NPR's "All Things Considered" has a featue on the coal export issue asking "is it morally wrong for U.S. to export coal?" Their report covers the seven public hearings in Washington that were held by the Army Corps Of Engineers.

At those hearings, the Army Corps of Engineers listened to testimony to help decide which impacts are taken into account as they consider the permit proposal for a new deep-water coal export facility at Cherry Point. If approved, the Gateway Pacific Terminal north of Bellingham would be the largest coal export terminal in the country. In the proposal, up to 62 coal trains would rumble through Spokane on their way to the coal terminal.

(Remember: You have until January 21st to submit comments. If you haven't GET ON IT. )

I thought the NPR report has a funny line that is a testament to the concerns and grassroots oppostion surrounding the project with "it sounds pretty dry and yet the meetings attracted more than 8,000 people." 

There's some great audio hear from the Seattle hearing. Pete Knuteson, a Seattle Fisherman, addressed the morality from a global perspective. "If we look at the consequences of this coal proposal from the broadest possible perspective, the only moral option is to reject it," he said. "To push this forward would be to commit a crime against the future."

Listen to the report HERE. 

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