Wyoming and Montana聽聽last month against the state of Washington for blocking access to the last major coal export project on the West Coast, impeding the states鈥� ability to get their coal to Asian markets.
When Wyoming the legal action over blocking the export terminal in Longview, it had been long anticipated by those who see the west coast terminal as vital to bringing Powder River Basin coal to international markets.
Governor Gordon, a Republican, announced the challenge under the court鈥檚 rarely used 鈥渙riginal jurisdiction鈥� provision that enables the justices to hear certain disputes between states before a review by lower courts,
In an industry shakeup, Wyoming and Montana鈥檚 motion says it is 鈥渦nconstitutional discrimination against a proposed coal export terminal.鈥�
Washington says the Millenium bulk terminal聽.
The case breaks down into two parts: A state鈥檚 right to impose environmental laws versus constitutional rights to access commerce
The Millennium Bulk Terminal 聽hit a major hurdle when the Washington Department of Natural Resources denied a necessary permit for construction on environmental grounds. The Washington State Court of Appeals in August upheld the state鈥檚 choice to deny the required state-owned land permits for the terminal last year, the
The Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming and southeast Montana is America鈥檚 top coal-producing region. About 47% of country鈥檚 coal comes from Wyoming and virtually all coal in Wyoming is thermal.
Matt Micheli, a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based attorney environmental and energy partner at environmental 聽law firm Holland & Hart says the case breaks down into two parts: A聽state鈥檚 right to impose environmental laws versus constitutional rights聽to access commerce.聽
鈥淐ertainly, here in Wyoming we saw the decline of coal more than anyone else in the country. Our history doesn鈥檛 get told as much Appalachia and West Virginia, but we produce more coal than any state in the country鈥� For a while we produced almost as much coal as the rest of the country combined.鈥�
鈥淲e are feeling the decline here mightily. You talk about coal miners; you鈥檙e talking about nameless people. For us, that鈥檚 our family, friends, it鈥檚 a real thing real crisis we face, and it also has an impact on our state finances. We are so dependent on coal and oil and natural gas from somewhere between 65% of our state budget comes from those three fossil fuels so we feel it on a lot of different levels,鈥� Micheli told 九游下载apk. 聽
The Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming and southeast Montana is America鈥檚鈥� top coal-producing region
Micheli said Wyoming believes that coal is an important part of the state鈥檚 energy security and its future.
鈥淭hey continue to build coal fire plants in Asia. China continues to burn coal. They are going to burn coal from somewhere.鈥�
Micheli said coal from Wyoming and Montana is the cleanest coal that China can possibly get to burn.
鈥淚 think for the environment groups coal has become a bad word, in the environment community they just want to block any use of the coal so鈥� it helps them to feel good blocking coal from being shipped internationally. If you really want to protect the environment you should allow them to burn coal that is cleaner and higher quality,鈥� Micheli said.
The lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of the United States on January 24. As of February 21, Washington State had not filed a response.
鈥淭hey will say that鈥檚 nothing to do with blocking interstate commerce or access to international markets, we are just applying our own environment laws we have in our state,鈥� Micheli said.
鈥淎nd that鈥檚 really the rub, is whether a state鈥檚 sovereign right to create environmental laws goes against the constitution and access to commerce鈥� and that鈥檚 what the Supreme Court must resolve.鈥�