FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 1,
2013
Northwest Communities Score Major
Victory:
Coos Bay Coal Export Project Derailed
"Coos Bay, OR— Today, the Port of Coos Bay stands alone in its efforts
to develop a terminal for coal exports, as the last project proponent,
California-based Metro Ports allowed its exclusive negotiating contract with the
Port to expire 3/31/13. Last month, Metro Ports filed a 30-day extension of the
negotiating contract after learning that the last two companies being courted as
partner investors, Japanese-based Mitsui Company and Korean Electric Power
Corporation, lost interest in the project.
On behalf of the Power Past Coal coalition, David
Petrie, Director of Coos Waterkeeper, issued the following statement in
response:
“We are heartened that Metro Ports, the sole remaining
interested project proponent, finally joins Mitsui and Korean Electric Power
Corporation in seeing the Port of Coos Bay’s coal export proposal for the bad
project it is.
“As coal export proponents desperately seek to develop
the other four proposed coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington, should
take notice of the independent decisions made by Metro Ports, Mitsui, Korean
Electric Power Corporation, Portland General Electric, and RailAmerica to walk
away from these risky projects before it’s too late.
“With fluctuating markets, massive opposition from
communities, local businesses, health professionals and elected officials across
the region, and the hundreds of millions of dollars in rail and bridge
infrastructure needed to make the project viable, it is hard to imagine that
anyone would want to risk getting in bed with risky and desperate coal
industry.”
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POWER PAST COAL is an ever-growing
alliance of health, environmental, businesses, clean-energy, faith and
community groups working to stop coal export off the West Coast. VisitPowerPastCoal.org for more
information."
