A federal court in Kentucky dismissed a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland over a proposed coal terminal in West Oakland. The same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a California law requiring environmental impact reports before new large-volume bulk coal facilities can be built.
Insight Terminal Solutions, one of the project’s developers, had argued that Oakland interfered with its plans to process millions of tons of coal and that the interference led to its bankruptcy. The court’s ruling removes that lawsuit, while the new law adds a review requirement for the proposed facility.
Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta drafted Assembly Bill 40 with the West Gateway Terminal project in mind, although it applies statewide. A report prepared for investors says the terminal, if approved, would ship more than 13 million tons of coal overseas annually and store coal in the open. The proposal has raised concerns about coal dust and health risks.
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