FLORENCE ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL IN NORTH CAROLINA CAUSING LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGES AND HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS. CATASTROPHIC FRESHWATER FLOODING EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA

413 
WTNT31 KNHC 140841
TCPAT1

BULLETIN
Hurricane Florence Advisory Number  60
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL062018
500 AM EDT Fri Sep 14 2018

FLORENCE ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL IN NORTH CAROLINA CAUSING LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGES AND HURRICANE-FORCE
WINDS.  CATASTROPHIC FRESHWATER FLOODING EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH
AND SOUTH CAROLINA


SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...34.2N 77.4W
ABOUT 25 MI...35 KM E OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 55 MI...85 KM SW OF MOREHEAD CITY NORTH CAROLINA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90 MPH...150 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 6 MPH...9 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...958 MB...28.29 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* South Santee River South Carolina to Duck North Carolina
* Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, including the Neuse and Pamlico
Rivers

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* Edisto Beach South Carolina to South Santee River South Carolina

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* South Santee River South Carolina to Duck North Carolina
* Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Edisto Beach South Carolina to South Santee River South Carolina

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* North of Duck North Carolina to Cape Charles Light Virginia
* Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort
* Edisto Beach South Carolina to South Santee River South Carolina

Interests elsewhere in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states
should monitor the progress of Florence.

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline. For
a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather
Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at
hurricanes.gov.

A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life-
threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the
coastline.

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 24
hours.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible
inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your
local National Weather Service forecast office.


DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of the eye of Hurricane
Florence was located by an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft and
NOAA Doppler radar near latitude 34.2 North, longitude 77.4 West.
Florence is moving toward the west-northwest near 6 mph (9 km/h).  A
turn toward the west at a slow forward speed is expected today,
followed by a slow west-southwestward motion tonight and Saturday.
On the forecast track, the center of Florence is expected to move
inland across extreme southeastern North Carolina and extreme
eastern South Carolina today and Saturday.  Florence will then move
generally northward across the western Carolinas and the central
Appalachian Mountains early next week.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher
gusts.  Gradual weakening is forecast later today and tonight.
Significant weakening is expected over the weekend and into early
next week while Florence moves farther inland.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km) from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195
miles (315 km).  A NOAA observing site at Cape Lookout, North
Carolina, recently reported a sustained wind of 72 mph (116 km/h)
and a gust of 90 mph (145 km/h).

The minimum central pressure estimated from Hurricane Hunter data is
958 mb (28.29 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
STORM SURGE:  The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.  The water has the
potential to reach the following heights above ground...

Cape Fear NC to Cape Lookout NC...7-11 ft, with locally higher
amounts in the Neuse, Pamlico, Pungo, and Bay Rivers
Cape Lookout NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC...6-9 ft
South Santee River SC to Cape Fear NC...4-6 ft
Ocracoke Inlet NC to Salvo NC...4-6 ft
Salvo NC to Duck NC...2-4 ft
Edisto Beach SC to South Santee River SC...2-4 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
destructive waves.  Surge-related flooding can vary greatly over
short distances.  For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.

RAINFALL: Florence is expected to produce heavy and excessive
rainfall in the following areas...

Southeastern coastal North Carolina into far northeastern South
Carolina...an additional 20 to 25 inches, with isolated storm totals
of 30 to 40 inches. This rainfall will produce catastrophic flash
flooding and prolonged significant river flooding.

Remainder of South Carolina and North Carolina into southwest
Virginia...5 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches. This rainfall will
produce life-threatening flash flooding.

TORNADOES:  A few tornadoes are possible in eastern North Carolina
today.

SURF:  Swells generated by Florence are affecting Bermuda, portions
of the U.S. East Coast, and the northwestern and central Bahamas.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip
current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather
office.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
Next intermediate advisory at 800 AM EDT.
Next complete advisory at 1100 AM EDT.

Two crew members died after the engine room of the Russian trawler KAPITAN BOGOMOLOV caught fire while moored at Dakhla Anchorage, Morocco.

Russian trawler fire, 2 died, Morocco

Posted in Accidents by Mikhail Voytenko on Sept. 12, 2018 at 14:44.
 

Fire erupted in engine room of trawler KAPITAN BOGOMOLOV at 1005 Moscow time Sep 11, when trawler was moored alongside reefer SARONIC BREEZE (IMO 9041540) at Dakhla Anchorage, Morocco. Fire was extinguished by crew by 1100, two crew died in fire fighting. Extent of damages unknown. 

The manager and owner of the ship is listed as:
MURMANSK TRAWL FLEET - MURMANSK, RUSSIA


FleetMon Vessel Risk Rating: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

MORE DRUNK/DRUGED HISPANIC DRIVERS MEET THEIR MAKER: Hector Sanchez Jr., 27, of Brentwood, and his passenger Shawn Jenkins Jr., 24, of Bay Shore died after they crashed their car into the pumps at the Sunoco on Jericho Turnpike near the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway

  Hector Sanchez Jr., 27, of Brentwood

  Hector Sanchez Jr., 27, of Brentwood

Shawn Jenkins Jr., 24, of Bay Shore

Shawn Jenkins Jr., 24, of Bay Shore




COMMACK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – 

Two people are dead after a fiery crash at a gas station on Long Island.

Surveillance video shows a car slamming into the pumps at the Sunoco on Jericho Turnpike near the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway around 2 a.m. Wednesday.

The vehicle then burst into flames with two men trapped inside.

“I come outside, and this car hitting this pump, and I called 911,” gas station attendant Bassart Ahmed told CBS2’s Janelle Burrell.

Ahmed quickly triggered the station’s fire suppression system.

“Car fired started – the reason I put sprinkler on it,” he said.

An officer who happened to be nearby was first on the scene. Investigators were on the scene for hours working to determine what caused the crash.

“It’s sad, it’s somebody’s kids,” said nearby car wash owner Vinny Rella.

Dense fog made visibility in the area less than a half mile. Authorities are also looking into whether speed was a factor.

The driver has been identified as 27-year-old Hector Sanchez Jr., of Brentwood, and his passenger was identified as 24-year-old Shawn Jenkins Jr., of Bay Shore.

Most of the impaired driving crashes occur in the early am hours, like this one.  These two were speeding and/or were drunk/druged.  They meet their maker.  For the rest of you, learn from this tragedy and live.

ANOTHER SLEEPY OR DISTRACTED DRIVER DIES: Tractor-trailer driver died in a fiery crash on I-84 near The Dalles in Oregon, after he driffted off the highway, hit a rock embankment and caught fire

Oregon State Police said it crashed shortly before 2 a.m. near milepost 74. The truck was driving eastbound in the slow lane when it drifted off the road, hit a rock embankment and caught fire.


By Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

The Oregonian/OregonLive 


WASCO COUNTY, O


A driver died of injuries suffered in a fiery tractor-trailer crash near The Dalles early Wednesday, troopers say.

The Oregon State Police said an early investigation shows the semi driver was going east on Interstate 84, drifted off the highway and hit a rock embankment. The semi caught fire, and its driver died.

Troopers haven't publicly identified the driver.

They said authorities responded to the crash about 1:50 a.m.

One lane of the eastbound interstate was closed later Wednesday morning. Monitor TripCheck for the latest road conditions.

Elevated levels of certain gases and particulate matter could have resulted in possible health impacts, especially to sensitive groups from the Riverton City disposal site fire

An air quality study conducted during and after the Riverton city disposal site fire, which blanketed the Corporate Area with smoke for several days last month, has found that elevated levels of certain gases and particulate matter could have resulted in possible health impacts, especially to sensitive groups.

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) released the report Tuesday afternoon.

It said, based on the findings, it is recommending that the associated health effects be provided by the Ministry of Health.

NEPA said samples were taken during the fire and after firefighting activities ended.

The samples were sent to an accredited laboratory in Canada for analysis.

NEPA's report concludes that the fire from the Riverton disposal facility resulted in deteriorated air quality that affected Southern St. Andrew and Kingston, as well as sections of South Eastern St. Catherine.

The areas of greatest exposure included the Three Miles-to-Six Miles thoroughfare, New Haven, Duhaney Park, Cooreville Gardens, Washington Gardens, Patrick City, Pembroke Hall and Olympic Gardens.

The air quality report shows the World Health Organisation's 24-hour average guideline limit for the two types of particulate matter it measured were exceeded.

It said, while it did not exceed the Jamaica Ambient Air Quality Standards limit, the levels recorded are a major cause for concern.

NEPA said Spanish Town Road and its environs have been identified as being at risk and at the monitoring station set up there, the level for one of the types of particulate matter it measured was more than five times the limit set by the WHO during the active fire.

NEPA said marked increases in sulphur dioxide concentrations were recorded at the Spanish Town Road monitoring location, excess nitrogen dioxide was also observed as well as higher than normal concentrations of benzene and toluene.

The NEPA report added that the data from the monitoring sites have since indicated a return to pre-existing ambient air concentrations for the pollutants monitored.

Professor Winston Davidson, head of the School of Public Health at the University of Technology (UTech), has said some of the pollutants highlighted in NEPA's air quality report have very serious health risks. 

He said urgent action needs to be taken to prevent recurring exposure to these pollutants.

Hazmat situation in Maryland after a tractor trailer overturned due to shifted load and spilled sodium hydroxide on Snow Hill Road in Girdletree, MD

(Photo: Susan Drye)



Worcester County Road Closes After Truck Overturns, Load Spills 


September 12, 2018


GIRDLETREE, Md. -- 

Maryland State Police said a part of Snow Hill Road will be closed until dawn Wednesday after a tractor trailer overturned and spilled hazardous material.

The incident happened near 3323 Snow Hill Road around 4:45 p.m.

According to police, a tractor trailer was transporting 10 containers filled with 330 gallons each of a liquid called Sodium Hydroxide.

The driver, from North Carolina, was driving south on the road when he believed the load may have shifted, which caused the truck to overturn. Police said four of the 10 barrels fell into a field, two of which spilled.

MSP also said a Verizon telephone pole was hit in the incident.

The Maryland Department of Environment, State Fire Marshal's Office, and several police and fire departments responded. Hazmat crews established a safe perimeter and were working on the scene.

As the investigation into the incident continues, MSP said the road will be closed until dawn Wednesday. 


Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali that decomposes proteins at ordinary ambient temperatures and may cause severe chemical burns. It is highly soluble in water, and readily absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide from the air.

COAST GUARD SAVES 3 CREW MEMBERS OF A CAPSIZED CATAMARAN OFF MAUI

COAST GUARD SAVES 3 CREW MEMBERS OF A CAPSIZED CATAMARAN OFF MAUI

HONOLULU, HI, UNITED STATES

09.06.2018

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West 

U.S. Coast Guard District 14 Hawaii Pacific

A Station Maui 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew responds to a capsized catamaran off Maui, Sept. 6, 2018. The RB-M crew arrived on scene and safely recovered the vessel's three crew members. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jake Schlereth/Released)

MASSIVE SPILL AT THE BUCKEYE TERMINAL IN PORT READING: As of Sunday afternoon, an estimated 50,000 gallons of oily product has been recovered during clean-up operations

Unified Command continues response for diesel spill near Port Reading
September 11, 2018



NEW YORK – The Unified Command at Port Reading, N.J., continues to respond to and clean up a diesel fuel oil spill that occurred Thursday night at the Buckeye Terminal.

The Marine Transportation System in the Port of New York and New Jersey was affected as the spill contaminated areas of the the Arthur Kill waterway, creating a domino effect leading to multiple vessels being diverted and two facilities impacted.

The Unified Command are working quickly to re-establish the energy supply chain. One of the docks at Buckeye is now able to resume petroleum operations.

Numerous vessels as well a second fuel facility on the Arthur Kill have been decontaminated and have also resumed operations.

Though the Arthur Kill Waterway is not closed, Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) measures are in place, and any vessel that transits the waterway in the area is to go through with no wake.

Multiple Oil Spill Removal Organizations have been contracted to clean up the oil, which includes placing boom around the affected facilities and sensitive areas, as well as deploying skimming vessels to recover product in the water. Shoreline cleanup assessment teams are in place assessing the impact to the local area. As of Sunday afternoon, an estimated 50,000 gallons of oily product has been recovered during clean-up operations.

The Unified Command continues to monitor recovery efforts to ensure safety of personnel, the protection of the environment, and the resiliency of our Marine Transportation System, especially in light of the impending storm in the next couple of days.

The Unified Command includes the following agencies:

• U.S. Coast Guard
• Buckeye Terminal
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• New York State Department of Environmental Protection
• Environmental Protection Agency

The cause of the spill is under investigation.

=================================
NEW YORK, NY — 

The Coast Guard is responding to a diesel fuel spill that occurred in the Arthur Kill Waterway near Port Reading, New Jersey, Thursday night.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received a report of a diesel fuel spill during a product transfer at the Buckeye Terminal in Port Reading.

Due to high winds and rain at the time of the incident, facility personnel were unable to calculate the exact amount of fuel spilled into the waterway.

A pollution response team from Coast Guard Sector New York is currently on scene to help mitigate the situation. An oil spill removal organization has been contracted to clean up the spill, and they have placed containment boom in the water.

Representatives from Middlesex County Hazmat, New Jersey Department of Environment Protection, and the Environmental Protection Agency are also responding to the incident.

One barge was involved in the spill and is inside the containment boom. The condition of the barge is being evaluated by the federal on scene coordinator and marine inspectors from Sector New York.

All fuel transfers at the facility are temporarily suspended until investigators can determine the cause of the spill and the facility can safely conduct fueling operations.

Coast Guard Sector New York Vessel Traffic Service is monitoring all marine traffic in the immediate area. All concerned vessel traffic should contact Vessel Traffic Service at 718-354-4088 or the Sector Command Center at 718-354-4152.

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.  However, spills of oil and other products during loading or unloading of barges are not uncommon.


The Buckeye Port Reading facility is located in Woodbridge Township, NJ, approximately 2 miles north of Buckeye’s Perth Amboy Terminal. Port Reading offers over 6 million barrels of refined products and residual fuel oil storage, with exceptional connectivity via the Buckeye and Colonial pipelines, and an array of 5 berthing options to enhance its value. Port Reading also has a high-volume truck rack, as well as an LPG-by-rail system offering up to 30,000 bbl of butane capacity for blending. The facility is an important location for gasoline blending for supply out via vessel or for end destinations along the Buckeye pipeline system.

============================

By Noah Cohen

ncohen@njadvancemedia.com

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Authorities were at the scene of a spill at the Buckeye Terminal in Port Reading that sent an unknown amount of diesel fuel into the Arthur Kill Waterway, officials said Friday.

The mishap was reported around 7:15 p.m Thursday and occurred during a product transfer at the terminal, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

"Due to high winds and rain at the time of the incident, facility personnel were unable to calculate the exact amount of fuel spilled into the waterway," the Coast Guard said in a statement.

"All fuel transfers at the facility are temporarily suspended until investigators can determine the cause of the spill and the facility can safely conduct fueling operations," the statement said.

A representative for the Buckeye Terminal could not be immediately reached.

The Coast Guard said it deployed a pollution response team to the scene and an oil spill removal company was called to handle the cleanup. Crews put a containment boom in the water.

More information was not immediately available Friday. The cause of the spill was being investigated.

ANOTHER TRAIN TRESPASSER LOSES FOOT: University of Central Oklahoma's Derek Loccident, 20, loses foot as he was trying to crawl under a stopped train when the train started moving

ANOTHER TRAIN TRESPASSER LOSES LEG
Central Oklahoma's Derek Loccident loses foot in train incident
September 10, 2018
Associated Press


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- 

Officials say a University of Central Oklahoma football player lost his foot when he was run over by a train over the weekend.

Oklahoma City police said Derek Loccident, 20, was trying to crawl under a stopped train at 2:30 am when the train started moving. Police said the train severed Loccident's foot, but he was able to flag down a nearby person who took him to a hospital. Police say he is expected to survive.

Loccident is a defensive back for the Division II school, which competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. He recorded 15 tackles in the team's first two games this season. 

UCO's athletic department said in a statement that Loccident and his family have the school's full support.He does not have any support from us.  He is a brainless idiot who lost his foot because he tried to do something illegal and unsafe.  For the rest you, learn from this moron's stupid mistake and live with both of your feet intact.

This guy was probably drunk or on drugs to do a stupid and reckless thing like that.  There must have been other people involved, and they were playing a dare game.

==============================







Derek Loccident, 20, lost his foot when he was run over by a train on Sunday at 2.30am in downtown Oklahoma City

An Oklahoma college football player lost his foot when he was run over by a train over the weekend.

Derek Loccident, 20, was crawling under a stopped train in downtown Oklahoma City on Sunday around 2.30am when it suddenly started moving.

As he tried to scramble away his left foot was run over and severed at the tracks near 4th street and E.K. Gaylord, cops say.

Police originally reported he was run over as he was walking on the tracks, on Monday they clarified he was crawling under the train when he was hit.

After the horrific stupid stunt, this brainless moron was able to flag down a nearby person for help, according to KFOR.

Although he lost his foot, he is doing well and recuperating. However, this guy has no brain cells in his head.

Loccident was a sophomore at the University of Central Oklahoma where he played football as a cornerback. 

Diesel emissions from trains, boats and heavy equipment would pose a bigger risk to public health than coal dust if Millennium Bulk Terminals builds its proposed coal dock west of Longview

Railroad workers as well as those in other occupations who are consistently exposed to such toxic substances are often harmed by developing serious medical conditions, such as lung cancer and other cancers. These debilitating and devastating health effects can result in costly medical expenses, loss of wages and earning capacity, pain, suffering, emotional trauma for the injured and his or her family and premature death.

Health Effects of Diesel Fumes

In May 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its health assessment for diesel exhaust which found diesel particulate matter to be a "likely" carcinogen. Diesel particle exposure poses a unique threat due to its compound nature, consisting of a carbon core which acts as a magnet for numerous other toxins. The result is a hazardous mixture of fine particles, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and many other toxic metals and gases.

Fine particles have been linked to a wide variety of serious health impacts, ranging from respiratory ailments such as asthma attacks to heart attacks, stroke, and premature death. A recent report of the Clean Air Task Force states that approximately 21,000 people die prematurely each year due to particulate matter pollution from diesel exposure. Approximately 3,000 of these premature deaths are due to lung cancer from these exposures, as diesel exhaust presents a lung cancer risk 7.5 times higher than the cancer risks of all other air toxins combined.

Diesel locomotives account for a significant portion of diesel emissions. The Clean Air Task Force report further states that occupational exposures to diesel are among the highest environmental exposures, primarily associated with increased incidence of lung cancer. However, a study of railroad workers suggests that diesel exposure may also have caused serious and permanent impairment to the central nervous system.

In addition to these health risks, exposure to diesel fumes may also impact an individual's immune system, disrupting the chemical signals and production of antibodies resulting in a decreased ability to recover from illness.


=====================

Diesel emissions from trains, boats and heavy equipment would pose a bigger risk to public health than coal dust if Millennium Bulk Terminals builds its proposed coal dock west of Longview, according to an updated health assessment of the project.

The report says there would likely be an increase in the number and severity of some types of diseases related to diesel emissions.

And it calls for expanded monitoring of air quality, include stations for diesel exhaust and coal dust along transportation corridors.

These are among the findings of the Health Impact Assessment that the Cowlitz County Department of Building and Planning released at noon Monday. The study, in the works since 2015, includes a host of recommendations on how to protect the public and vulnerable neighborhoods near the rail line running to the terminal site and how to improve community prosperity.

The assessment does not have a direct role in permitting decisions. It states that it is a public health tool to help the community understand how the project would affect public health. The project itself is in jeopardy due to a mass of legal challenges and permit denials.

Millennium wants to build the largest coal export dock on the U.S. West Coast at the former Reynolds Metals Co. aluminum plant.

Wendy Hutchinson, senior vice president of external affairs for Millennium, said by email that the company will reserve comment about the study because it has not had a chance to review the assessment.

Hutchinson said, though, that Millennium has designed the terminal to protect air and water quality and fisheries. The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project found the terminal would meet environmental standards, she said, even though the state has declined to issue a water quality certification to the project.

The health assessment focuses on neighborhoods near the proposed terminal along the BNSF Railway line in Cowlitz County. Nick Fazio, of the county Building and Planning Department, said this includes the area within a mile of the proposed site, as well as areas along the rail spurs used to transport coal.

The Cowlitz County Health and Human Services Department and the State Department of Health supervised the study, which was partly guided by a steering committee made up of 15 community members. Fazio said Millennium paid for county staff time to develop the report.

In December 2017, the committee received more than 3,000 public comments on a draft health assessment.

Many public comments voiced fears that the project would worsen lung and heart diseases and increase cancer rates in a community already suffering above-average rates of these diseases. According to the assessment, there would likely be an increase in the number and severity of some types of diseases related to diesel emissions.

The assessment states that while it is estimated more coal dust would be emitted than diesel particulate matter, it’s likely diesel emissions would have greater impacts on health because they are more toxic and finer, meaning that they can go deeper into lungs.

There are no federal standards specific to diesel particles or coal dust, but Washington designates diesel particulate matter as a cancer-causing toxic air pollutant. The health assessment states the proposed terminal wouldn’t cause the area to exceed national air quality standards for particulates, but it estimates that small particle levels would increase at some locations to 89 percent of the standard.

The terminal would require 16 mile-long trains a day — eight bearing coal, the other eight exiting empties — to transit the rail corridor from the Longview Wye to the Millennium site. About half of the diesel emissions connected to the project would come from locomotives, about 30 percent from boats and the remaining 20 percent from other equipment.

About 60 trains a day already pass through Cowlitz County on the BNSF Railway main lines.

Research has found exposure to small and large particle matter leads to declines in lung function and worsening of heart and lung diseases, according to the assessment. The effects depend on length and volume of exposure and individual’s sensitivity to particulates, the study says.

At the highest estimated diesel exposure, there would be an increased cancer risk of 50 cases per 1 million people, according to the report. (That’s five additional cases in a county of 103,000, the population of Cowlitz County.) But few people would be exposed to that level because residents don’t usually stay in their homes all day every day, according to the assessment.

Health data shows Cowlitz County residents already experience higher than average rates of death and hospitalization for some diseases related to air pollution. Adding additional risk to a community that already has health disparities becomes an “environmental justice issue,” the report says. Fazio explained that there is no official environmental justice policy, but the statement raises a question of values.

The draft recommendations suggest local government should expand air quality monitoring to include stations for diesel exhaust and coal dust along transportation corridors. It also suggests the county health department work with Millennium and the Southwest Clean Air Agency to identify opportunities to reduce diesel exhaust emissions, such as working with BNSF Railway to deploy battery-powered locomotives.

The draft recommendations state Millennium should complete studies to identify and reduce noise problems within one mile of the project site and the rail spurs leading to it.

While the health assessment and recommendations speak to the proposed terminal, the information and suggestions are also relevant even if the project didn’t exist and could apply to a different project, Fazio said.

“It’s a valuable document regardless of what happens with this individual development,” Fazio said.

Many of the recommendations make suggestions for local governments, such as identifying a long-term plan for community prosperity, workforce preparedness and supporting employers who use environmentally-friendly technology and sustainable use of resources.

Quoting Millennium, the assessment states the terminal would create about 135 permanent jobs and 1,350 construction jobs. The number of permanent positions is small relative to the area’s top employers, the report says, comparing terminal employment to a smaller retail big-box store, though with higher average wages.

Fazio said the steering committee will review the report and draft recommendations before holding a public workshop where it will finalize the recommendations. There is no set date for the workshop, but it will most likely be within the next four weeks, he said. The final recommendations will be incorporated into the health assessment and released to the public.

===================================

March 2, 2018

BNSF Railway is asking to join a lawsuit against Washington state officials who blocked plans to build a coal export terminal.

The Fort Worth-based railroad on Feb. 27 filed a request as a plaintiff to join a federal lawsuit brought by Millennium Bulk Terminals’ parent company against Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and other administration officials after permits were denied for the proposed $680 million Longview coal terminal.

In the original complaint filed Jan. 3, Lighthouse Resources Inc. of Utah claims state officials violated the U.S. Constitution’s interstate commerce clause and other federal statutes by blocking the transport of coal from its mines in Wyoming and Montana.

A coalition of five environmental groups opposed to the terminal on Feb. 27 also asked to intervene in the case on behalf of the state.

In its complaint, BNSF agreed with Lighthouse’s allegation that Director of Ecology Maia Bellon and Department of Natural Resources Director Hillary Franz, named as defendants, misused their regulatory authority to focus on a single commodity.

In September 2017 Ecology denied a water quality permit, citing increased rail traffic among nine different adverse environmental impacts. DNR denied an aquatic lands sublease in January 2017, over how potential coal dust spills would affect fish and the health of urban forest lands along the rail routes.

Millennium is appealing both decisions.

The denials, BNSF said its complaint. show that state regulators are building a “regulatory wall,” to stop coal from being used in Asia.

“As a common carrier, BNSF is required by federal law to move regulated goods, including coal,” Roger Nober, BNSF’s executive vice president of law and corporate affairs, said in a press release Wednesday. “Permitting this facility should have followed the long-established process of making a determination based on site-specific impacts; instead they have taken it upon themselves to deny permits based on so-called rail impacts. This is a very clear violation of federal law.”

The complaint cites a 2010 study by Washington’s Department of Transportation and corresponding decision by the Federal Railroad Administration that adding eight roundtrip passenger rail trips per day in roughly the same area as the proposed coal terminal would cause no significant impact under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The outcome could harm BNSF’s ability to operate effectively throughout the state, the company said in its complaint.

======================================




By Marissa Luck, The (Longview) Daily News

Published: November 14, 2017



LONGVIEW — In a huge blow to the proposed Longview coal dock, a Cowlitz County hearing examiner has denied two major shoreline permits that Millennium Bulk Terminals needs for its $680 million project.
Hearing Examiner Mark Scheibmeir rejected the permits Tuesday in spite of recommendations from Cowlitz County staff that he approve the permits under several conditions.

Scheibmeir wrote in his decision that Millennium could not show that it would adequately compensate for 10 significant adverse impacts identified in the state’s environmental impact statement. The state Department of Ecology cited nine of those 10 impacts as reasoning to deny a water quality permit for the terminal in September. Those nine areas include: vehicle traffic, vessel traffic, rail capacity, rail safety, noise pollution, social and community resources, cultural resources and tribal resources.

Scheibmeir added a tenth impact — greenhouse gas emissions — when the company said it could not mitigate for all the emissions generated as result of its project. A cradle-to-grave analysis estimated that the terminal would increase global greenhouse gas emissions by 2 million metric tons annually, according to the environmental impact statement.

Millennium will appeal the decision to the state’s shoreline hearing board.

“The decision is based primarily on issues outside the shoreline area applicable to any new terminal or transportation project in the State of Washington,” said Bill Chapman, Millennium CEO, in a prepared statement. “Not allowing Millennium to use this industrial shoreline for a bulk materials terminal simply because there will be more trains on the tracks and more vessels on the Columbia River, makes a bold statement that there is no industrial or port use for this site, or for any other industrial port site in Cowlitz County or anywhere else on the Columbia River System.”

Chapman pointed out that the former Reynolds Co.-site has historically been used for industrial purposes and “had extensive train traffic and vessel traffic in the past.”

Opponents argued that Millennium doesn’t have a clear path forward in light of Schiebmier’s decision and other recent permit denials from the state.

“This decision marks the fourth time that Millennium’s coal export proposal failed to meet local and state laws,” stated Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, co-director of the Power Past Coal Coalition, in a press release. “Millennium faces insurmountable hurdles, and the company should end their coal export aspirations today.”

Tuesday’s decision is the latest in a string of setbacks for the coal terminal, which has been in the permitting process for six years. Before it can built its dock, Millennium must win its appeal of the state Department of Ecology’s denial of a key water quality permit. It must also obtain a total of 23 permits from local, state and federal agencies.

One sign of hope for company officials came earlier this month when a Cowlitz County judge found that the state was arbitrary and capricious when it denied a sublease needed for a coal dock. Yet Millennium will still have to bargain a compromise before it can actually get the sublease.
=====================================





July 18, 2018
Commerce-Clause Challenge Over Washington Coal-Export Terminal Overcomes First Hurdle



Glenn G. Lammi Contributor Washington Legal Foundation Chief Counsel, Legal Studies Division





In a March commentary, we appraised a legal challenge filed by two companies involved in the mining and delivery of coal against several Washington state officials for their role in blocking approval of a water-port terminal in Longview, Washington. The suit, which has attracted amici curiae briefs from neighboring states and other interested parties, took a step forward on May 30 when Judge Robert J. Bryan denied the defendants' motion to dismiss.

As discussed at length in our previous post, Lighthouse Resources desires to build a facility at Millennium Bulk Terminal to export high-quality, low-sulfur coal delivered by rail from Montana and Wyoming. That plan has run into a wall of denial erected by state officials. In preparing an environmental impact statement for the terminal, the Washington Department of Ecology (WDE) expanded its assessment (over federal regulators' objections) to rail transportation effects outside the project's area and even factored in the coal's ultimate end use: energy generation overseas, namely in Asia.

WDE also denied, with prejudice, Lighthouse's request for a water-quality certification, necessary for the company to apply for permits under the federal Clean Water Act. The agency again put an unprecedented thumb on the scale by basing its decision on non-water-quality factors, such as concerns over increased air emissions from rail transportation. The agency also informed Lighthouse in writing that further permit applications would be futile.

On January 3, 2018, Lighthouse filed a federal lawsuit against Washington Governor Inslee, the WDE director, and the Commissioner of Public Lands alleging their actions violated the U.S. Constitution's Commerce and Supremacy Clauses. BNSF Railway Company moved to intervene as a plaintiff on February 27, a motion Judge Bryan subsequently granted. Both plaintiffs' complaints document not only the defendants' strident opposition to coal as an energy resource, but also their concomitant use of their official authority to prevent any coal from being exported to foreign purchasers.



Moving to dismiss, the defendants argued that the preemption-based claims should fail because the federal laws cited (the ICC Termination Act and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act) don't apply to the underlying facts. They also asserted that the federal court should abstain from exercising jurisdiction over the plaintiffs' federal claims because Lighthouse was pursuing state-court appeals of permit denials for the Millennium Bulk Terminal project. Lighthouse and BNSF responded that the court should not abstain because: 1) the federal constitutional and statutory claims asserted here are not at issue in the state-court litigation; and 2) abstention is inappropriate when constitutional rights are at stake.

An impressive array of amicus curiae supported the plaintiffs in their opposition—an uncommon occurrence at such an early stage in litigation. An amicus brief jointly filed by Wyoming, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Utah burnished the plaintiffs' arguments on abstention, stressing that the "overwhelming federal interest" in resolving questions under the Commerce Clause overcomes any interest Washington has in the state-court matters. The brief also strongly underscored the lawsuit's Commerce Clause claims, explaining that Washington is "trying to force on other states their policy preferences ... Today it is coal, tomorrow it could be natural gas or non-organic produce."

Another amicus brief, filed by the National Mining Association, National Association of Manufacturers, American Farm Bureau Federation, and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, also stressed the national impact of Washington's coal-terminal blockade. The associations provided current examples of what WLF has called extreme federalism, where states have adopted laws aimed at setting national policy, and warned that a ruling for the defendants would give states a green light to continue this trend.

A third brief, filed by Western States Petroleum Association, documents how Washington's unlawful rejection of Millennium Bulk Terminal permits is part of a "broader campaign to thwart fossil fuel exports from the west coast." Activists groups, some of which have intervened as defendants in the Lighthouse/BNSF litigation, openly brag about how that campaign has created a "thin green line" against coal export, the Western States brief explains. The brief cites to an illustrative map created by Sightline.org.

Finally, the American Association of Railroads supported BNSF's opposition motion on the specific issue of federal preemption under the ICC Termination Act. Congress made clear though that law, the association argues, that individual states may not govern rail transportation either directly or indirectly. The brief spells out how such state-by-state regulation of interstate rails would wreck havoc on the nation's freight rail network.

In his May 30 ruling from the bench, Judge Bryan decided that the plaintiffs' preemption theories were plausibly presented in the complaint and that those claims will proceed. He also rejected the defendants' request that the court abstain from exercising jurisdiction because of the related litigation in state court. Any potential conflicts, he concluded, can be dealt with through careful calendar management.

Since the court's ruling, the state officials and the intervening activist-group defendants have filed answers to the Lighthouse and BNSF complaints. We will continue to closely monitor developments in the litigation. As we expressed in our March commentary on Lighthouse Resources v. Inslee, this lawsuit is about far more than a dispute over the construction of a single coal-export terminal. The amicus participation of six states and numerous national and regional business groups, and the arguments they make on preemption and the Commerce Clause, reflect the suit's national and international significance.

LESSONS LEARNED: Wind Damage Caused by Hurricane Harvey

The untold story of Hurricane Harvey wind damage: 12 key findings

By Jayleen R. Heft | September 10, 2018

  Shane Johnson removes items from a family home destroyed in the wake of Harvey, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Rockport, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Hurricane Harvey will be remembered as an epic flooding disaster — and rightly so. But there is more to the story of this brutal hurricane.

Along the Gulf shores of the Texas Coastal Bend, Harvey’s fierce Category 4 winds delivered a massive blow to an area that is still recovering one year later.

When Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, on August 26, 2017, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, it was the first major (Category 3 or higher) hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Harvey was also the second most costly hurricane in U.S. history after Hurricane Katrina, causing an estimated $125 billion in damage.

IBHS damage assessment team went to Texas

On August 29, three days after Harvey made its initial landfall, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) deployed a damage assessment team to Texas specifically to study the wind damage caused by this storm.

The team consisted of four IBHS engineers, two staff from Swiss Re and two staff from State Farm’s Technology Research and Innovation Lab. The team performed wind damage assessments on 213 structures spanning five wind speed zones, collecting quantitative data using IBHS’ custom damage assessment software.

Help  guide insurers

What did they discover? Key findings in this report can help guide insurers and catastrophe modelers, as well as home repair, roofing and construction considerations for years to come in wind-prone and wind damaged communities.


Here are 12 key findings from the Hurricane Harvey Wind Damage Investigation: