Oakland City Council Bans Coal Shipments, Blocking Utah Plan

OAKLAND (AP) — Oakland city officials unanimously voted to ban the shipment of coal, sidelining a plan to transport Utah coal to Asia through a proposed marine terminal on an old army base.

The proposed terminal is in West Oakland, a historically black neighborhood that's among the poorest and most polluted in the region.

Detractors highlight the environmental dangers of bringing millions of tons of coal through the area while supporters tout the economic benefits of good-paying union jobs.

The terminal is part of a larger makeover of an army base that closed in 1999, eliminating thousands of jobs. City leaders approved the project before the coal proposal was made.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Councilmember Dan Kalb introduced a proposal Monday to ban the shipping of coal, in advance of a hearing to determine whether coal presents a safety and health hazard.