Stop coal train through Oakland now, reroute through Berkeley hills!

Opinion

Stop coal train through Oakland now

 Sunday, June 26, 2016

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Critics protest the export of coal at the public hearing at Oakland City Hall on September 21. Photo by Lucas Waldron.

 

What happened: State Sen. Loni Hancock’s two bills against the coal-train scheme cleared the Senate. SB1279 would prohibit the State Transportation Committee from funding projects for the handling, storage or transport of coal at a facility at or near low-income neighborhoods. SB1277 would require an additional level of environmental review for the project at the Oakland coal terminal.

What’s next: Close votes are expected Monday on SB1279 (Assembly Transportation Committee) and SB1277 (Assembly Natural Resources Committee). On Monday night, the Oakland City Council may vote on whether to ban coal exports from the new terminal.

What you can do: Express your support for SB1277 and SB1279 via Hancock’s online form at http://sd09.senate.ca.gov/contact. Demand that Gov. Jerry Brown, silent on the issue, get off the sidelines and oppose the coal project — for the sake of neighborhoods in his former city and to back up his words about climate change: “It doesn’t make sense to be shutting down coal plants and then export it for somebody else to burn in a more dirty way.” Send him your views via the contact form on his website: www.gov.ca.gov.