Oakland activists protest coal terminal project, citing pollution risks

Dozens convened Saturday at West Side Missionary Baptist Church to rally and strategize against the Port of Oakland becoming a coal transport hub.

A coal port proposal in Oakland is the target of a renewed campaign by area activists, who have been fighting against it for 10 years due to environmental concerns.

Several dozen residents convened Saturday at West Side Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland to rally and hear strategies to stop the city from turning into the East Bay coal transportation center. According to The Mercury News, they’re concerned that the presence of coal dust will worsen the region’s already severe pollution problems brought on by the Port of Oakland’s high ship and truck traffic.

The No Coal in Oakland protest comes a few weeks after the start of a trial to decide whether or not a plan to construct a sizable coal port close to the base of the Bay Bridge may proceed.

“No longer can communities be used as toxic waste dumps so people can make a whole lot of money and not care about our health,” said the Rev. Ken Chambers, pastor of West Side Missionary Baptist Church and founder and president of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County.

The situation began in 2013 when the city permitted West Oakland developer Phil Tagami to construct a sizable marine terminal for bulk cargo. The Oakland City Council learned about Tagami’s plans to use the facility to ship coal mined in Utah two years later. In 2016, the City Council decided to outlaw the handling and storage of coal inside the city limits, partly because of community objections.

Following the ban, Tagami successfully sued the city, claiming that the transportation of coal did not represent a significant health risk.

In 2018, Oakland filed a lawsuit claiming that by not meeting the construction milestones, Tagami and his business partner, Insight Terminal Solutions, violated their lease terms.

The pending trial will have a county judge decide if — and how — the project may proceed.

Margaret Rossoff, an activist for No Coal in Oakland, said Saturday’s rally was meant to enlist new supporters and highlight residents’ continued opposition to coal. Health professionals and local community leaders discussed coal’s effects on humans and its role in climate change.

Heavy’s industry presence has long impacted West Oakland, a neighborhood with more particulate matter in the air than other county areas due to the proximity of an interstate highway, rail lines and the port.

If Oakland loses in court, developers may build a massive coal terminal instead of coal phasing out nationwide, as is trending. The city of Richmond has recently successfully banned the handling and shipping of coal within its city boundaries, with California planning to stop all coal imports there by 2027.

The West Oakland community has made it clear that it will not support the use of its vicinity for coal-related activities, regardless of the outcome of the legal proceedings. Even if the present case is unsuccessful, the protest organizers said they regard Saturday’s gathering as the beginning of a new age of opposition.

For Chambers — who has battled cancer four times, has children who grew up with asthma and a granddaughter on dialysis — a coal terminal in West Oakland is simply out of the question.

“The court can rule however they want, but it’s the community that’s going to make the difference,” said Chambers, The Mercury News reported. “It’s the community that’s going to stop this.”

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