Rep. Carlyle and 11 other House Democrats are urging government officials to cast a wide net as they consider the impacts of a proposal to build a giant coal export terminal on the Puget Sound shoreline north of Bellingham.
In a Jan. 22 letter to Whatcom County planning officials and others, Carlyle and his colleagues wrote:
Due to the gravity of the proposed project and the widespread nature of the potential impacts, we recommend that the agencies broaden the scope of the review process to include the impacts felt by cities and counties across Washington.
The seven-page letter cites concerns about coal trains rumbling through Western Washington and blocking access to shipping docks and ferry terminals, about air pollution from coal dust and about several other economic and environmental issues.
A key element of the controversy over the terminal is whether officials reviewing the proposal will adopt a broad or narrow perspective on its impacts. A final decision may not come before 2015.
You can read about the letter in news articles here and here.