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3-*'t Fortiani» (Dhscrucr Diversity Special Edition
August 22, 2012
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
(503) 284-7838
Truly making a difference in the lives of
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838
We are located on the
corner o f MLK and Russell
Street, on the second floor
above the coffee shop.
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photo by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
Bonnie Meltzer is a mission to both educate and rally against
proposed coal exports. She and her husband have founded the
North Portland Coal Committee.
Toxic Coal Blues
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Come and Experience Faith and Miracles!
Pastors
Jerry& Annie
Gutierrez
W Quldliketo
incite you
for Service
Every Friday Evening at 7pm
New Song Community Center
2511 NE MLK Blvd • Portland, OR 97212
Corner of NE MLK Blvd and Russell Street
DOORS OPEN AT 6PM FOR EVERY SERVICE.
For directions or more information, call 503-488-5481
or log on to w w w . m f h m p o r t la n d . c o m
garden that sits a mere five blocks
from one of the railroad lines that
would transport coal.
Because coal shipments by rail
are not covered by tarps or other
enclosures, she expects coal dust to
invade her space.
Meltzer and her husband are on
a mission to both educate and rally
against the coal exports. They have
founded the North Portland Coal
Committee.
On Saturday, they led a large ‘No
Coal” demonstration at the railroad
cut where it crosses Lombard Street
in north Portland. It was a chance for
neighbors to voice their objections.
Coal shipments, she said, will
change the entire environment of
Portland, which prides itself as a
city that is clean and green.
Resident Tom Caccamo, 66, is
also concerned about the health
risks.
“I’m old, so this really isn’t going
to affect me that much,” he said.
“But it will affect the breathing of
the younger people.”
Although he said he isn’t sure
about the affect of global warming
on our planet, he said he is certain
the chemicals produced by burning
coal will drastically affect the United
States and the health of the planet
as a whole.
Supporters of coal exports point
to an estimate by the Energy Policy
Research Foundation which claims
increased U.S. coal exports could
bring between $2 billion and $6 bil
lion per year to the suffering U.S.
economy. The three projects pro
posed along the Columbia River near
Portland represent around $1 billion
in private investment.
P erm anent jo b s w ould be c re
ated tied to the tran sp o rtatio n
# f the coal, and to load the c a r
b o n ized m aterial onto o c e a n
g o in g v e s s e ls , h o w e v e r, the
jo b s to b u ild the ex p o rt term i
nals w ould be tem porary.
“The big issue is how many jobs
we will lose,” Meltzer said. “What
about the jobs in agriculture? In
fishing? Fisheries and sport fishing
is a billion dollar industry in Oregon
and that will be lost.”
Teurism will also be affected, she
said. “People come here because of
the culture, because we are clean
and green. They come here because
of who we are, but this will change
who we are. There will be an identity
crisis for nothing.”
According to Physicians for So
cial Responsibility, there is a need
for increased efforts to assess the
health and environmental impacts
from the coal exports.
As a group of health care provid
ers and public health advocates, we
understand the significant risks to
human health posed by massive
coal shipments on our rivers and
through our com m unities, said
Merritt.
Currently, the organization, with
more than 135 physicians, has asked
that the health impacts be identified
before proceeding with any permits.
The shipm ents will affect ev
eryone, from the mines, to the rail
lines and the barge lines, to recipi
ents of the coal in Asia, she said.
“And then when the coal burns, it
blows back to us, which is why
there will be high levels o f m er
cury in rivers and in our fish.”
There will be an immediate local
impact and dramatic long term im
pact for everybody, she said. “I
think people are learning about
the threat now .”
The Portland City Council is
expected to weigh-in on the issue
during a meeting on Sept. 19.
“I hope the com m unity will
come out in strong support for
th e ir c o m m u n itie s and th e ir
health,” said M erritt.
Meltzer agreed. She said, “For
me personally, I want this issue to
be resolved so I can get back to my
studio and garden, but my serious
hope is that for Portland and the
Northwest, the cleanest area in the
country, is not ruined.”