Coal export terminal on Columbia River receives its first permit

Millennium Bulk Terminals says it has entered a “new phase” in its five-year effort to build one of North America’s largest coal export terminals after Cowlitz County issued the first of many permits needed for the project.

The terminal in Longview, Washington, could increase the number of trains rumbling through Spokane by up to 16 daily. Hundreds of supporters and opponents attended an all-day public hearing on the project last year at the Spokane Convention Center.

The project needs 23 permits from federal, state and local governments, the Longview Daily News reported. The critical areas permit, issued by the county last week, outlines company actions to mitigate damage to wildlife, flood plains and other sensitive environmental areas.

The Millennium facility would transfer coal from rail cars onto ships bound for Asia. By 2028, the terminal would export about 44 million metric tons of coal each year.