Governor Opposes Using Federal Rules to Block Coal Exports

Statement

Governor Matt Mead gave his support to a coal export facility on the West Coast in comments sent to the lead agency reviewing the proposal. The U.S Army of Corps of Engineers is taking comments during the public scoping phase for the proposed expansion at the Gateway Pacific Terminal in Washington State.

"I support this project. It will enhance infrastructure and business activity, produce jobs and economic growth, and increase the country's global competitiveness in all ways," Governor Mead wrote. He added that he supports a thoughtful, thorough environmental impact analysis of this project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

"I am troubled by suggestions that this project and other proposed terminals be lumped into a single analysis -- a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS)," Governor Mead wrote, noting that a suggested PEIS would include Asia, world-wide greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change and target a single export commodity - coal. "The environmental review mechanism should not dictate a result, but an ill-advised broad PEIS that looks only at coal would do just that. It would stifle valuable coal exports by purposely including review elements that are not relevant and are aimed at a preordained conclusion."

http://governor.wy.gov/Documents/20130122%20Gateway%20Pacific%20Terminal%20Scoping%20Comments.pdf

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