ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY, U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND WHATCOM COUNTY PUBLIC SCOPING HEARING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR A PROPOSED NEW COAL LOADING FACILITY AT CHERRY POINT NORTH OF BELLINGHAM. THE CHERRY POINT FACILITY IS ONE OF UP TO SIX NEW TERMINALS BEING PLANNED ON THE WEST COAST TO HANDLE AN INCREASE OF SALES OF POWDER RIVER COAL FROM MONTANA AND WYOMING TO CHINA AND OTHER ASIAN MARKETS.

MOST OF THE FIRST 30 SPEAKERS AT THE HEARING WERE PRO-COAL EXPORT, BECAUSE THE NORTHWEST ALLIANCE FOR JOBS AND EXPORTS PAID TEMPORARY WORKERS TO WAIT IN LINE FROM 8 A.M. UNTIL THE START OF THE HEARING AND RESERVE THE NUMBERED CARDS THAT INDICATE THE SEQUENCE OF SPEAKERS.

KRFP ARRIVED AT THE HEARING ABOUT 15 MINUTES IN AND WE IMMEDIATLEY STARTED RECORDING. TODAY, WE’RE PRESENTING A THE FIRST TWO HOUR BLOCK OF 3-HOUR HEARING, AND NEXT SUNDAY NOON TO 2, WE’LL BRING YOU THE THE REST OF THE RECORDING, PLUS A FEW INTERVIEWS DONE IN THE HALL OUTSIDE THE HEARING.

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