Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

...and the Seattle environmentalists are bound and determined ta kill the idea of running up to 18-20 coal trains through the city, to an export terminal on this side of the border.

Belligham as the site for a new port for coal export has been named more than once. That is unlikely ta happen since there's as much opposition to the idea, as there is concerning trains running through Seattle.

Washington IS a railroad state, and Seattle's history as a transportation hub is well known. But Seattle has become something else over the last twenty odd years as well. With the high-tech industry boom happening here, and heavy manufacturing leaving, the likelihood of the area building a coal export facility diminishes...

Big money, the mayor of Seattle, environmental groups, the EPA, state dept. of ecology, and others are squarely united against the idea. We are not likely to build a facilty, regardless of how many dollars, or jobs the terminal will bring in... Washington needs the jobs, and dollars the jobs would bring to Washington. But the voters will likely join the mess and kill the coal.

Our media is fully allied with the groups already named, so where else if not here? Oregon. British Columbia. Roberts Bank is THE preferred port, which has already been expanded twice to accomodate bigger ships, which displace more, and haul greater loads...and allow bigger trains in for off-loading as well.

But Roberts is already at capacity, and Washington could use the work. Economics should decide, not emotions. But Washington's environmentalists can make an awful loud noise when aroused emotionally!

Cherry Point, BellingScam, in Krink's childhood stomping ground...used ta be a LousyAnna Pacific mill there... Very big plant that made building products, and chem-laden stuff... Closed a few years back, maybe ten, twelve... Environmentalists forced 'em out. Not ta mention competition from Asia...

Cherry Point isn't in Bellingham proper, but ta hear the screaming, you'd think it was right downtown, in the midst of the business district...the heart of Bellingham. It ain't no such thing!

Plenty other alternate sites south of Cherry Point, Seattle, or where environmentalists whine, and cry...

http://www.portofbellingham.com/