NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Washington deals blow to plan for coal export terminal
By RACHEL LA CORTE
Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A
company that wants to build
and operate a large terminal to
export coal from the western
U.S. to Asia was denied a
key permit by Washington
state on Tuesday because of
environmental concerns.
The
Department
of
Ecology rejected a water
quality permit that Millen-
nium Bulk Terminals sought
because the proposed facility
near the city of Longview
would have caused “signifi-
cant and unavoidable harm”
to the environment. The
department cited effects to
air quality, noise pollution
and tribal resources, among
others.
“There are simply too
many unavoidable and nega-
tive environmental effects for
the project to move forward,”
Ecology Director Maia
Bellon said in a statement.
Millennium Bulk Termi-
nals has long hoped to build
a facility along the Columbia
River to handle up to 44
million tons of coal a year.
Trains would carry the coal
from Montana, Wyoming and
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File
This 2005 file photo shows the port of Longview on the Columbia River at Longview,
Wash. The Department of Ecology said Tuesday it rejected a water quality permit
that Millennium Bulk Terminals wanted because the proposed facility near Longview
would have caused “significant and unavoidable harm” to the environment.
other states, which would be
loaded onto ships headed to
Asia.
William Chapman, the
president and CEO of Millen-
nium, said the company
will appeal the decision and
expects “a fairer and more
consistent interpretation of
the law.”
“Multiple recent deci-
sions by the agency seem
biased against the Longview
community, and particularly
blind to the need for employ-
ment opportunities in Cowlitz
County,” he said in a written
statement.
Environmentalists, tribes
and others have fiercely
opposed the project — which
could increase U.S. exports of
coal by 40 percent — because
of concerns about global
warming, coal dust pollution
and potential damage to
fisheries on the river. Several
of those groups lauded Tues-
day’s decision.
“The state did the right
thing today, standing up for
clean water, public health and
the Pacific Northwest’s iconic
endangered salmon runs,”
Power Past Coal co-director
Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky said
in a statement.
Businesses, some labor
groups and other supporters
23 environmental areas, 19
would face harmful effects,
and some could not be offset
or reduced, officials said at
the time.
The review found that coal
dust pollution from trains
would not be major because
emissions levels would
be below state and federal
standards, but pollution from
locomotives would raise the
cancer risk for one low-in-
come neighborhood.
Residents also would see
more noise and traffic delays
at rail crossings without a
quiet zone or other measures,
the study said. At full capacity,
the project would add 16
more trains through the area
and increase the number of
ships by 1,680 a year.
Gov. Jay Inslee said he was
confident that state ecology
officials “based their decision
on sound science and in
accordance with the law.”
“It’s absolutely critical that
all projects — particularly
of this scale — undergo
an objective and extensive
review that ensures they are
able to meet the standards
necessary for protecting our
land, air and water,” he said in
an emailed statement.
say the project would create
jobs, add tax revenue and
boost the local economy. The
governor of Wyoming, the
nation’s leading coal-pro-
ducing state, previously trav-
eled to the Pacific Northwest
to pitch the importance of
coal exports to the governors
of Washington and Oregon.
Kris Johnson, president
of the Association of Wash-
ington Business, criticized the
process that led to the deci-
sion, saying that the project
has faced “unprecedented
regulatory hurdles.”
“We need companies to
invest in manufacturing,
construction and infrastruc-
ture to support trade,” he
wrote in a prepared state-
ment. “Instead of turning
away investment, our leaders
should
be
encouraging
responsible growth.”
Montana’s
attorney
general said he plans to review
the decision to make sure the
law has been followed.
An environmental review
released in April by Wash-
ington’s ecology department
and Cowlitz County analyzed
potential harm to fish habitat,
wetlands, water quality, local
communities and more. Of
HERMISTON
Consultant offers advice on conference center rates, operation
policies for the conference
center and update them
where needed, including a
single set of rates and policies
for all users. J Robertson
and Company gathered rate
comparisons for Hermiston
venues including the confer-
ence center, Eastern Oregon
Trade and Event Center,
Armory, Oxford Suites and
Maxwell Event Center, as
well as the Port of Morrow
in Boardman and Pendleton
Convention Center.
The report recommends
that the information be used
to “establish rates that are
competitive with market
rates, maximize service cost
recovery, and are consistent
with the community’s philos-
ophy on providing cultural
and recreational services to
the community.”
Councilor Jackie Myers
she wouldn’t want the city
to create a rate structure that
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
A consultant hired to
analyze the market position
of the Hermiston Conference
Center has recommended
that the city modify its rates
to give the same price to
nonprofit, public and private
events at the center.
The recommendation was
one of several in a report by
J Robertson and Company
presented to the city council
Monday. The city paid about
$10,000 for the analysis in
anticipation of its plans to
take over management of
the Hermiston Conference
Center in January.
Sara Singer told the
council that the transition
provides “an opportunity to
make some improvements
and put some new policies
in place.” The report recom-
mended that the city review
discourages groups from
booking the center, but it
would also be hard to have
to make a separate decision
on every single event. Mark
Morgan,
assistant
city
manager, said a single rate
would likely mean a cheaper
price for private events than
in the past but a more expen-
sive rate than nonprofits have
been paying.
Parks and recreation
director Larry Fetter said the
department has always deter-
mined pricing by whether the
user is a Hermiston resident
or non-resident.
The report also recom-
mended using the parks
and recreation department’s
online booking system
to schedule events at the
conference center and move
all booking and information
about the center onto a page
on the city’s website. To
maximize use of the building,
it recommended evaluating
the cost of room dividers for
the large central room that
would allow multiple events
to take place at the same time.
City Manager Byron
Smith said the city had not
yet looked into dividers but it
was something he felt the city
should explore.
The report’s other three
recommendations for the
Hermiston
Conference
Center were to use the
center’s storage space for
recreation equipment, have
a city staff member or
“trained building monitor”
on site during all events, and
research the cost of providing
janitorial and maintenance
in-house instead of through a
contract.
In recognition of the
Eastern Oregon Trade and
Event Center’s effects on the
conference center, the report
also offered three recommen-
Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255
before noon Tuesday through Friday
or before 10 a.m. Saturday
for same-day redelivery
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211
333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed major holidays
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Local home delivery Savings off cover price
EZPay
$14.50
41 percent
52 weeks
$173.67
41 percent
26 weeks
$91.86
38 percent
13 weeks
$47.77
36 percent
*EZ Pay = one-year rate with a monthly credit or debit card/check charge
www.eastoregonian.com
To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255
or go online to www.eastoregonian.com
and click on ‘Subscribe’
East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday
and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to
East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Single copy price:
$1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday
Corrections
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
NEWS
• To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 •
fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com
• To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News:
email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at
541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers at 541-966-0818.
• To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries:
email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian.
com/community/announcements
• To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel
Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email
editor@eastoregonian.com.
• To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
TODAY
THURSDAY
Pleasant with
plenty of sunshine
Sunny and
beautiful
78° 49°
81° 51°
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Some sun; rain at
night
Cooler; a shower in
the p.m.
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
78° 53°
65° 48°
63° 44°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
83° 48°
81° 47°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
76°
73°
94° (1899)
52°
46°
24° (1908)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
Trace
0.91"
0.46"
12.28"
8.02"
8.84"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
77°
75°
98° (1952)
52°
44°
32° (2000)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.36"
0.37"
7.01"
5.44"
6.49"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
First
Full
70° 51°
6:48 a.m.
6:43 p.m.
2:02 p.m.
11:29 p.m.
Last
New
Spokane
Wenatchee
73/49
76/52
Tacoma
Moses
79/48
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 79/48
74/49
80/57
80/48
80/47
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
83/52
79/55 Lewiston
81/47
Astoria
79/51
82/55
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
82/59
Pendleton 73/41
The Dalles 81/47
78/49
82/49
La Grande
Salem
75/42
85/53
Albany
Corvallis 84/49
85/50
John Day
76/49
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
76/44
83/49
76/43
Caldwell
Burns
74/43
72/32
Oct 5
Oct 12
Oct 19
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
82
76
76
74
72
73
83
75
81
76
77
75
74
88
76
78
76
81
78
82
77
85
73
74
82
79
80
Lo
55
35
43
54
32
41
49
49
47
49
39
42
41
51
53
53
44
45
49
59
37
53
49
40
57
55
47
W
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Thu.
Hi
73
77
79
68
74
76
84
78
83
78
78
78
77
88
68
68
77
82
81
85
81
85
77
78
83
83
82
Lo
54
39
46
54
33
42
52
50
48
49
41
44
43
53
54
55
43
47
51
58
41
55
50
41
57
58
49
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
W
s
s
s
pc
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
74
95
78
69
73
52
70
76
80
74
79
Lo
48
84
61
56
58
37
57
56
59
64
70
W
pc
s
s
pc
pc
c
pc
s
r
pc
pc
Thu.
Hi
73
94
77
66
70
51
73
76
74
78
79
Lo
47
82
61
54
58
39
58
56
50
57
65
W
s
s
s
pc
t
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
r
WINDS
Medford
88/51
Klamath Falls
77/39
(in mph)
Today
Thursday
Boardman
Pendleton
NE 4-8
NNE 4-8
NE 4-8
NW 4-8
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Mostly sunny today.
Warmer in central parts; pleasant in the
south.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Pleasant
today with plenty of sunshine. Clear tonight.
Western Washington: Mostly sunny today.
Clear tonight. Brilliant sunshine tomorrow.
Sep 27
68° 47°
Seattle
79/57
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
80° 55°
Today
SUNDAY
Mostly cloudy,
breezy and cool
Eastern Washington: Sunny today. Clear
tonight. Plenty of sunshine tomorrow.
Cascades: Mostly sunny and pleasant
today. Mainly clear tonight. Sunny and nice
tomorrow.
Northern California: Plenty of sun today;
pleasant at the coast. Mainly clear tonight.
1
recreation events, chamber
of commerce events, private
rentals and public events.
For EOTEC, priorities are
trade shows, regional events,
the Umatilla County Fair,
outdoor events and events
with more than 300 people.
The city council adopted
the report during its regular
meeting Monday but is not
bound by any of the recom-
mendations.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at
jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
An article in Tuesday’s East Oregonian provided incor-
rect dates of death for Vietnam War soldiers Greg Gessel
and Gordon Spearman, of Hermiston. Gessel was killed on
Sept. 14, 1967, and Spearman on March 10, 1971.
The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and
sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in
the paper, please call 541-966-0818.
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Marissa Williams
541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
• Kimberly Macias
541-278-2683 • kmacias@eastoregonian.com
• Jeanne Jewett
541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com
• Dayle Stinson
541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com
• Angela Treadwell
541-966-0827 • atreadwell@eastoregonian.com
• Audra Workman
541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
dations for EOTEC: consider
providing maintenance and
janitorial services in-house,
create a marketing plan and
add more signs directing visi-
tors to the facility. The city
and Umatilla County share
ownership and operational
responsibility for the Eastern
Oregon Trade and Event
Center.
The report also listed the
priorities for events at both
centers based on feedback
from staff. For the Hermiston
Conference Center, priorities
were listed as parks and
2
4
4
2
1
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: Maria will brush eastern North Carolina with squalls and rough seas
today. Storms will dot the Midwest as the risk of flooding continues over the southern
Plains and Rockies. Most other areas will be dry.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 97° in Harlingen, Texas
Low 14° in Bodie State Park, Calif.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
63
89
79
86
69
90
73
81
91
88
73
85
86
59
79
76
54
67
89
90
80
92
70
86
87
90
Lo
53
69
70
66
44
68
49
64
71
62
51
58
69
46
51
62
38
45
76
73
53
70
50
66
66
63
W
t
s
c
pc
pc
s
s
pc
pc
s
s
pc
t
c
pc
t
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
s
Thur.
Hi
65
89
79
77
70
86
76
75
92
74
73
70
81
59
69
79
43
69
89
89
74
94
74
87
81
90
Lo
53
68
55
52
46
63
50
51
71
49
54
51
65
43
52
61
34
40
76
72
52
71
54
67
60
64
W
r
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
c
r
s
pc
r
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
s
pc
s
Today
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
Washington, DC
Wichita
Hi
87
88
89
70
65
89
90
84
64
72
88
92
79
82
88
67
75
91
77
69
80
88
79
90
87
71
Lo
58
68
77
51
51
65
74
68
56
49
68
69
63
65
67
42
45
56
55
50
63
59
57
61
70
51
W
s
s
sh
s
s
s
s
pc
t
s
pc
s
pc
pc
s
s
s
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
pc
pc
Thur.
Hi
76
81
90
72
71
79
92
78
71
75
78
95
74
80
88
70
79
91
76
68
82
81
82
93
79
76
Lo
54
61
76
54
49
55
75
56
55
51
55
74
45
50
58
45
48
57
56
49
64
58
58
68
58
56
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
s
s
c
s
pc
s
s
pc
c
s
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
s
s
pc
s
s
s
s
pc