”We are adamantly opposed to coal. We’re not against the terminal; we welcome the terminal. We’re just opposed to coal.” — Derrick Muhammad, ILWU Local 10 Business Agent, testifying against coal exports on September 21, 2015.
A lengthy public hearing in Oakland Monday afternoon and evening sought to parse out the benefits or drawbacks of exporting coal through a new shipping center under construction at the old Oakland Army Base in West Oakland.
With nearly 600 speakers signed up to speak at the beginning of the meeting, public comment lasted well into the night. Representatives of the companies, environmental groups, unions, community organizations and public officials weighed in on the proposal.
West Oakland already struggles with air pollution. Hundreds of trucks pass through the Port of Oakland daily, making it one of the most polluted neighborhoods in the Bay Area. Asthma levels in West Oakland are twice the rate of other areas of Alameda County, county public health director Muntu Davis said.
Pro-coal speakers fizzled out about three hours into the meeting while opponents went on for hours longer.