealevelrise.351Between1950‐2014,329flooddays(69%)wereattributabletoanthropogenicglobalsealevelriseinSanFrancisco.352Overthepast10yearsalone,81flooddays(82%ofallflooddaysinthatperiod)wereattributabletoanthropogenicsealevelriseinSanFrancisco.353OurCoast,OurFutureisaninitiativethatassistsCaliforniansinbetterunderstandingthepotentialeffectsoffuturesealevelriseonexistinginfrastructure.Thetwofiguresbelowrepresentconservative(expectedday‐to‐dayconditions)andlikelybutlessfrequent(upperendofprojectedsealevelrise,combinedwith100yearstormevent)scenariosfor2070‐2080.
350CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.May13,2016.www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp351Strauss,B.etal.(2016).“UnnaturalCoastalFloods:SealevelriseandthehumanfingerprintonU.S.floodssince1950,”ClimateCentralResearchReport.http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/uploads/research/Unnatural‐Coastal‐Floods‐2016.pdf352“Verylikely”rangeisfrom200‐420flooddays,or42‐89%oftotal.Strauss,B.etal.(2016).“UnnaturalCoastalFloods:SealevelriseandthehumanfingerprintonU.S.floodssince1950,”ClimateCentralResearchReport.http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/uploads/research/Unnatural‐Coastal‐Floods‐2016.pdf353“Verylikely”rangeisfrom62‐92flooddays,or64‐93%oftotal.Strauss,B.etal.(2016).“UnnaturalCoastalFloods:SealevelriseandthehumanfingerprintonU.S.floodssince1950,”ClimateCentralResearchReport.http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/uploads/research/Unnatural‐Coastal‐Floods‐2016.pdf
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Figure28:FloodproneareasinOaklandprojectedwhen50cmofsealevelriseoccurs,undereverydayconditionswithnostormimpactorKingTideevent.Thisamountofsealevelrise(50cmor1.6feet)isprojectedfor2070‐2080(withintheleasedurationofOBOT)bynearlyallreportsandscenarios.354Notethelow‐lyingfloodproneareas(showningreen)andthefloodhazardareas(showninblue)intheprojectsite,theOaklandairportandaroundLakeMerritt.Airportsareshowninred.
354OurCoastOurFuture,“ComparingSeaLevelRisePredictions.”http://data.prbo.org/cadc/tools/sealevelrise/compare/Viewed19May2016.
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Figure29:ProjectedinundationinOaklandassociatedwith75cmofsealevelrise,takingintoaccountwavesexpectedduring100yearstormevents.Manysealevelprojectionsfor2070‐2080(withintheleasedurationofOBOT)estimateapproximately75cmofsealevelriseintheBayArea.Lightpinkshadingindicatesextentofminimuminundationexpected;darkpinkshadingindicatesextentofmaximuminundationexpected.Airportsareshowninred.355TheAdaptingtoRisingTidesprojecthasfoundthatapproximately6,000Oaklandresidentswouldbeatriskina16‐inchsealevelrisescenario,and15,000residentswouldbeatriskwith55‐inchsealevelrise,whichisexpectedtooccurbytheyear2100.Thereplacement
355OurCoastOurFuture,“ComparingSeaLevelRisePredictions.”http://data.prbo.org/cadc/tools/sealevelrise/compare/Viewed19May2016.
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costsofpropertyintheAdaptingtoRisingTidesprojectareainOaklandareestimatedat$22to$38billion.356Cityfacilitiesatriskwitha16inchSLRscenarioaretwofirestations,fivehealthcarefacilities,twohomelesssheltersandthreeschools,amongothercityfacilities.357Thisisanexampleofapositivefeedbackloopwhichwillleadtotheexacerbationofsafetyandinfrastructureimpacts:theOaklandArmyBasesite(anditsvisitors,workers,andadjacentcommunities)isatshort‐termandlong‐termriskfromsealevelrise,andtheprojectitself(ifcoalweretobeshippedthroughit)wouldcontributetoadditionalsealevelrise,worseningtheproblemovertime.
9.CONCLUSIONThetransloading,handling,storageandshippingofcoalinandthroughOaklandislikelytohaveseriousandon‐goinghealtheffectsandsafetyrisksforresidents,workersandotherswholive,workand/orvisitportionsofOaklandandadjacentcommunities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThisreportwaspeer‐reviewedbyProf.RachelMorello‐Frosch,PhD,MPH.
356CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.:www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp357CityofOakland(2016).2016‐2021LocalHazardMitigationPlan.:www.oaklandnet.com/lhmp
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APPENDICES
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A1.ACRONYMSANDABBREVIATIONSAB32 GlobalWarmingSolutionsActof2006(CaliforniaAssemblyBill32)ACPHD AlamedaCountyPublicHealthDepartmentBAAQMD BayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict BTU Britishthermalunit,ameasureofenergycontentCalEPA CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyCARB CaliforniaAirResourcesBoardCCIG CaliforniaCapital&InvestmentGroupCOPD ChronicobstructivepulmonarydiseaseCWP Coalworkers'pneumoconiosisEBMUD EastBayMunicipalUtilityDistrictEBRPD EastBayRegionalParkDistrictECAP EnergyandClimateActionPlan(Oakland)EPA EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyHDR HDREngineeringFirmIARC InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(WHOAgency)LDDA LeaseDispositionandDevelopmentAgreementMEC MinimumexplosiveconcentrationMMTPA MillionmetrictonsperannumMMTCO2e MillionmetrictonsofcarbondioxideequivalentMSHA MineSafetyandHealthAdministration(DepartmentofLabor)NAAQS NationalambientairqualitystandardsNIOSH NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthNMRD Non‐malignantrespiratorydiseaseNOx NOandNO2(gases)OBOT OaklandBulkandOversizedTerminalOECD OrganisationforEconomicCooperationandDevelopmentOEHHA OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(CalEPA)OSHA OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(DepartmentofLabor)PAH PolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonPEL PermissibleexposurelevelPM2.5 Fineparticulatematter(havingaerodynamicdiameter<2.5µm)PMF ProgressivemassivefibrosisPVC PolyvinylchlorideREL ReferenceexposurelevelTLS TerminalLogisticsSolutionsVOC VolatileorganiccompoundWHO WorldHealthOrganization
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A2.TYPESOFCOALCoalsarecharacterizedingradesorranks,includingthefollowing(whichareorderedfromleasttomostcarboncontentperunitmass):lignite,subbituminous,bituminous,andanthracite.Coalgradesaredeterminedbylevelofmaturity,whichistheproductofacombinationofgeologicalprocesses,includingtime,pressure,andheat.Coaltypesvarybycarboncontent,energydensity,moisturecontent,andsulfurcontent.Thermalor“steam”coalisusedtocreatesteam,oftenforelectricitygeneration.Metallurgiccoalisusedformakingironorsteel.Coalisalsousedforindustrialpurposes.Insomecountries,notablyinEastAsia,coalisburnedinhouseholdsforcookingandheating.
Figure19:Typesofcoal,rankedbyenergypermassandpercentageoffixedcarbon.Source:UnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey.Utahcoalslikelytobeexportedthroughtheterminalrangefrom11,000‐12,000BTU/lb.
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A3.PRECAUTIONARYPRINCIPLECoalandcoaldustaffecthumanhealthinmyriadways.Someoftheeffectsofcoalandcoaldustexposureonhumanhealtharewell‐documented;othershavenotbeenwidelystudied.Becauseofthis,policymakersshouldconsiderinvokingtheprecautionaryprincipletoguidedecision‐makingaroundcoalandcoaldust.Theprecautionaryprincipleisbasedonthefollowingtenet:“Wherethreatsofseriousorirreversibleharmtopeopleornatureexist,anticipatoryactionwillbetakentopreventdamagestohumanandenvironmentalhealth,evenwhenfullscientificcertaintyaboutcauseandeffectisnotavailable,withtheintentofsafeguardingthequalityoflifeforcurrentandfuturegenerations.”358Thereisatestoftwoaspectsthatcanbeusedtodeterminewhethertheprecautionaryprincipleshouldbeapplied:(1)whenwesuspectouractionsmayposeathreattohumanorecologicalhealthand(2)whenscientificuncertaintymightotherwisekeepusfromtakingactiontopreventharm.Ifbothofthestatementsaretrueforagivensituation,theprecautionaryprincipleapproachisappropriate.359Keycomponentsoftheprecautionaryprincipleincludethefollowing360:
Takinganticipatoryactiontopreventharminthefaceofscientificuncertainty. Exploringalternatives,includingthealternativeof“noaction.” Consideringthefullcostofenvironmentalandhealthimpactsovertime Increasingpublicparticipationindecision‐making Shiftingresponsibilityforprovidingevidencetoproponentsofanactivity
In1997,theInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC)statedinitsreportoncoaldustthatit“cannotbeclassifiedastoitscarcinogenicitytohumans”andthattherewasatthetime“inadequateevidenceinhumansforthecarcinogenicityofcoaldust.”361Thismeantthat,atthetime,“Theavailablestudiesareofinsufficientquality,consistencyorstatisticalpowertopermitaconclusionregardingthepresenceorabsenceofacausalassociation,ornodataoncancerinhumansareavailable.”However,asdetailedintheprevioussections,evidencethathasemergedsincethattimehasstrengthenedthesuspicionthatcoaldustisveryharmfultohumans.Section3includesinformationonthe
358http://www.watoxics.org/files/seattle‐pp‐whitepaper359http://nsglc.olemiss.edu/Precautionary%20Principle.pdf360http://www.watoxics.org/files/seattle‐pp‐whitepaper361http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol68/mono68‐12.pdf
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recentdetermination,basedonnewscientificevidence,thatparticulateoutdoorairpollutioniscarcinogenic.362Thereisevidencethattheprecautionaryprincipleshouldbeemployed(whichwoulddictatemitigatingallexposure)duetothesubstancesthatmakeupcoaldustandareontheOEHHAlist,363especiallybecauseexposuretomorethanonecarcinogen,incombination,canhavedeleteriouseffects.Inaddition,thelackofpublicinformationregardingthechemicalsincludedinthesurfactantssometimesusedoncoaltransportedinrailcarsalsoseemstorequireapplicationoftheprecautionaryprinciple.Manyofthetoppersusedonopencarsareproprietaryandthereforetheirchemicalcompositionisnotdisclosed;andinsomecases,theirMaterialSafetyDataSheets(MSDS)donotprovidesufficientinformationonhumanorenvironmentalhealthimpacts.364Theprecautionaryprincipleseemsappropriatetoapplyhere,withthegoalofprotectingthehealthandsafetyofOaklandresidents,workers,andvisitors,asistheresponsibilityoftheCity.365
362In2013,24expertsfrom11countriesmeetingattheInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(IARC)“unanimouslyclassifiedoutdoorairpollutionandparticulatematterfromoutdoorairpollutionascarcinogenictohumans(IARCGroup1),basedonsufficientevidenceofcarcinogenicityinhumansandexperimentalanimalsandstrongmechanisticevidence.”Loomis,D.etal.(2013).“Thecarcinogenicityofoutdoorairpollution,”Lancet.363CaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(CalEPA)OfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessment(OEHHA)(2016).StateofCaliforniaEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessmentSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986:ChemicalsKnowntotheStatetoCauseCancerorReproductiveToxicity.May20,2016.http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/proposition‐65//p65single05202016.pdf.SeealsoInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer(2015).“OutdoorAirPollution,”Monograph109,p42.http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol109/index.php3642322p273,sahu365ThisconclusionwasalsoreachedbytheUnionofConcernedScientists:“Giventheevidencethatcoaldustandotherhazardsrelatedtocoaltransportcouldjeopardizepublichealthandsafety,andtheuncertaintysurroundingtheextentofsuchhazardsorwhatmeasurescouldsafelyavoidormitigatetheimpacts.ofcoaltransport,themostprudentandresponsiblecourseistonotallowOaklandresidentstobeexposedtosuchrisksinthefirstplace.”(AdrienneAlvord,UCS,1751p83).
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A4.RESOLUTIONSThefollowingentitieshavepassedresolutionsopposingthetransport,handling,storage,and/ortransloadingofcoalatortotheproposedterminal:A4.1.OaklandUnifiedSchoolDistrictA4.2.EastBayMayorsA4.3.EastBayRegionalParkDistrictA4.4.EmeryvilleA4.5.BerkeleyA4.6.CityofRichmondA4.7CityofElCerritoPleaseseetheattachmentsattheendofthereport.
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RESOLUTION OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE
OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Resolution No. 1516-0195
OPPOSING CONSTRUCTION OF A COAL DEPOT IN THE CITY OF OAKLAND, CA; SUPPORTING STATE LEGISLATION AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS
DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND RESIDENTS OF OAKLAND, CA AGAINST THE HAZARDS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES SUCH A FACILITY
POSES TO THE COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, new technologies have resulted in the development of unprecedented amounts of both domestic and foreign oil, natural gas, and other petroleum products and derivatives, which will significantly increase the volume of petroleum products moving by rail; and
WHEREAS, the last few years have seen a dramatic rise in transport of crude by rail nationwide-the volume of crude by rail shipments in Northern California increased by 50 percent in 2013 alone-accompanied by a similar rise in accidents, nearly 100 in 2013; and
WHEREAS, the increase in crude by rail transportation has resulted in several recent derailments, spills, and fires which have resulted in the loss of human life and billions of dollars of damages, which illustrates the potential catastrophic impacts that could occur in our community from the transport of petroleum by rail; and
WHEREAS, a Federal Surface Transportation Board proceeding regarding the transportation of coal by rail found that coal dust can destabilize rail tracks and can contribute to train derailments; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Transportation has concluded that the increase in crude by rail transport poses an imminent hazard warranting emergency measures to abate the serious risks to communities and the environment and the National Transportation Safety Board recently made recommendations to avoid urban areas when transporting crude; and
WHEREAS, previous rail car derailment explosions in North America show emergency responders do not have sufficient equipment and supplies to adequately respond to a catastrophic explosion due to a rail car derailment; and
WHEREAS, the rail lines that will carry this petroleum run by Oakland' s parks, businesses, and schools, and along our waterfront, creeks, and other natural areas; and
WHEREAS, coal and pet coke are commonly transported via open-top rail cars and where a large volume of these materials escape during transit, contaminating the surrounding area with coal dust, thereby increasing the risk of derailments; and
WHEREAS, coal and petroleum coke contain toxic heavy metals-including mercury, arsenic, and lead- and exposure to these toxic heavy metals in high concentrations is linked to cancer and birth defects in humans and can be harmful to fish and wildlife; and
WHEREAS, new coal and pet coke export terminals and crude by rail operations are expected to result in a massive increase in train traffic in California, causing concerns about blocked roads inhibiting the travel of emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and other vehicle traffic; and
WHEREAS, increased rail traffic in California will lead to an increase in diesel emissions in communities along rail lines; and
WHEREAS, Utah Senate Bill 246, contributes $53 million dollars for the development of a coal depot and transportation of approximately 9 million tons annually of Utah coal to west Oakland for export to China and other countries;
WHEREAS, the California Transportation Commission is disbursing grant money given to the City of Oakland and/or its Port via Proposition 1 B, in part, to fund the west Oakland depot to which Utah coal will be transported for international export;
WHEREAS, the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District is deeply concerned about the threat to the lives, safety, and health of its students and staff due to potential spills, and fires from the transport of petroleum by rail to and construction of a coal facility, with attendant environmental hazards, located within the boundaries of the District;
WHEREAS, State Senator Loni Hancock has introduced in the California State Senate SB 1277 which declares that the transportation of coal through west Oakland will present a clear danger to the health and safety of Oakland residents as well as the workers that will handle the coal and prohibits the shipment of coal through an Oakland facility that has been paid for, in part, with California funds ; SB 1278 which requires an environmental impact review from any public agency that has authority to approve any portion of a project relating to the shipment of coal through Oakland; SB 1279 which prohibits the use of California public funds to build or operate any port that exports coal from California and applies to any port located near a disadvantaged community; and SB 1280 which requires port facilities that ship bulk commodities and receives California funds to prohibit coal shipments or fully mitigate the green-house gas emissions associated with the combustion of the coal,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District opposes Utah Senate Bill 246 and supports enactment of California Senate Bills 1277, 1278, 1279 and 1280, and urges the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to adopt regulations increasing federal tank care design and operation regulations for petroleum shipments and phase out of older-model tank cars which do not have stringent standards, which should be issued to protect the health, safety and welfare of the District's children and the residents of the City of Oakland;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Education calls upon the Board of Port Commissioners of the City of Oakland and the City Council of the City of Oakland to halt the development of the depot mentioned herein or any similar facility, in the interest of maximally protecting and preserving the health and welfare of the children and residents of the City of Oakland.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District, this 23rd day of March, 2016, by the following vote:
AYES: Jody London, Aimee Eng, Jumoke Hinton Hodge, Roseann Torres, Vice President Nina Senn and President James Harris
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: Shanthi Gonzales
CERTIFICATION
We, James Harris and Antwan Wilson, President and Secretary of the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District, respectively, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly approved and adopted by the Board of said District at its Special Meeting No. 1 held on the 23rd day of March, 2016, in the City of Oakland, CA, with a copy of the Resolution being on file in the Office of the Board of Education of said District.
File ID Number : /&- t263F Introduction Date : .3-23-1/, Enactment Number: l~-04t-;5 Enactment Date : ..:3- :3-l?J/-= By:
JH:ER:st
Secretary
April 14, 2016
Dear Mayor Schaaf and Members of the Oakland City Council:
We urgently request that you do everything you can to ensure that coal is not allowed to be shipped from the marine terminal under development at the former Oakland Army Base. Coal was not considered in the environmental review of the project when it was approved, and if you don’t stop what would be the largest coal terminal on the West Coast of the United States, the health and safety impacts could be severe, not just for Oakland but also for our communities and for the world.
Here is what some of the world’s leading organizations say about coal:• The American Lung Association considers coal dust a source of particulate matter that is
dangerous to breathe.• The World Health Organization cites coal dust, along with silica and asbestos, as responsible
for most occupational lung diseases due to airborne particulate.• The United States Environmental Protection Agency cites numerous scientific studies that link
particulate matter with significant health problems, including premature death in people with lung or heart disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty in breathing.
• There are no proven topping agents that have demonstrated effectiveness at reducing coal dust over long trips.
Neighborhoods near the port, already suffering the health burdens of toxic pollution from other port activities, would be exposed to coal dust and increased emissions from increased coal train traffic. Our communities also would be impacted. A main rail line likely to be used by coal shipments passes through our cities. Our communities would be exposed not only to coal dust and increased diesel emissions but also to increased risk of collisions and derailments from coal trains. Coal also is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions among fossil fuels, thus harming our environment no matter where it’s burned, and the hydrocarbons and toxic metals dispersed into the atmosphere by coal burning in Asia travel across the Pacific to the West Coast and add to the problems of increased sea level rise, drought and forest wild fires that climate change brings to our state.
We sincerely urge you – for the sake of all of us and the planet – to take action to reject the coal plan and protect the health and safety of our communities.
Sincerely,
DIANNE MARTINEZMayor of Emeryville
PETER MAASSMayor of Albany
TOM BUTTMayor of Richmond
TOM BATESMayor of Berkeley
Tom ButtPeter Maass Tom Bates Dianne Martinez
GREG LYMANMayor of El Cerrito
Greg Lyman
ADDITIONAL MAYORS OPPOSED TO THE SHIPMENT OF COAL EXPORTS THROUGH OAKLAND
Mayor David Haubert Mayor Bill Harrison
Mayor Carol Dutra-VernaciMayor Pauline Cutter
Mayor Barbara Halliday Mayor John Marchand
October 5, 2015 Mayor Libby Schaaf Oakland City Councilmembers 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza 3rd Floor 3rd Floor Oakland, CA 94612 Oakland, CA 94612 Dear Mayor Schaaf and City Councilmembers, I am the elected Director to the East Bay Regional Park District (District) Board representing most of Oakland. As you know, the District along with eight other public agencies, is planning the future Gateway Park on former Oakland Army Base land which the federal government is committed to convey to the District by a public benefit conveyance. Major entry to the bike/ped trail of the new Bay Bridge will be from Gateway Park. Of course, part of our mission as a park district is to encourage the public to engage in vigorous outdoor exercise; biking and hiking on trails is part of that task. Our next door neighbor will be the bulk terminal now proposed for off-loading coal onto ships which will undoubtedly release plenty of coal dust. The risk to our park users is obvious. The grade from the park to the bridge will be uphill thereby exerting bikers, joggers and walkers who will probably inhale coal dust in the process. The mile long trains transporting the coal are likely to block Burma Road and other arteries leading to the park, thereby isolating the park from the rest of the city. This is not only inconvenient, but could be dangerous in the event of an emergency, trapping sick or injured people in the park for long periods of time. For these and other reasons, please prohibit coal transportation through the city.
Yours truly, /s/ Director John Sutter Director, EBRPD cc. Robert Doyle
Bob Nisbet Erich Pfuehler Oakland City Councilmembers • Dan Kalb, Council District 1 • Abel Guillen, Council District 2 • Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Council District 3 • Annie Campbell Washington, Council District 4 • Noel Gallo, Council District 5 • Desley Brooks, Council District 6 • Larry Reid, Council District 7 • Rebecca Kaplan, Vice Mayor
EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT
RESOLUTION NO.: 2015 -II - 316
November 3, 2015
RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE EXPORT OF COAL THROUGH THE NEW OAKLAND GLOBAL TRADE AND LOGISTICS CENTER
WHEREAS, the mission of the East Bay Regional Park District includes a commitment to incorporate an environmental ethic to guide all that we do; and
WHEREAS, the District is an active, committed leader in the international Healthy Parks Healthy People movement; and
WHEREAS, the new eastern span of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge features the very popular Alexander Zuckermann bicycle I pedestrian path along its southern edge which is now a destination of regional significance; and
WHEREAS, the pathway will connect to a segment of the Bay Trail on a spit of U.S. Army property located at the east end of the bridge, which is planned to be transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District for the development of Gateway Park; and
WHEREAS, the possibility of daily release of coal dust directly adjacent to a park is counter to the District's mission to provide healthful recreation and include an environmental ethic in the District's activity; and
WHEREAS, coal dust presents clear health risks to communities, as tests show that coal dust contains substances known to impact human health including arsenic, lead, chromium, nickel, selenium and other toxic heavy metals; and
WHEREAS, coal burning leads to as many as 13,000 premature deaths every year and more than $100 billion in annual health costs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors ofthe East Bay Regional Park District hereby express opposition to the export of coal through Oakland and specifically the Oakland Global Trade and Logistics Center at the former Oakland Army Base; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents, and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.
Mov'ed by Director Sutter, and seconded by Director Wieskamp, and adopted this 3rd day of November, 2015, by the following vote:
FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:
Beverly Lane, Doug Sid en, John Sutter, Ayn Wieskamp, Dennis Waespi. None. None. Diane Burgis, Whitney Dotson
CERTIFICATION
~')Jq I, Yolande Barlal Knight, Clerk of the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District, do hereby certify that the above and for~~ Is a full, true and correct copy of Resolution No. 11 . ~(lR adopted by the Board of Directors at a regular meeting held
on U?~ ~ff1h/Adert1nt~ Board President
1
RESOLUTION NO. ________ RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE OPPOSING
THE MINING, EXPORT AND BURNING OF COAL, AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF COAL AND PETROLEUM COKE (“PETCOKE”) ALONG CALIFORNIA
WATERWAYS, THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED AREAS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE
WHEREAS, Emeryville has roads and rail lines capable of transporting large quantities of petcoke and coal materials; and WHEREAS, the California Assembly passed, and Governor Brown signed, Joint Assembly Resolution No. 35 in September 2012 urging the President and Congress to restrict the export of coal for electricity generation to any nation that fails to adopt regulations on greenhouse gas emissions or hazardous air emissions as restrictive as those adopted by the U.S.; and WHEREAS, in Washington and Oregon, 27 cities passed similar resolutions opposing coal transport and export, and hundreds of other public officials – including Governors Kitzhaber and Inslee, state and federal agencies, tribes, health entities, religious leaders and other community leaders, have recognized the harms of coal by making statements of concern about coal transport and export. The State of Washington Department of Ecology, through its SEPA process, is requiring a comprehensive cumulative impacts analysis of proposed coal export facilities and rail transport from mine to port to plant spanning the Powder River Basin to Asia for the proposed Longview and Bellingham coal export facilities; and WHEREAS, coal and petcoke are commonly transported via open-top rail cars and there is evidence that a large volume of those materials escape during transit. The Port of Oakland memo dated February 19, 2014, “Environmental Issues Associated With Handling Export Coal,” estimates that even if a surfactant is applied, 6 tons of coal dust are still released by a 125-car train over the course of a 400-mile trip, or 12-18 tons over the course of a 800-1,200 mile trip. According to at least one report from the BNSF Railway, each coal car in a 125-car coal train loses, on average, 500 pounds of coal per car in transit, for a total of up to 60,000 lbs lost per train on an average trip. Uncovered rail cars could contaminate cities, towns, farmland, forestland, streams, and rivers across California with coal dust and chunks of coal; and WHEREAS, a federal Surface Transportations Board proceeding on coal by rail transportation found that coal dust is a “pernicious ballast foulant” that can destabilize rail tracks and contribute to train derailments. Between July 2012-2013 at least 40 coal trains in the U.S. derailed, causing four victims to lose their lives, large amounts of coal to spill, major delay to other rail users, and significant costs to repair the damage; and
2
WHEREAS, the transportation of coal in open rail cars and accumulation of coal on or near rail lines has been known to create public safety hazards, including train derailments, explosions and fires; and WHEREAS, new coal and petcoke export terminals are expected to result in an increase in train traffic in California, causing concerns about blocked roads, causing great inconvenience, increasing costs to business and commerce, inhibiting the travel of emergency vehicles, pedestrians, access to waterways near the rail lines for fishing and other recreational use, and other vehicle traffic, and potentially catastrophic train derailments; and WHEREAS, increased rail traffic in California from coal can lead to an increase in diesel emissions in communities along rail lines, and exposure to particulate matter from diesel engines has been linked to impaired pulmonary development in adolescents; increased cardiopulmonary mortality; measurable pulmonary inflammation; increased severity and frequency of asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions in children; increased rates of heart attacks and strokes in adults; increased risk of cancer; and increased asthma and lung disease in children; and WHEREAS, coal contains toxic heavy metals – including mercury, arsenic, and lead – and exposure to these toxic heavy metals in high concentrations is linked to cancer and birth defects; and WHEREAS, petroleum coke contains Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals – including arsenic, copper, mercury, nickel, and zinc – at levels that are harmful to fish and wildlife as well as humans; and WHEREAS, trains delivering coal traveling through the Bay Area will follow routes adjacent to the San Francisco Bay, Estuary, and its tributaries, and routes adjacent to the Sacramento River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Richmond Riviera, and Santa Fe Channel posing a serious threat to these ecosystems, and to California’s agricultural irrigation and drinking water supplies; and WHEREAS, hauling coal into California involves traversing some of the most challenging mountain passes in the nation, areas with earthquake faults and numerous unsafe old steel and timber bridges over major waterways, increasing the probability of serious accidents; and WHEREAS, trains and/or trucks delivering coal and petcoke pass through densely populated neighborhoods and the potential of a catastrophic accident involving the transportation of coal and petcoke products, such as a coal train derailment, is a real danger; and WHEREAS, the cumulative impacts of combined coal/petcoke train and truck traffic through, in addition to the cumulative upstream and downstream greenhouse gas impacts of these fossil fuels, must be analyzed;
3
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Emeryville City Council opposes the mining, transport, burning, and export of coal in general; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Emeryville City Council opposes the use of existing rail lines and roadways to transport coal and petcoke along California waterways, through densely populated areas, and through the City of Emeryville; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council shall direct staff to:
Carefully evaluate CEQA documents and any draft permit approvals, such as air permits or zoning changes, for transport of coal and petcoke, for potential adverse impacts on public health, safety and the environment, and submit comments addressing any such adverse impacts, as well as any omissions or discrepancies;
Include in all CEQA comments a request for a region-wide cumulative impacts
analysis to fully account for the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts associated with multiple proposals for coal and petcoke transport and export in California communities;
Submit a letter to Governor Jerry Brown requesting a cumulative impacts analysis similar to the Washington Department of Ecology for coal mining, transport and burning;
Oppose coal and petroleum coke transport through the City of Emeryville and support increased state and federal regulations regarding coal and petroleum coke transport through the City of Emeryville by working with local stakeholders and other groups, including considering filing amicus briefs in support of public entities and environmental organizations that file lawsuits;
Address impacts to public health, safety, property, air quality, and surface and groundwater caused by the transportation of coal and petcoke through Emeryville by actively enforcing and/or encouraging aggressive enforcement of all applicable local state and federal laws and regulations and engaging in state and federal regulatory processes;
Alert and communicate with other cities along the transportation route, and support their opposition to coal and petcoke transport, as well as efforts for stronger regulation;
Work through the California League of Cities, California League of Counties, and other relevant organizations to articulate opposition to coal and petcoke transport, as well as support for stronger regulations;
Alert State legislative representatives and lobbyists in Sacramento and enlist
4
their help;
Lobby federal Senators and Representatives for help at the federal level. ADOPTED, by the City Council of the City of Emeryville at its regular meeting held Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
MAYOR
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY CLERK CITY ATTORNEY
RESOLUTION NO. 67,280-N.S.
OPPOSE SHIPMENT OF COAL THROUGH THE MARINE TERMINAL UNDER DEVELOPMENT AT THE FORMER OAKLAND ARMY BASE
WHEREAS, coal-producing counties in Utah and the developers of the large marine terminal under development at the former Oakland Army Base have proposed to ship large volumes of coal - estimated at up to 5 million tons per year -- through the terminal, which is called the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal and also the Oakland Break Bulk Terminal; and
WHEREAS, the coal would be transported to the terminal along one or both of the two Class I rail lines serving the Port, including one that runs through West Berkeley; and
WHEREAS, any coal trains traveling through West Berkeley to the terminal would increase the risk of health-damaging coal dust and diesel emissions as well as collisions and train derailments in Berkeley, and coal trains on any rail line to the Oakland terminal would pose the same dangers to other populated areas along the routes, especially neighborhoods of West Oakland, which are already burdened by pollution and other adverse impacts from Port of Oakland operations; and
,WHEREAS, coal burning is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions amol")g all the fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, substantial increases in GHG emissions are responsible for a significant increase in global warming; and
WHEREAS, among the threats facing humankind, global warming may pose the greatest danger of long-term catastrophe, including: starvation caused by shortage of food; sealevel rise leading to flooding of major cities, coastal regions and island nations; massive flight of refugees; extinction of many species; and drastic shifts in weather, including increased floods, more droughts and devastating storms; and
WHEREAS, coal burning stands in direct conflict with the City of Berkeley's Climate Action Plan, with the State of California's climate action goals and policies, and with President Obama's policy to curb reliance on coal; and
WHEREAS, coal burning is a chief source of air pollution, including hydrocarbons and mercury and other toxic heavy metals, creating 50 to 400 more pollutants than natural gas, and contributes to many deaths and long-term damage to health; and
WHEREAS, the primary destination of the coal that would be shipped from the Oakland marine terminal would likely be Asia, chiefly China; and
WHEREAS, a large toll of deaths and disease linked to air pollution in China has been documented in scientific studies, including a widely cited study by the Berkeley Earth
Resolution No. 67,280-N.S. Page 1 of 3
research group, published in PLoS ONE in August 2015, which estimated that air pollution (particulate matter) contributes to an estimated 1.6 million deaths in China annually; and
WHEREAS, the site of the new marine terminal is owned by the City of Oakland, whose City Council went on record in 2014 opposing the transport of coal and other hazardous fossils fuels through Oakland; and
WHEREAS, the plan to ship coal from the terminal was not disclosed in 2012 when the City of Oakland granted approvals for the marine terminal and when the California Transportation Commission allocated $242 million of state Proposition 1 B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF) for the marine terminal and associated infrastructure at the former Oakland Army Base; and
WHEREAS, the chief representative for the developers, Phil Tagami, CEO of CCIG (California Capital & Investment Group), had said coal would not be shipped at the terminal, stating in the project's December 2013 newsletter, "CCIG is publicly on record as having no interest or involvement in the pursuit of coal-related operations at the former Oakland Army Base," according to a July 6, 2015, KQED report; and
WHEREAS, a lawsuit filed Oct. 2, 2015, in Alameda County Superior Court by the Sierra Club, Communities for a Better Environment, San Francisco Baykeeper and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network says the many damaging impacts of shipping coal were not addressed in the project's Environmental Impact Report and asks the court to order the City of Oakland to block pending approvals of the terminal, conduct an environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and not grant any further approvals until CEQA requirements are met; and
WHEREAS, the Sierra Club, Earthjustice, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, San Francisco Baykeeper and Communities for a Better Environment have requested in a Sept. 24, 2015, letter to the California Transportation Commission that the Commission block disbursement of state Proposition 1 B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF) allocations that would support the export of coal or other fossil fuels at the marine terminal; and
WHEREAS, the coal terminal directly conflicts with the requirements and main goals of Proposition 1 B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF), including "reducing emissions of diesel particulate and other pollutant emissions" and supporting "continuous improvement in infrastructure and environmental mitigation;" and
WHEREAS, the proposed Oakland coal station is opposed by a wide range of local political leaders, environmental organizations and community groups, as well as by the key union that handles port cargo, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union's Northern California District Council and Locals 10 and 34.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Berkeley that it opposes the shipment of coal through the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal under
Resolution No. 67,280-N.S. Page 2 of 3
development at the former Oakland Army Base, and resolves to transmit copies of this resolution to the following:
• Gov. Jerry Brown • Oakland City Council • Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf • State Senator Loni Hancock • Assemblymember Tony Thurmond • Alameda County Transportation Commission • Bay Area Air Quality Management District • California Transportation Commission
The foregoing Resolution was adopted by the Berkeley City Council on November 17, 2015 by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Attest:
Anderson, Arreguin, Capitelli, Droste, Maio, Moore, Wengraf, Worthington and Bates.
None.
None.
Tom Bates, Mayor
Resolution No. 67,280-N.S. Page 3 of 3
Reso. 48-15 Page 1 of 4
RESOLUTION NO. 48-15 A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND OPPOSING THE MINING, EXPORT AND BURNING OF COAL, AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF COAL AND PETROLEUM COKE (“PETCOKE”) ALONG CALIFORNIA WATERWAYS, AND THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED AREAS INCLUDING THE CITY OF RICHMOND
WHEREAS Richmond has roads, rail lines and marine shipping terminals capable of transporting large quantities of petcoke and coal materials; and WHEREAS the California Assembly passed, and Governor Brown signed, Joint Assembly Resolution No. 35 in September 2012 urging the President and Congress to restrict the export of coal for electricity generation to any nation that fails to adopt regulations on greenhouse gas emissions or hazardous air emissions as restrictive as those adopted by the U.S.; and WHEREAS in Washington and Oregon, 27 cities passed similar resolutions opposing coal transport and export, and hundreds of other public officials – including Governors Kitzhaber and Inslee, state and federal agencies, tribes, health entities, religious leaders and other community leaders, have recognized the harms of coal by making statements of concern about coal transport and export. The State of Washington Department of Ecology, through its SEPA process, is requiring a comprehensive cumulative impacts analysis of proposed coal export facilities and rail transport from mine to port to plant spanning the Powder River Basin to Asia for the proposed Longview and Bellingham coal export facilities; and WHEREAS coal and petcoke are commonly transported via open-top rail cars and there is evidence that a large volume of those materials escape during transit. The Port of Oakland memo dated February 19, 2014, “Environmental Issues Associated With Handling Export Coal,” estimates that even if a surfactant is applied, 6 tons of coal dust are still released by a 125-car train over the course of a 400-mile trip, or 12-18 tons over the course of a 800-1,200 mile trip. According to at least one report from the BNSF Railway, each coal car in a 125-car coal train loses, on average, 500 pounds of coal per car in transit, for a total of up to 60,000 lbs lost per train on an average trip. Uncovered rail cars could contaminate cities, towns, farmland, forestland, streams, and rivers across California with coal dust and chunks of coal; and WHEREAS a federal Surface Transportations Board proceeding on coal by rail transportation found that coal dust is a “pernicious ballast foulant” that can destabilize rail tracks and contribute to train derailments. Between July 2012-2013 at least 40 coal trains in the U.S. derailed, causing four victims to lose their lives, large amounts of coal to spill, major delay to other rail users, and significant costs to repair the damage; and WHEREAS , the transportation of coal in open rail cars and accumulation of coal on or near rail lines has been known to create public safety hazards, including train derailments, explosions and fires; and WHEREAS new coal and petcoke export terminals are expected to result in an increase in train traffic in California, causing concerns about blocked roads, causing great inconvenience, increasing costs to business and commerce, inhibiting the travel of emergency vehicles, pedestrians, access to waterways near the rail lines for fishing and other recreational use, and other vehicle traffic, and potentially catastrophic train derailments; and WHEREAS increased rail traffic in California from coal can lead to an increase in diesel emissions in communities along rail lines, and exposure to particulate matter from diesel engines has been linked to impaired pulmonary development in adolescents; increased cardiopulmonary mortality; measurable pulmonary inflammation; increased severity and frequency of asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions in children; increased rates of heart attacks and strokes in adults; increased risk of cancer; and increased asthma and lung disease in children; and
Reso. 48-15 Page 2 of 4
WHEREAS coal contains toxic heavy metals – including mercury, arsenic, and lead – and exposure to these toxic heavy metals in high concentrations is linked to cancer and birth defects; and WHEREAS petroleum coke contains Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals – including arsenic, copper, mercury, nickel, and zinc – at levels that are harmful to fish and wildlife as well as humans; and WHEREAS trains delivering coal traveling through the Bay Area will follow routes adjacent to the San Francisco Bay, Estuary, and its tributaries, and routes adjacent to the Sacramento River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Richmond Riviera, and Santa Fe Channel posing a serious threat to these ecosystems, and to California’s agricultural irrigation and drinking water supplies; and WHEREAS hauling coal into California involves traversing some of the most challenging mountain passes in the nation, areas with earthquake faults and numerous unsafe old steel and timber bridges over major waterways, increasing the probability of serious accidents; and WHEREAS trains and/or trucks delivering coal and petcoke pass through densely populated neighborhoods in Richmond, North Richmond and neighboring communities, and the potential of a catastrophic accident involving the transportation of coal and petcoke products, such as a coal train derailment, is a real danger; and WHEREAS the cumulative impacts of combined coal/petcoke train and truck traffic through Richmond and other parts of California, in addition to the cumulative upstream and downstream greenhouse gas impacts of these fossil fuels, must be analyzed. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Richmond City Council opposes the mining, transport, burning, and export of coal in general; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Richmond City Council opposes the use of existing rail lines and roadways to transport coal and petcoke along California waterways, through densely populated areas, and through the City of Richmond; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the policy of the City of Richmond to not allow city property, including city-owned properties managed by the Port of Richmond, to be used for the storage or export of coal or petcoke; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council shall direct staff to:
• Carefully evaluate CEQA documents and any draft permit approvals, such as air permits or zoning changes, for transport of coal and petcoke, for potential adverse impacts on public health, safety and the environment, and submit comments addressing any such adverse impacts, as well as any omissions or discrepancies;
• Include in all CEQA comments a request for a region-wide cumulative impacts analysis
to fully account for the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts associated with multiple proposals for coal and petcoke transport and export in California communities;
• Submit a letter to Governor Jerry Brown requesting a cumulative impacts analysis similar to the Washington Department of Ecology for coal mining, transport and burning;
• Oppose coal and petroleum coke transport through the City of Richmond and support increased state and federal regulations regarding coal and petroleum coke transport through the City of Richmond by working with local stakeholders and other groups, including considering filing amicus briefs in support of public entities and environmental organizations that file lawsuits;
• Address impacts to public health, safety, property, air quality, and surface and groundwater caused by the transportation of coal and petcoke through Richmond by
Reso. 48-15 Page 3 of 4
actively enforcing and/or encouraging aggressive enforcement of all applicable local state and federal laws and regulations and engaging in state and federal regulatory processes;
• Alert and communicate with other cities along the transportation route, and support their opposition to coal and petcoke transport, as well as efforts for stronger regulation;
• Work through the California League of Cities, California League of Counties, and other relevant organizations to articulate opposition to coal and petcoke transport, as well as support for stronger regulations;
• Alert State legislative representatives and lobbyists in Sacramento and enlist their help;
• Lobby federal Senators and Representatives for help at the federal level
• Submit a letter to rail carriers involved in transport of coal and petroleum coke in Richmond requesting:
o railroads involved in coal and/or petroleum coke proposals make public any plans
for new or expanded rail facilities or significant rail traffic volume increases and that the railroad provide representatives to meet periodically with local citizen groups and local government officials from Richmond to seek mutually acceptable ways to address local concerns;
o railroads immediately contact the Railroad Operations and Safety Branch of the
California Public Utilities Commission to ensure the timely implementation of adequate and updated plans for investigation, inspection, infrastructure improvement, or any other mechanism available to the California Public Utilities Commission to improve and maintain safe operating practices and transport of materials by rail;
o rail carriers conduct environmental monitoring in the City of Richmond, including
but not limited to groundwater and air monitoring, and submit environmental monitoring and testing information to local government entities on an annual basis for 10 years or until the City of Richmond determines that there is no significant environmental impact from activities conducted by the railroad;
o railroads take proactive measures to prevent rail accidents, offset congestion, and
reduce community impacts by drafting road improvement plans for grading, widening, or otherwise providing crossings at intersections that would be impacted by rail traffic increases, and to pay in full for these upgrades;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council will direct staff to expedite CEQA analysis and approve permits for projects designed solely to reduce harmful emissions or required to comply with environmental laws, including consideration of a negative declaration for proposed covered storage of fossil fuels.
---------------------
Reso. 48-15 Page 4 of 4
I CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on May 19, 2015, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Beckles, Martinez, McLaughlin, Pimplé, Vice
Mayor Myrick, and Mayor Butt. NOES: Councilmember Bates.
ABSTENTIONS: None.
ABSENT: None.
PAMELA CHRISTIAN CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
TOM BUTT Mayor
Approved as to form:
BRUCE GOODMILLER City Attorney
State of California County of Contra Costa : ss. City of Richmond
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. 48-15, finally passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on May 19, 2015.
Agenda Item No. 5(D)
RESOLUTION NO. 2016–XX
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO OPPOSING SHIPMENT OF COAL THROUGH THE MARINE TERMINAL UNDER DEVELOPMENT AT THE FORMER OAKLAND ARMY BASE
WHEREAS, coal-producing counties in Utah and the developers of the large marine terminal under development at the former Oakland Army Base have proposed to ship large volumes of coal - estimated at up to 5 million tons per year - through the terminal, which is called the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal and also the Oakland Break Bulk Terminal; and
WHEREAS, the coal would be transported to the terminal along one or both of the two Class I rail lines serving the Port, including one that runs through West Contra Costa County; and
WHEREOAS, any coal trains traveling through West Contra Costa County to the terminal would increase the risk of health-damaging coal dust and diesel emissions as well as collisions and train derailments in West Contra Costa County, and coal trains on any rail line to the Oakland terminal would pose the same dangers to other populated areas along the routes, especially neighborhoods of West Oakland, Richmond and neighboring communities, which are already burdened by pollution and other adverse impacts from Port of Oakland operations; and
WHEREAS, coal burning is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among all the fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, substantial increases in GHG emissions are responsible for a significant increase in global warming; and
WHEREAS, among the threats facing humankind, global warming may pose the greatest danger of long-term catastrophe, including: starvation caused by shortage of food; sea-level rise leading to flooding of major cities, coastal regions and island nations; massive flight of refugees; extinction of many species; and drastic shifts in weather, including increased floods, more droughts and devastating storms; and
WHEREAS, coal burning stands in direct conflict with the City of El Cerrito's Climate Action Plan, with the State of California's climate action goals and policies, and with President Obama's policy to curb reliance on coal; and
WHEREAS, coal burning is a chief source of air pollution, including hydrocarbons and mercury and other toxic heavy metals, creating 50 to 400 more pollutants than natural gas, and contributes to many deaths and long-term damage to health; and
WHEREAS, the primary destination of the coal that would be shipped from the Oakland marine terminal would likely be Asia, chiefly China; and
Agenda Item No. 5(D)
WHEREAS, a large toll of deaths and disease linked to air pollution in China has been documented in scientific studies, including a widely cited study by the Berkeley Earth research group, published in PLoS ONE in August 2015, which estimated that air pollution (particulate matter) contributes to an estimated 1.6 million deaths in China annually; and WHEREAS, the site of the new marine terminal is owned by the City of Oakland, whose City Council went on record in 2014 opposing the transport of coal and other hazardous fossil fuels through Oakland; and WHEREAS, the plan to ship coal from the terminal was not disclosed in 2012 when the City of Oakland granted approvals for the marine terminal and when the California Transportation Commission allocated $242 million of state Proposition 1B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF) for the marine terminal and associated infrastructure at the former Oakland Army Base; and WHEREAS, the chief representative for the developers, Phil Tagami, CEO of CCIG (California Capital & Investment Group), had said coal would not be shipped at the terminal, stating in the project’s December 2013 newsletter, “CCIG is publicly on record as having no interest or involvement in the pursuit of coal-related operations at the former Oakland Army Base,” according to a July 6, 2015, KQED report; and WHEREAS, a lawsuit filed Oct. 2, 2015, in Alameda County Superior Court by the Sierra Club, Communities for a Better Environment, San Francisco Baykeeper and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network says the many damaging impacts of shipping coal were not addressed in the project’s Environmental Impact Report and asks the court to order the City of Oakland to block pending approvals of the terminal, conduct an environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and not grant any further approvals until CEQA requirements are met; and WHEREAS, the Sierra Club, Earthjustice, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, San Francisco Baykeeper and Communities for a Better Environment have requested in a Sept. 24, 2015, letter to the California Transportation Commission that the Commission block disbursement of state Proposition 1B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF) allocations that would support the export of coal or other fossil fuels at the marine terminal; and WHEREAS, the coal terminal directly conflicts with the requirements and main goals of Proposition 1B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF), including “reducing emissions of diesel particulate and other pollutant emissions” and supporting “continuous improvement in infrastructure and environmental mitigation”; and WHEREAS, the proposed Oakland coal station is opposed by a wide range of local political leaders, environmental organizations and community groups, as well as by the key union that handles port cargo, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union's Northern California District Council and Locals 10 and 34. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of El Cerrito opposes the shipment of coal through the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal under
Agenda Item No. 5(D)
development at the former Oakland Army Base, and resolves to transmit copies of this resolution to the following:
• Gov. Jerry Brown • Oakland City Council • Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf • State Senator Loni Hancock • Assemblymember Tony Thurmond • Alameda County Transportation Commission • Bay Area Air Quality Management District • California Transportation Commission
I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on March 15, 2016, the El Cerrito City Council
passed this resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City
of El Cerrito on March ____, 2016.
Cheryl Morse, City Clerk
APPROVED: Gregory B. Lyman, Mayor