ALASKA CALIFORNIA FLORIDA MID -PACIFIC NORTHEAST NORTHERN ROCKIES NORTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WASHINGTON, D.C. INTERNATIONAL June 24, 2016 Mayor Libby Schaaf 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza 3rd Floor Oakland, CA 94612 Appended below are the names of 7,792 individuals who have submitted public comments opposing the proposed coal export terminal in the City of Oakland. In addition to signing on in support of the following letter, 1,911 individuals of the total number have submitted personalized comments. The personalized comments start on page 2 and end on page 113. RE: Put a stop to coal exports from Oakland Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf, CC: Governor Brown, State Senator Loni Hancock, Assemblymember Tony Thurmond, and Assemblymember Rob Bonta I strongly oppose the proposal to ship coal through the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal. The mile-long coal trains bringing coal from Utah would release hundreds of pounds of toxic coal dust into the air as they travel to the proposed coal terminal, and the project developer is not bound by any enforceable commitments to protect community members from coal dust releases at the coal terminal. Communities like West Oakland already suffer from high rates of asthma, heart disease and cancer. More pollution should not be released into the neighborhoods near the proposed terminal and train lines. Allowing coal exports from Oakland undermines commitments made by the City of Oakland and the State of California to fight climate pollution. Coal-fired power plants are among the biggest emitters of climate change-forcing greenhouse gases, and allowing coal exports would allow these plants to continue operations. For this reason, the City of Oakland and the state legislature have passed resolutions opposing the transportation and use of dirty and dangerous fossil fuels like coal. California has also passed landmark climate change laws that set greenhouse gas reductions goals and mandate turning away from dirty fuel sources. The City of Oakland should not turn a blind eye to these important commitments or to the health of its residents. We have a moral obligation to do the right thing. The Bay Area, the state, and the country are watching what happens with this proposal. Please stand up for Oakland residents and our future, and put a stop to this coal terminal development. The Undersigned HEADQUARTERS 50 CALIFORNIA STREET, SUITE 500 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111 T: 415.217.2000 F: 415.217.2040 [email protected] WWW.EARTHJUSTICE.ORG Nicola Grody Oakland, CA 94610-4135 As a parent of an asthmatic child and having developed asthma as an adult living in Oakland I fear that coal dust here in Oakland, were we enjoy a daily breeze coming directly from West Oakland, presents a very REAL and serious health hazard. Our quality of living will absolutely decrease as we close windows and are forced to stay indoors. We will be limited as to what outdoor activities we can do out of fear of damaging coal dust in our comprpmised lungs. I have concerns for all the residents in West Oakland, the water quality in the Bay and Lake Merritt. Also, what about our urban wildlife? Especially birds. Coal through Oakland should nit even be on any city council table, shoukd not even be a topic of conversation. It really seems quite obvious hhow bad it is for so many people, animal, water areas and environmental issues. PLEASE, keep coal out of Oakland and away from California shorelines. thank you Jacqueline Gross Oakland, CA 94607-1419 As a West Oakland resident who lives less than three miles from the proposed project, and as someone with already compromised lung capacity, I don't want more dangerous dust and other coal bi-products further polluting the air. I see what comes in my windows now; it's hard to miss. There's no reason to add to it other than another company's greed (and that of the Oakland City Council and anyone else who has taken money from the coal companies). We'd be ground zero for anything that goes wrong. I don't want that for myself or my neighbors. The few jobs this project would create would do nothing to offset the potential disaster and higher medical costs that will be borne by those of us in direct line of this project. Jordan Brunel Oakland, CA 94612-5411 As a resident of Oakland my entire life, I would be ashamed if Oakland became the biggest exporter of coal in the country. We have worked incredibly hard to become one of the greener cities in the nation, and I am so proud of that fact. We, as a community, need to fight the efforts of the fossil fuel industry; not entice them. Let's stand together and make it known, that we will not allow this to happen. #NoCoalInOakland Margaret Rosen Oakland, CA 94602-1907 As a 20-year Oakland resident, I strongly oppose this move. We have soooo much good happening in Oakland now, including by the waterfront, let's not allow this to detail our progress. This is not what Oakland is about! Dale Chung Oakland, CA 94607-5207 As a lif long resident of Oakland and a home owner in Old Oakland I am against this toxic business coming to Oakland. This is bad for residents in the area, the environment and Oakland. Please put a stop to this back door deal. Deborah Maizels Oakland, CA 94602-1203 As a long time Oakland resident I strongly oppose the proposal to ship coal through the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal. Please take every action to assure this proposal does not become reality. Deborah Maizels Michael Simler Oakland, CA 94608-4410 As a resident of West Oakland I strongly believe this should NEVER be allowed to happen! There are so many better opportunities to be pursued instead of this antiquated idea!! Jillian Aguilar Oakland, CA 94609-1246 As a true lover of Oakland, I beg you not to build this environmental catastrophe. Allergies and asthma are on the rise with all the youth I know, please don't make it worse. Gail Mcgowan Oakland, CA 94605-3815 As an Oakland home owner I oppose any method of using the Great City of Oakland as a coal dump, for that is exactly what is proposed. I ask the CityCouncil to protect all Oakland citizens from this health hazard. I ask The City Planning Commission and the Port of Oakland to refuse any type of building permit for this property. And I ask those who accepted any monies from these charlatans to recuse themselves. Oakland needs courageous leaders. Oakland does not need special interest thieves. Maya Markovich Oakland, CA 94602-1202 As an Oakland resident and 3rd generation Californian I am appalled and angry that this terminal is even under consideration. It is absolutely unnecessary and irresponsible. Susan Colson Oakland, CA 94602-2418 As an Oakland resident with asthma, I ask you to please ban coal rom coming through Oakland. Mercy Manning Oakland, CA 94609-1207 As an Oakland resident, home-owner, mother of 3 young children and as a professional working to bring energy efficiency and clean energy alternatives to market, I urge you to ban coal exports through Oakland. This project is a major step backward for our climate change goals, and for health of the residents of Oakland. Michael Hall Oakland, CA 94611-4924 Dear Governor Brown, Mayor Libby Schaaf, State Senator Loni Hancock, Assemblymember Tony Thurmond, and Assemblymember Rob Bonta, I have lived here in Oakland my entire life and after many years of West Oakland being a place where people felt unsafe, today, it has become a highly sought after place to live! The timing of this West Oakland Coal nonsense will once again make west oakland a place to fear being again! And not only West Oakland but all of Oakland, SF, Berkeley, Emeryville, Richmond, San Leandro, Alameda, the entire Bay, and the creatures who live in the water, on the shores, in the skies and trees, and We the people, who have kids, and grandkids, and all of us who already have no choice about Floride in our water, Unidentified GMO foods in our stores, RoundUP weed killer everywhere and in everything we consume, Alluminum Particulates into our lungs and brains with every breath we take already, floating down from the sky, after being sprayed by large planes who's only purpose is to do just that, and endless toxic damage distributed by Monsanto, allowed by EPA and making the people pay for it all! We draw the line on this damn coal plant! We will not stand by and allow this additional polluting to occur in our city! Stop this Environmentally Damaging Coal Ash producing, pollution increasing Coal Plant from being built in Oakland and taking a giant step backward to the polluted past, rather than to the clean burning, more efficient, intelligent future! Jenifer Schoenberger Oakland, CA 94618-1314 For the sake of all of us who have chronic asthma and respiratory illness and struggle to control the successful treatments daily please do not subject us to coal particles seeping into all areas: our air and into our lungs, on our bodies , on our homes in the bay , on our plants ! I grew up with coal dust in New England and watched our lives improve when home heating switched to oil, no more coal dust!, I bathed my baby 2 times a day in from Chicago from coal dust pollution in the 60's and we breathed it in . Paul Tagami was my dead nephew Ben's friend who public ally hold of how Ben befriended him and literally brought him food each day when he was a Phil was a teen on his own .