Kalb Response 4 PDF

From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
jamesevann@aol.com
Cole, Doug; DL - City Council; Office of the Mayor
"No Coal in Oakland"
Friday, October 02, 2015 3:32:16 PM
No Coal in Oakland !
What are our City Council and City Attorney doing ? Why the special hearing that caused hundreds of
Oaklanders to spend needless hours away from jobs and family to tell the Council what it already knows
? Why the long delay in dealing with this illegal issue of coal that so clearly has a straightforward and
mandated remedy.
The consultant's agreement specifically forbids materials at the break-bulk facility that have health
orenvironmentalimpacts. States and nations all over the world are discontinuing mining, storage, and
use of coal,primarily due to negative health andenvironmentalconsequences. Even China, the world's
greatest user of coal, diminished coal imports last year by 22%. Coal contains highly toxic mercury
andarsenic, andWest Oakland, which already suffers among the highest asthma rates in the state,
would be doubly impacted. Owing to its undeniable health and environmental impacts -- which cannot be
completely mitigated -- coal is automaticallyexcluded under the Army Base contract
Should the contractor have chosen to protest the prohibition, it was contractor's responsibility to have
produced scientifically documented and tested studies conclusively proving that no health or
environmental impacts are possible from shipping, handling, storage, long term holding, or re-handling
coal for export. Lacking such study and its scrutiny, by and consensus of the scientific and environmental
communities, automatically vetoes any consideration of "coal."
Secondarily, the specter of possible litigation appears to frighten council members. This is ludicrous. As
revealed by Gene Hazzards blog Clean Oakland the contract clearly states: "contractor shall not
assign any part of its contract without approval of the city." How is it possible that the City is afraid to
enforce its own contract ? If this is so, why have a contract at all. The city should simply anoint it
favorite vendor with the simple instruction to "proceed however you choose" -- ludicrous !
While the September 21 special hearing was totally unwarranted, the community nevertheless responded
enthusiastically and loudly proclaiming No Coal in Oakland. Backing the communitys near unanimous
call, one of the broadest coalitions in recent memory consisting of labor unions, businesses, faith
organizations, public interest and community groups, and residents from all walks of life filled City Hall
and all its chambers with a boisterous protest against the disastrous possibility of storing and exporting
coal from Oakland.
City Attorney -- Do your job ! Report to the City Council that the contractor has violated Sections X & Y of
the contract, and that actions to terminate ARE ALREADY PROCEEDING !
City Council -- Get on the ball ! Immediately cease your 'hemming and hawing,' and give full instructions
and backing to the City Attorney.
Then, publically announce to the residents of Oakland that you have acted decisively in the interest of the
city to halt this illegal threat, and that as the City Council you pledge to be vigilant in protecting the health
and safety of the residents and the city, as well as that of the planet.
James E Vann,
Long time resident,
Llocal and community activist,
Co-founder,Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt (CALM)
251 Wayne Avenue
Oakland CA 94606
510-763-0142
jamesevann@aol.com
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To:
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Date:
Deborah Silvey
DL - City Council
Army Base Gateway Redevelopment Projec
Monday, October 05, 2015 1:55:36 PM
From: Deborah Silvey, Fossil Free California Coordinator

Date: October 5, 2015
To: council@oaklandnet.com
Subject: Army Base Gateway Redevelopment Project
Dear Sir:
I am writing on behalf Fossil Free California (FFCA), an organization of Californians concerned about the
catastrophic effects of climate change. We are joining others in strongly opposing development of a coal
export facility at the old Oakland Army Base site, while welcoming development of the bulk export
terminal for handling other products.
FFCAs mission is to convince public and private institutions to divest from all fossil fuels: coal, oil and
gas. Together with 350.org, we recently helped to pass SB 185, the bill sponsored by Senate Pro Tem
Kevin de Leon. This bill requires our state pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest from coal.
With the governors signature expected in a few days, we will be soon celebrate California as the first
state to rid its pension funds of the dirtiest form of energy: coal.
Coal divestment has already moved large amounts of money out of coal companies--from the Norwegian
Pension Fund to Stanford University. Recently our own University of California joined in the move away
from coal. Coal is now a poor risk from a purely economic point of view. Movement away from coal is
accelerating rapidly in the U.S. and developed contributes, with developing countries also moving in that
direction. It therefore makes no sense for Oakland to allow such a damaging coal project to endanger its
citizens--especially its most vulnerable--at the same time as it would add over 12.5 million tons of
greenhouse gas emissions each year.
There is a definite need for expanded port facilities on the West Coast. It is very likely that new private
partners will step up to financially participate in development of this bulk export terminal to be used
exclusively for products other than coal. FFCA urges you to develop the project as it was intended: to
clean up pollution and provide benefits to the local economy not threaten our health, economy, and
climate. Please keep coal out of Oakland.
Sincerely yours,
Deborah Silvey
-Deborah Silvey
Fossil Free California
Coordinator
510-849-9577
510-333-8513 (mobile)
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Judd Williams
DL - City Council
Coal an excellent investment in ninetieth century fuel, Oakland can be the fall guy
Dear Council,
Irespectfullyrecommend investing in clean power instead of dirty and unhealthy power.
President TeddyRooseveltsent American power around the horn because the Panama Canal
wasn't finished. When they steamed into San Francisco Bayin 1908there was no Bay Bridge.
Coal, commonly referred as "black diamonds," was the ship's sole source of power. Ships would normally go into
port and take on coal every two weeks. "Coaling ship" was an all hands evolution and a dirty job. It would take
several days to coal a ship. Afterward, the crew would spend several more days cleaning the ship, inside and out,
fore and aft, since coal dust settled everywhere.
Clean coal is a slogan. The realities are that fossil fuel is a legacy, like wood fired locomotives.
If Oakland wants to go backward invest in coal. It's dirty,unhealthy, and environmental disaster in all aspects.
-Judd Williams
Mill Valley, CA
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Linda Morgan
DL - City Council; Cole, Doug; Office of the Mayor
Coal Exports
Sunday, October 04, 2015 7:08:18 PM
I am an East Bay resident with serious concerns about the plan to export coal through the Bay Area. I
realize how important the jobs this port expansion represents are to the city of Oakland and its residents,
but don't let yourselves be blackmailed by Terminal Logistics Solutions. Coal is shipped in open top rail
cars that shed up to 600 pounds of coal dust per car each trip. That means 60,000 pounds of toxic fine
particulate matter entering the air and water in communities along the way (like mine) and in West
Oakland and belching diesel fumes into the air where the poor and people of color are disproportionately
effected. Longshoremen who work at coal-export facilities are exposed to serious health risks.
Prolonged, direct exposure to coal dust has been linked to health issues such as chronic bronchitis,
decreased lung function, emphysema, and cancer. Coal dust has also been shown to increase the risk of
mortality from heart disease.
Here in California we have worked hard to cut carbon emissions. We not only don't burn coal in any of our
power plants, we don't allow our state's utilities to buy energy from out-of-state facilities that burn coal,
because it doesn't matter where in the world carbon enters the atmosphere-- it still causes the same
amount of global warming. If you allow this coal to be exported to be burned in another country, it causes
the same climate damage as it would if it were burned in the United States.
Please use this opportunity to keep coal out of our Oakland and the Bay Area, and out of our air and
water. We have an opportunity to build a healthy, sustainable Oakland. Let's not throw that away on a
deal with the dirty, dying coal industry.
Thank you for considering my opinion,
Linda Morgan
San Pablo, CA
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June Brumer
Kalb, Dan
coal exports
Saturday, October 24, 2015 3:27:58 PM
Allowing Tagami and his cohort to export dirty coal from Oakland is a very bad idea; it's a danger to the
citizens of Oakland, and to the environment. I urge you to vote against this proposal.
Thank you - June Brumer,
Oakland
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Rosemary Heil
Rosemary Heil
coal in Oakland
Saturday, October 03, 2015 10:24:53 AM
Dear Councilperson,
I am outraged that Oakland is considering shipping coal
through Oakland. That was not part of the deal when
the development of the former army base was
approved. Shipping coal will be very harmful to the
communities surrounding the port and to the air quality
of the bay area in general, not to mention the very
greatly increased train traffic. I have seen what the
shipping of coal has done to port cities in Alaskait is
not pretty. I know Oakland needs the jobs, but when
this project was approved, it was envisioned without the
shipping of coal and the developer thought it was a
financially doable project. it is not worth the health risks
and the environmental degradation that coal causes to
approve this project. I urge you to say no to coal.
Rosemary Heil
Oakland Resident.
tel:
SEE BOB'S PHOTO WEBSITE: robertheil.com
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Nathan Baumgarten
DL - City Council
Coal in oakland
I am writing to voice my opinion on the future of coal in Oakland. I have been an Oakland resident for 2 years now
and I love it here. I am originally from North Carolina and I no stranger to the coal industry, as I studied and
worked I. The renewable energy firms.Coal is a dirty energy source harvested withvery dirty practices. I beseech
youto help us rid coal from the list of energy items payed for by oaklands taxpayer dollars. Thank you!
Nathan Baumgarten
-nbaumgarten11@gmail.com |
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Chris Merlo
Kalb, Dan
Coal in Oakland
Thursday, August 27, 2015 5:26:09 PM
Hello Mr. Kalb,

As a member of your city council district, I'd like to express my thanks to you for your
opposition to the export of coal out of Oakland, and I hope you will continue to
oppose it, especially at the city council meeting on September 21.
Thank you,
Christina Merlo
Oakland, CA
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Wendy Weikel
DL - City Council
coal in Oakland
Dear Council Members:

Please reject the shipping of coal via Oakland.
The promises to safeguard community health are just promises with no guarantees or
consequences.
More sustainable jobs with healthier enterprises exist, but maybe not with all this hype.
Do the right thing and protect the community's health and future.
Reject the abetting of the coal export business.
Save your citizen's health from coal dust and global warming.
Sincerely, Wendy Weikel
Berkeley, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Ellen Gierson
Kalb, Dan
Coal shipped through Oakland is a health hazard!
Thursday, August 06, 2015 9:21:22 AM
Dan,
Please vote the right way when this comes before the CC!
I am currently involved in the campaign to stop the threat of coal being shipped by rail
from Utah through Oakland and then overseas. Hopefully you have heard about this.
Phil Tagami, a major developer (Fox Theater, Rotunda Building--also well known for
guarding his office during Occupy Oakland by standing there with a shotgun) publicly
stated he had no intention of shipping coal when he got the 66 year lease to run an
export facility on City land (the land was part of the old army base near the Bay
Bridge toll plaza). Now four Utah counties have offered him $53 million to help build
the terminal if they can ship coal through it. So he's changed his tune.
The City Council can block this by passing an ordinance against coal in Oakland if
they find an "imminent health and safety risk," per the contract they signed with
Tagami.
Ellen Gierson
From:
To:
Subject:
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Jeff Kahn
Kalb, Dan
Coal shipping out of Oakland
Thursday, October 01, 2015 11:54:01 AM
Dear Council Member Kalb,

No matter what it takes, Oakland cannot allow bulk coal to be shipped out of Oakland. I know
you oppose this.
If this puts the project to develop the old Oakland Army Base in jeopardy, so be it. We cannot
sell our souls here. Do what it takes to stop this.
Respectfully,
Jeffery Kahn
Oakland CA
From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
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Paula H
Office of the Mayor
Cole, Doug; DL - City Council
Coal terminal permit
October 5, 2015
Dear Mayor and Council,
The last-minute maneuver to override public sentiment, prior agreements for the Oakland Global development, and
implicate Oakland in a plan to pollute both the land and the air of our city and planet pleads for your opposition.
I own a business in Oakland near the proposed site, and live downwind from the UP tracks in the East Bay. We in
Oakland already suffer from dangerous particulate and other pollution grandfathered in over the decades. All the
efforts that our business and citizens have made to clean up toxic pollution and industries show our commitment to
a clean world for our children and grandchildren. It is a betrayal to all of us if this coal scheme is permitted in our
area.
Oakland has contributed, with government, business and citizen commitments, to make our environment safe for
everyone. We need the coal from Utah, and everywhere else, to stay in the ground. If Oakland facilitates coal
consumption anywhere in the world, we will be lined up with the enemies of the living planet. Why would a city
do this for an insignificant amount of money? Collaborators with global crimes will be condemned as were
collaborators with the Third Reich.
Please shut the door to this big money takeover of our sovereignty and self-respect.
Thank you,
Richard Engle
Solstice Press
113 Filbert Street
Oakland, CA
510 451-4790
From:
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Subject:
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Allan Brill
Kalb, Dan
Coal Train Info
Monday, September 14, 2015 5:29:13 PM
Dear Councilman Kalb,

You have asked me to send you information from my friends who worked, so far successfully,
against the Coal Trains coming through Whatcom County. Here are some useful links,
resources, press releases, and some testimony notes from my best friend, educator and child
activist Dr. Michael Berres. If there is more detailed information I can obtain to bolster the
efforts against Oakland coal trains, please let me know.
With Kind Regards.
In Unity,
Allan Brill
Website of Coalition:
http://www.powerpastcoal.org
Resource List:
http://www.re-sources.org/system/app/pages/search?scope=search-site&q=coal+train
Example of American Indian opposition efforts:

http://us10.campaign-archive2.com/?
u=26b93931a81d78f3b0beb4b84&id=bba661161a&e=36d64fbeb8
Coal Train Slide show and Dr. Berres Comment Summary:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B-eO2-rS7idXZEE2MkhaY19FWjQ
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Caroline Kim
McElhaney, Lynette; Kalb, Dan; Office of the Mayor; Kaplan, Rebecca; Campbell Washington, Annie; Abel Guillen;
Brooks, Desley; Gallo, Noel; Reid, Larry
coal trains
Monday, July 20, 2015 10:31:14 AM
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:

There are many reasons to deny one mile and a half long coal trains from coming through Oakland. That area of
Oakland already has a high asthma rate. The coal dust is notoriously hard to control and will surely add to worsen
the health of citizens.
Most of this coal is for export. Oakland will not gain from it but could be liable for cleanup if an accident occurs. An
accident would cause damage to local business and property values.
In regards to passenger train service, these long coal trains would hold up passenger trains for hours making train
travel less appealing. The rails dont have the capacity to handle this kind of increased traffic.
Please dont sell Oakland short and accept a decision that would lower the quality of life for all of Oaklands
residents.
Caroline Kim
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Aksel Olsen
DL - City Council; Office of the Mayor; Cole, Doug
Coal, Oakland and the environment
I don't say this merely as an Oakland resident--yes, there are negative effects of transporting
coal--but as much as a resident of the planet.
Absent a new national consensus on renewable energy, the only thing we have left is
piecemeal opposition at the site of every expansion project of old energy. And there are
plenty of good health related reasons to raising eyebrows and opposition.
It is high time that all the negative effects of the current energy regime be priced rather than
just offloaded on workers and local communities, and the planet in the longer term. If coal
were priced according to these hidden costs, it would be prohibitively expensive, and greener
sources would become competitive.
Please oppose the trafficking of coal through coal, and continue the work for more long term
viable alternatives. For that we need political leadership at all levels of government, and
industry.
Aksel Olsen
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
GLDKARMA@aol.com
Comments on Oakland coal exports!
Please register my opposition to the coal exportterminalbeing builtas part

oftheOakland Global development project for the following reasons:
1. Coal is bad for community health.
Open-top rail cars that transport coal lose up to 600 pounds of coal dust
per car; this translates to 60,000 pounds of toxic fine particulate matter
entering our air and water for every trip made by a coal train. Coal dust,
plus more diesel emissions from increased freight traffic, would intensify
the air pollution already plaguing West Oakland.
Coal dust can cause build up on the tracks, causing derailments and
spontaneously explosions.\West Oakland residents are already
overburdened by industrial pollution. [We're/They're] already twice as
likely to visit the emergency room for asthma as the average Alameda
County resident, and are also more likely to die of cancer and heart and
lung disease.
Coal dust causes decreased lung capacity, childhood bronchitis, asthma,
pneumonia, emphysema, and heart disease.
2. Coal is bad for the local economy and workers.
Coal is an increasingly anti-union industry. Oakland should support projects
that create good union jobs.
Oakland is becoming known worldwide as a green and innovative city. Let's
not throw that reputation away by making a deal with the dirtiest fossil
fuel industry on the planet.
Longshoremen who work at coal-export facilities are exposed to serious
health risks. Prolonged, direct exposure to coal dust has been linked to
health issues such as chronic bronchitis, decreased lung function,
emphysema, and cancer. Coal dust has also been shown to increase the risk
of mortality from heart disease.
3. Coal is bad for climate.
California has worked hard to be a coal-free state. We do not burn coal
here. But while the state is setting aggressive carbon-reduction targets,
this terminal would allow the most carbon-polluting fuel to be brought to
market. By stopping these coal exports, we can limit the amount of
dangerous climate disrupting pollution that is threatening families in our
community and throughout the world.
The mining, transport, and burning of this coal would result in over 12.5
million tons of greenhouse emissions each year. That's like adding more
than two million passenger cars to the road each year.
There is no such thing as clean coal. Utah coal contains mercury, carbon, and
other hazardous pollutants that will harm air quality, increase respiratory
illness rates, and accelerate climate change. These pollution impacts are
global and local -- many of these pollutants blow over the ocean and
increase pollution rates in California.
Whether it's burned here or abroad, the effect of coal on global climate
will be felt by everyone.
Please use this opportunity to keep coal out of Oakland and the Bay Area, and out
of our air and water. We have an opportunity to build a healthy, sustainable
Oakland. Let's not throw that away on a deal with the dirty, dying coal industry.
Jeannie Clements
Fremont, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Helen Nicholas
DL - City Council
Fw: Coal in Oakland
From: Helen Nicholas

Sent: Friday, October 9, 2015 1:41 PM
To: officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com
Subject: Fw: Coal in Oakland
From: Helen Nicholas

Sent: Friday, October 9, 2015 1:35 PM
To: dcole@oaklandnet.com
Cc: officeofthemayor@oakland.net
Subject: Coal in Oakland
Now is the moment to decide if we want Oakland to remain forever an under-funded, sad sack
of a town or become a great city in its own right. There are many positive things happening in
Oakland but coal would be a gigantic move in the wrong direction, negatively mitigating all
thepositives andperpetuating the image of a dirty, slummy city,desperate for funds from
anywhere.
Ours could be a great city. This will be the determining factor.
I recommend a trip to Copenhagen, a city of roughly the same size as Oakland. Its windpower
and bicycle lanes and public spacesalone make it a great city;but the terrificvibe derives
from a citizenry that is rightly proud of its city.
Helen Nicholas
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
McElhaney, Lynette
Kalb, Dan
Fw: Important coal testimony erroneously buried by City staff on Oakland City web archive
Saturday, November 07, 2015 5:25:03 AM
Comment - No Coal in Oakland.pdf
Has this been corrected?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honorable Lynette Gibson McElhaney, President of the Council
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 238-7003
Representing the Heart & Soul of the Town - Oakland District 3
For scheduling, please email Schedule@LynetteMcElhaney.com
From: Jeffrey KESSEL <kessel_j@berkeley.edu>

Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2015 5:21 PM
To: Guillen, Abel; McElhaney, Lynette; Campbell Washington, Annie; Gallo, Noel; Brooks, Desley; Reid, Larry;
Kaplan, Rebecca; Kalb, Dan; Office of the Mayor
Subject: Important coal testimony erroneously buried by City staff on Oakland City web archive
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
I am writing you to point out a serious mishandling of coal-related testimony by City staff.
In September 2015 you were sent by email a document titled "No Coal In Oakland," dated September 18,
2015. This document (attached below in original format) was sent in pdf format with active hypertext
allowing you to pursue references provided in its numerous footnotes.
I believe that this document is the single most important testimony submitted to the City concerning
proposed coal transport plans. It is exhaustively researched and provides the City both justification and a
robust legal path to preventing the doomed and dirty coal transport fantasy from killing the otherwise
excellent Army Base project.
Inexplicably, this document has been deeply buried amongst unrelated submissions on your City website, in a
scanned form that renders it impossible to find by searching, and that removes the useful hypertext feature
from the footnotes. Submittals from developers were treated much better, appearing as single properly titled
documents with hypertext intact.
On your City website page
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/NeighborhoodInvestment/OAK038485
we find a typical fully functional, properly titled, developer submittal is listed as:
TLS Preliminary Operating Plan: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/oak054818.
Whereas the extremely valuable document "No Coal In Oakland" is buried in a scanned stew of unrelated
submittals, without hypertext functionality, and with a clearly erroneous title:
Additional Letter of Opposition: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/OAK055096
Please instruct City staff to correct this error by archiving submitted testimony individually with proper titles
and full hypertext functionality. For the time being I assume the unequal handling of pro- and anti-coal
submittals was an inadvertent error. Now it should be corrected.
And most importantly, for your own use, please read carefully the attached document.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Kessel, PE
Oakland,, CA
From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
Bolotina, Olga
Cappio, Claudia
Landreth, Sabrina
FW: please rectify an error in posting coal-related testimony--REVISED MESSAGE DISREGARD PRIOR
Greetings,
This is from one of our constituents. We wanted to make sure you saw this message. Thank you!
Warmly,
Olga
Olga A. Bolotina, Chief of Staff

Office of District One City Councilmember Dan Kalb
City of Oakland
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 230, Oakland, CA 94612
Direct: 510-238-7240
obolotina@oaklandnet.com
Click this link to subscribe to Councilmember Kalb's newsletter.
Report A Problem | Public Works Agency Call Center | (510) 615-5566

www.oaklandpw.com | pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.com | Mobile app: SeeClickFix
From: Jeffrey KESSEL [mailto:kessel_j@berkeley.edu]

Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2015 9:45 PM
To: DL - City Council
Cc: Kalb, Dan
Subject: please rectify an error in posting coal-related testimony--REVISED MESSAGE DISREGARD
PRIOR
Dear Council Staff,

I have closely followed the presentation to the Oakland City Council of testimony pertaining
to a proposed coal transport facility. In particular I have looked over the "document" on your
website located at: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/OAK055096.
This is not a single document as stated on your website, but is a scanned collection of
documents includes a lengthy report titled No Coal In Oakland, dated September 18, 2015.
I believe you are doing a great disservice both to the users of your website and to the authors
of the document No Coal In Oakland, dated September 18, 2015. This document represents a
tremendous amount of research on coal and has copious footnotes WHICH CONTAIN
HYPERTEXT, so that readers may easily verify the claims made. The version of this report
submitted by email to the Council contained footnotes with hypertext. I have attached this
version.
Yet amazingly your posted version of this report has eliminated the hypertext feature (and
equally bad, buried the report among numerous other documents, with no Table of Contents
and no easy way to search for the report). I went to the Oakland website and searched for
"No Coal In Oakland September 18, 2015", and got no results!
Please post this report with its hypertext feature intact. And post it in such a manner that one
can find it as a single entity on your website by searching for "No Coal In Oakland September
18, 2015".
In the internet age to remove hypertext from a document is like removing all the vowels. The
meaning is still there but the document is much much more difficult to use. And rather than
wasting taxpayer money by taking the time to scan the document, it would be quicker to
simply post a link to the stored hyper-texted document (in the form originally submitted by
email to the Council).
Please let me know when you have properly stored this document.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Kessel
Oakland, Ca
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Carla Duke
Cole, Doug; DL - City Council; ""officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com.""@ppmail1.oaklandnet.com
I am STRONGLY opposed to the proposed coal-export terminal at the Oakland Global development.
Date:: Friday, Oct 2nd 2015

To: the Oakland City Council, the Mayor and other parties involved in this project
I am STRONGLY opposed to the proposed coal-export terminal at the Oakland Global
development. The burning of coal around the world is worsening global warming everyday
and speeding up climate change. Whether it's burned here or abroad, the effect of coal on
global climate will be felt by everyone. The whole idea is an OUTRAGE. I stand with the
Sierra Club and my fellow Oaklanders!
I'm an Oakland resident and have lived here for 31 years. I am proud to tell everyone that I
live in Oakland. In general, Oaklanders are diverse and forward thinking as well as practical.
Oakland is becoming known worldwide as a green and innovative city. Let's not throw that
reputation away by making a deal with the dirtiest fossil fuel industry on the planet.
For Oakland to be a conduit to get coal abroad is unacceptable! The whole process is like
dumping snakes in our neighbors' yards and expecting to have no consequences on us turning a blind eye to climate change & pollution!
California has worked hard to be a coal-free state and reduce emissions. We do not burn coal
here. But while the state is setting aggressive carbon-reduction targets, this terminal would
allow the most carbon-polluting fuel to be brought to market. By stopping these coal exports,
we can limit the amount of dangerous climate disrupting pollution that is threatening families
in our community and throughout the world.
And by the way, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CLEAN COAL. Utah coal contains
mercury, carbon, and other hazardous pollutants that will harm air quality, increase
respiratory illness rates, and accelerate climate change. These pollution impacts are global
and local -- many of these pollutants blow over the ocean and increase pollution rates in
California
It is UNACCEPTABLE for the coal industry to be a part of a taxpayer-funded project on
public land in Oakland!
Sincerely,
Carla Duke
Oakland CA
dukecr@outlook.com
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
Jeffrey KESSEL
Guillen, Abel; McElhaney, Lynette; Campbell Washington, Annie; Gallo, Noel; Brooks, Desley; Reid, Larry; Kaplan, Rebecca; Kalb,
Dan; Office of the Mayor
Important coal testimony erroneously buried by City staff on Oakland City web archive
Dear Mayor and Council Members,

I am writing you to point out a serious mishandling of coal-related testimony by City staff.
In September 2015 you were sent by email a document titled "No Coal In Oakland," dated September 18,
2015. This document (attached below in original format) was sent in pdf format with active hypertext
allowing you to pursue references provided in its numerous footnotes.
I believe that this document is the single most important testimony submitted to the City concerning
proposed coal transport plans. It is exhaustively researched and provides the City both justification and a
robust legal path to preventing the doomed and dirty coal transport fantasy from killing the otherwise
excellent Army Base project.
Inexplicably, this document has been deeply buried amongst unrelated submissions on your City website,
in a scanned form that renders it impossible to find by searching, and that removes the useful hypertext
feature from the footnotes. Submittals from developers were treated much better, appearing as single
properly titled documents with hypertext intact.
On your City website page
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/NeighborhoodInvestment/OAK038485
we find a typical fully functional, properly titled, developer submittal is listed as:
TLS Preliminary Operating Plan: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/oak054818.
Whereas the extremely valuable document "No Coal In Oakland" is buried in a scanned stew of unrelated
submittals, without hypertext functionality, and with a clearly erroneous title:
Additional Letter of Opposition: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/OAK055096
Please instruct City staff to correct this error by archiving submitted testimony individually with proper
titles and full hypertext functionality. For the time being I assume the unequal handling of pro- and anticoal submittals was an inadvertent error. Now it should be corrected.
And most importantly, for your own use, please read carefully the attached document.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Kessel, PE
Oakland,, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
Michelle Levinson
JMonetta@oakland.net; Cappio, Claudia; DL - Council Members
Information on proposed coal terminal ahead of 9/21 hearing
Wednesday, September 16, 2015 5:00:41 PM
2015.09.16 Michelle Levinson comments.docx
Please find attached evidence and comments that I request the Council consider ahead of the
public health and safety hearing called for September 21.
Most appreciatively,
Michelle Levinson
District 3
-Michelle Levinson
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
David Hillman
No Coal in Oakland
Honorable Mayor Schaff and City Council,

Transporting coal to the Port of Oakland is likely to cause mysterious health effects in our
city, just like the Richmond Chevron refinery is associated with lung diseases in that area.
Coal dust will get everywhere, and it's full of heavy metals and irritating particles.
Oakland is getting a positive reputation for environmentalism, and is home to Sungevity,
BrightSource, and many smaller solar contractors, and my homeowner consulting company
Solar for Buyers LLC. Let's not muddy that reputation with facilitating the dirtiest fossil fuel
of all, coal.
Thank you.
David Hillman
Oakland, CA
510-788-3688 work
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
J. Chris Kidney
DL - City Council
No Coal in Oakland
I am in favor of temporarily re-naming our city NoCoal-Land!

Coal is extremely dirty.
Coal dust and potential coal spills need to stay out of Oakland.
The coal industry is more and more anti-union.
Coal is really bad for our climate!
Please ban coal from the new proposed "Oakland Global development!
J. Chris Kidney
Oakland CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Ben Keller
No Coal In Oakland
To whom it may concern:

I write as an Oakland resident to urge the City of Oakland to forbid the construction of a coal export terminal on
land formerly occupied by Oakland Army Base, or indeed in any part of our city. The toxic effects of the entire
coal supply chain are well documented, and would pose a burden to the public health of neighborhoods in our city
that need cleaner air, not dirtier. But even more concerning than these local pollutants are the global toxins of
greenhouse gases. Our city must have no part in this build-out of fossil fuel infrastructure when the harms both
local and global are so clear. Our common morality demands nothing less than a moratorium on this project.
Sincerely,
Ben Keller
Oakland
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Kristin Dwelley
DL - City Council
No Coal in Oakland
Dear Council Members,

Oakland should be growing green jobs, not propping up industries that are bad for our health, safety and
environment. Please ensure that there will not be coal exports from Oakland.
I was so proud of our city when the decision was made to divest from fossil fuels. I hope I will continue to be
proud.
Sincerely,
Kristin Dwelley
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Albert Brown
Office of the Mayor; DL - City Council; Cole, Doug
No Coal in Oakland
Hi,
I am a San Francisco Bay Area resident and am voicing my opposition to the proposed coalexport terminal in Oakland. I work for a solar manufacturing and services firm, which is one
of the fastest growing industries in the country, the state, and the Bay Area. Coal is a
19th/20th century industry that is dirty, unsustainable and no longer economically tenable and
should be phased out as quickly as possible. This can be done rapidly. No new investments
should ever be made by public or private institutions in coal, because sustainable and
economic alternatives exist, including solar and other renewable investments, which in the
next 10-20 years will provide nearly free electricity to the United States by today's standards.
Any new investment in coal will be a stranded asset and a poor use of taxpayer dollars.
Additionally, the new terminal puts at risk the environment of the Bay Area and furthers an
extended economy of suppliers and coal company infrastructure that is environmentally
destructive and harmful to human health both in our region, nationally, and globally. This
project should NOT go forward. Please use Oakland's hard earned budget dollars more
wisely.
Thanks for your attention.
Bert Brown
San Francisco, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
sandra rosenberg
Kalb, Dan
NO COAL IN OAKLAND
Dear Council Member Kalb:

I am writing to voice my objection to the transport of coal through Oakland & surrounding East Bay
cities. Permitting coal transport threatens our environment & our economics. It is harmful for our
health, for our port, for our business, for our citizens. We are working for less toxic dust, less
carbon pollution, long-term solutions, more work for our port and our citizens. Allowing coal
transport through Oakland is the exact opposite of what is needed in our community.
Any vote for this doomed coal project is a vote against Oaklands future.
Ironically & appropriately, todays discussion at the City Council takes place on an exceptionally
hot, smoky, Spare the ir day. I grew up in western Pennsylvania where everything was covered
by coal dust. I sincerely hope that you will do your part to keep our air and our city clean from this
toxic pollutant.
Please keep Oakland & California coal free!
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sandra Rosenberg
Oakland CA
26 year resident & voter in District 1
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
John & Laurie Slama

Kalb, Dan
No coal in Oakland
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:41:20 AM
Dear Mr. Kalb,

I am writing to urge you to please oppose letting coal be shipped through
Oakland. I am sure you are already aware of the many health and
environmental factors involved in this decision. I am also recently
informed that when the proposed terminal was planned, shipping of coal was
not part of the environmental review process. West Oakland already has a
too-high share of environmental issues and should not have coal added to
this burden. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Laurie Slama
Oakland
From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Date:
Sonja Trauss
Office of the Mayor; Cole, Doug; DL - City Council
Ethan Ashley; Max Gasner
No Coal In Oakland Please
Hi,
I live at 12th and Peralta, in West Oakland. I'm 34 years old. I'm going to get pregnant this
year. No coal in Oakland please. It will poison us. Libby I voted for you.
Thanks,
Sonja
Oakland, CA
Open-top rail cars that transport coal lose up to 600 pounds of coal dust per car; this
translates to 60,000 pounds of toxic fine particulate matter entering our air and water
for every trip made by a coal train. Coal dust, plus more diesel emissions from
increased freight traffic, would intensify the air pollution already plaguing West
Oakland.
Coal dust can cause build up on the tracks, causing derailments and spontaneously
explosions.\West Oakland residents are already overburdened by industrial pollution.
We're already twice as likely to visit the emergency room for asthma as the average
Alameda County resident, and are also more likely to die of cancer and heart and lung
disease.
Coal dust causes decreased lung capacity, childhood bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia,
emphysema, and heart disease.
-Join the Sierra Club: https://vault.sierraclub.org/ways-to-give/ by October 6th. Vote for the
Executive Committee. Put yourself in this form so I can follow up with you.
From:
Subject:
Date:
Mary B. Strauss
No Coal in Oakland, please!
Dear Mayor Schaaf and City Council Members,

I'm 87 and have lived in Oakland since 1961. I urge the city to follow the lead of the Port of
Oakland and decide that NO COAL will be shipped through Oakland.
West Oakland neighborhoods are already terribly unhealthy for children and families living
there. We must not aggravate this by allowing long and frequent coal trains through bringing
pollution to our air and water.
Although the new marine terminal will be a boon for jobs and our economy by shipping
OTHER commodities, COAL MUST BE EXCLUDED.
Mining, shipping and burning coal contribute disproportionately to global warming, sea level
rise, and atmospheric destruction. Oakland must add its voice to the many West Coast ports
which are saying NO to coal exports.
What did you do once you knew?
Its 3:23 in the morning and Im awake because my great great grandchildren wont let me
sleep.
My great great grandchildren ask me in dreams,
What did you do while the planet was plundered?
What did you do when the earth was unraveling?
surely you did something ?
When the seasons started failing?
surely you did something?
As the mammals, reptiles, and birds were all dying?
surely you did something?
Did you fill the streets with protest when democracy was stolen?
What did you do once you knew?
(Excerpts from Hieroglyphic Stairway, a poem by Drew Dellinger)
Sincerely,
Mary B. Strauss
Oakland, CA
oakstrice@earthlink.net
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Marcille Rae Sibbitt

Kalb, Dan
NO coal through Oakland
Sunday, October 04, 2015 10:55:25 AM
Mr. Kalb,
As a voter in your district, I would like to let you know that I am very much opposed to the transport of coal through
our Port of Oakland!
Thank you for your service to our community.
Ms. Marcille Sibbitt
Oakland CA
msibbitt@yahoo.com
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Brenda Bailey
No Coal-Export Terminal in Oakland!
Dear Oakland Leaders:

As a retired Registered Nurse my first concern about the proposal to build a coal-export
terminal in Oakland is with health effects. Im especially concerned that residents who live
closest to the port in Oakland have lower average incomes than other neighborhoods.
Freeways run through their neighborhoods spewing exhaust as well. They dont deserve this
kind of treatment:
Coal dust causes decreased lung capacity, childhood bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia,
emphysema, and heart disease.
Im a proud Oaklander having lived here for 41 years. Its great to see our city being
recognized for its progressive outlook, its ethnic diversity, and its concern for our
environment, so heres my point #2:
Oakland is becoming known worldwide as a green and innovative city. Let's not throw
that reputation away by making a deal with the dirtiest fossil fuel industry on the planet.
Finally, tho no less important than the first two points: If we are to wrest our planet from the
degradation of climate change, trashed seas, diminishing water sources, overpopulation and
insufficient food and land for its inhabitants, we must change the course of human activity.
Heres an important fact we must heed (among many!):
Whether it's burned here or abroad, the effect of coal on global climate will be felt by
everyone.
Brenda Bailey
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Carol Hirth
Oakland Coal Export Terminal
I am strongly against a coal export terminal in Oakland. Coal is bad for our health, bad for the climate, and antiunion so bad for workers. Coal is dirty, dangerous and destructive. Oakland and California should not be
promoting coal in any way. I expect you to keep coal away from Oakland, the bay area and the port of Oakland.
Thank you,
Carol Hirth
Berkeley, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Laurence Carr
Cole, Doug; Office of the Mayor; DL - City Council
Oakland Coal Exports
Monday, October 05, 2015 8:25:28 AM
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing as a young adult (18) who is very concerned about the

environmental impact of a proposed coal export terminal at the Oakland
Global development. While the state is setting aggressive, carbon
reduction targets, this terminal would allow the most carbon polluting fuelto
be brought to market. There is no such thing as clean coal. Utah coal
contains mercury, carbon and other hazardous pollutants that will harm air
quality, increase respiratory illness rates and accelerate climate change.
These pollution impacts are local and global. Many of these pollutants blow
over the ocean and increase pollution rates in California. By stopping these
coal exports, we can limit the amount of dangerous climate disrupting
pollution that is threatening our communities and the entire world. Whether
its burned here or abroad, the effect of coal on the global climate will be felt
by everyone.
I am very concerned about how this proposed project will impact my future
and my childrens future in the scope of climate change and global
warming. The immediate effect might not be noticeable, but down the road
it will negatively impact the future of my life in the Bay Area.
Please do not allow coal exports through Oakland.
Sincerely,
Linnea Carr
Napa, CA
Napa Valley College student
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
L & L Carr
Oakland Coal Exports
To Whom It May Concern:
As a Bay Area resident, I have only just learned of this issue and am very alarmed. With
Californa trying to cut its petroleum use in half by 2030 because of climate change concerns,
why would Oakland consider making a deal with the Coal Industry, one of the worst carbon
polluting fuels? California has worked hard to be a coal-free state and does not burn coal
here. Why does Oakland want to allow coal to be brought to market? The mining, transport
and burning of this coal would result in an increase of over 12.5 million tons of greenhouse
gas emissions per year. Thats the equivalent of adding more than 2,000,000 passenger cars
to the road each year. After working for decades to improve air quality in California, this
project can undo much of that success.
Please do not allow a coal export terminal at the Oakland Global development.
Sincerely,
Larry Carr
Napa, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
A R Foote
Kalb, Dan
Oakland Mayor, Port Developer in Dispute Over Plan to Ship Coal | News Fix | KQED News
Thursday, July 09, 2015 1:07:29 PM
Dear Councilor Kalb,

Please continue to prevent the shipment of Coal through the City of Oakland.
No matter where Coal is burned, it is a Climate Justice issue for the entire world.
Thank you for your attention,
Abbot Foote
Oakland CA
Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Oakland Mayor, Port Developer in Dispute Over Plan to Ship Coal |
News Fix | KQED News
Date: July 8, 2015 8:33:47 AM PDT
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/07/06/oakland-mayor-port-developer-in-dispute-over-plan-toship-coal
Oakland Mayor, Port Developer in Dispute Over Plan to Ship Coal
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and the powerful developer behind the citys ambitious
redevelopment of the old Oakland Army Base are embroiled in a dispute over a proposal to
use a new cargo facility to export coal a rift the developer says could threaten the success
of the $500 million project.
The disagreement, which prompted Schaaf to rebuke developer Phil Tagami for pursuing the
coal plan over the citys objections, is detailed in a series of emails and other documents that
the Sierra Clubs San Francisco Bay Area chapter obtained through a state Public Records Act
request.
The issue of whether coal will be shipped through the new cargo terminal has long been a
subject of concern for community leaders, especially in West Oakland, which suffers
disproportionate rates of respiratory disease linked to heavy ship and truck traffic to the Port
of Oakland.
The City Council last year passed a resolution opposing coal shipments through the new
facility. And for his part, Tagami had met earlier expressions of concern with what sounded
like definitive assurances that coal shipments would not go through the terminal hes in charge
of building. About two-thirds of the overall projects half-billion-dollar pricetag will come
from local, state and federal funds.
It has come to my attention that there are community concerns about a purported plan to
develop a coal plant or coal distribution facility as part of the Oakland Global project,
Tagami said in the projects December 2013 newsletter. This is simply untrue. The
individuals spreading this notion are misinformed. CCIG is publicly on record as having no
interest or involvement in the pursuit of coal-related operations at the former Oakland Army
Base.
CCIG stands for California Capital and Investment Group, the commercial real estate firm
Tagami heads and which in 2012 won the right to develop the citys portion of the old
Oakland Army Base. By early this year, CCIGs stance on coal-related operations at the new
facility had changed from no interest to very interested.
You have been awarded the privilege and opportunity of a lifetime to develop this unique
piece of land. You must respect the owner and publics decree that we will not have coal
shipped through our city.Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf,
Email to developer Phil Tagami
That happened after four Utah counties said theyd like to invest in part of the port project
called the Oakland Bulk and Oversize Terminal. The counties want to help pay for the
terminal as a way of guaranteeing their ability to ship the energy commodities they produce
coal to overseas markets. In April, a state community investment board approved a $53
million loan to the counties, which they plan to use to become partners in the Oakland bulk
terminal.
The boards meeting featured a brief appearance by Mark McClure, a principal in Tagamis
CCIG. McClure actually spoke after the Utah Permanent Community Impact Fund Board had
voted to approve the $53 million loan and pointed out virtues of the new port relative to rival
facilities elsewhere on the West Coast.
One of the key components that people forget is that you can have the product, and you can
have an outlet on a port, but were very dependent on the rail lines to move the product from
one place to another, McClure told the board. He added that the two railroads serving the
port, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern, both have direct routes west to the Bay Area
from Utah.
Details of the Utah counties investment in the port they are supposed to get an equity stake
in the port in return for their cash still remained to be worked out after the vote.
But the deal gradually made its way into the media first in Utah and by late April in the
Bay Area.
Tagami, who had earlier dismissed concerns about development of a coal-shipping facility at
the new port facility, now suggested that the matter was out of his hands. Thats because his
company, CCIG, had transferred its rights to develop and operate the planned Oakland bulk
cargo facility to another party, Terminal Logistics Solutions. The firm was created last year
and is headed by Jerry Bridges, a former executive director of the Port of Oakland.
On May 11, Schaaf attended a breakfast of the citys business and community leaders. During
the get-together, Bridges apparently talked about coal coming to the new bulk cargo terminal
again, something that Schaaf and a majority on the City Council were already on the record
as opposing.
We dont know what Schaaf said to Bridges during breakfast. But thanks to the Sierra Club,
we know just what she had to say to Tagami. In an email written immediately after hearing
Bridges, Schaaf started with the subject line stop all mention of coal now. Then she wrote:
Dear Phil, I was extremely disappointed to once again hear Jerry Bridges mention the
possibility of shipping coal into Oakland at the Oakland Dialogue breakfast. Stop it
immediately. You have been awarded the privilege and opportunity of a lifetime to develop
this unique piece of land. You must respect the owner and publics decree that we will not
have coal shipped through our city. I cannot believe this restriction will ruin the viability of
your project. Please declare definitively that you will respect the policy of the City of Oakland
and you will not allow coal to come through Oakland. If you dont do that soon, we will all
have to expend time and energy in a public battle that no one needs and will distract us all
from the important work at hand of moving Oakland towards a brighter future.
Best, Libby
Schaaf was not addressing a stranger. Tagami is an Oakland native who endorsed Schaafs
mayoral run last year. He has also become a larger-than-life figure in the city by leading a
couple of the downtown areas signature redevelopment projects: the Rotunda Building, the
landmark building that his California Capital and Investment group owns and manages, and
the Fox Oakland theater. He has also served on the citys Planning Commission and on the
Port of Oakland board of directors.
I respectfully request that the City, including members of the City Council, refrain from any
issuance of press releases or irretrievable public statements or actions. Port developer Phil
Tagami,
Letter to Mayor Libby Schaaf
In a letter on May 13, Tagami told Schaaf that for the new cargo terminal to be financially
viable, it needs to handle whatever legal bulk goods the potential customer may need to pass
through the facility. Whats more, Tagami said, the citys earlier approvals have essentially
given him permission to go ahead as he sees fit.
Tagami urged the city especially Schaaf and members of the City Council to keep its
proverbial powder dry for the moment and refrain from making any irretrievable public
statements or actions until discussions had taken place.
Nearly two months later, the matter appears to be unresolved, and now, neither Schaaf nor
Tagami have much to say about the dispute publicly.
In a statement last week, Tagami said no commitment has been made yet to ship any
particular commodity presumably including Utah coal through the new bulk cargo
facility. But he repeated his earlier insistence that developing the bulk facility as he wants to is
necessary to ensure the viability of the entire revitalization plan for Oaklands working
waterfront.
In her own written statement, Schaaf would only say, I am working with our business
partners on the redevelopment of the former Oakland Army Base to find a mutually acceptable
way to move forward that respects our city policy and honors Oaklanders commitment to
protecting our environment and the health and safety of this community.
Thats not enough for the local chapter of the Sierra Club, which wants the issued aired
publicly.
Jess Dervin-Ackerman, the groups conservation program manager, says not only are port
developers doing something that clearly Oakland doesnt want, but theyre also doing it very
sneakily, where theres no opportunity for the public to weigh in.
She says the city will lose its leverage to stop coal shipments through the new port once the
terminal operator signs a deal with the Utah counties that would like to ship coal through the
new facility.
West Oakland Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney has planned to bring a resolution to
the City Council to consider the health and safety impacts of a possible deal to bring
thousands of coal-filled rail cars from Utah to be shipped out of the Port of Oakland.
But nothings on the schedule yet.
The Sierra Club and supporters plan to protest outside City Hall on July 21 at the City
Councils last meeting before its summer recess.
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Elise Bernstein
Oakland should not be bringing in Utah coal & shipping it out
Dear Oakland officials,

I'm an Oakland resident and I don't want the coal industry to be reaping profits from a taxpayer-funded project on
public land that was supposed to be used to clean up our air.
This project was intended to clean up pollution and provide benefits to the local economy not threaten our health,
economy, and climate.
This is the perfect opportunity for Oakland elected officials to show that they will stand by their formulated policy
and oppose the transport of coal through Oakland. For once, stick to your principles and do the right thing--NO
Coal.
Thank you,
Elise R. Bernstein
Oakland
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Evelyn Sheridan
Kalb, Dan
Oppose Coal Exports from Oakland
Monday, September 21, 2015 11:32:39 AM
Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

I am writing to you today as a person of faith to urge that you do all you can to keep coal out of Oakland.
Coal is bad for the climate, public health and the environment. Coal dust and particulate matter pose significant
threats to Bay Area air and water quality. Coal breaks apart easily to create dust that contains mercury, arsenic,
uranium, and hundreds of other toxins. The transport of coal through marine terminals poses a significant threat to
the San Francisco Bay and the species that depend on a healthy aquatic environment. Coal dust would also
exacerbate the air pollution problems already plaguing West Oakland, where residents are already twice as likely to
visit the emergency room for asthma as the average Alameda County resident, and are also more likely to die of
cancer and heart and lung disease.
The religious community around the world is calling on all of us to transition to a carbon neutral future.
Pope Francis in his recent encyclical on environmental and economic justice wrote: We know that technology
based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels especially coalneeds to be progressively replaced without
delay.
He is joined by religious leaders from other traditions calling on the world to end the burning of fossil fuels:
"Human behavior that overworks the Earth - especially the overburning of fossil fuels --- crests in a systemic
planetary response that endangers human communities and many other life-forms as well." Rabbinical Letter on
Climate Crisis (signed by more than 300 Rabbis)
"phase out greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible in order to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere Islamic Declaration on Climate Change
We must 'de-carbonize' our energy systems as quickly as feasible by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy
sources that are limitless, benign and harmonious with nature. We especially need to halt the construction of new
coal plants, since coal is by far the most polluting and most dangerous source of atmospheric carbon. Buddhist
Declaration on Climate Change
Please stand with every Oakland resident who cares about global climate and public health, oppose this proposal and
any other that would export of coal from Oakland's ports.
Thank you!
Evelyn Sheridan
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Sherry Larsen-Beville
Kalb, Dan
Monday, September 21, 2015 5:47:37 AM

delay.
Thank you!
Sherry Larsen-Beville
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
DONALD ALTER
Kalb, Dan
Saturday, September 19, 2015 3:15:09 PM

delay.
Thank you!
DONALD ALTER
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
April Parkins
Kalb, Dan
Friday, September 18, 2015 11:36:53 PM

delay.
Thank you!
April Parkins
OAKLAND, CA 9
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Michael Sasson
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Michael Sasson
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Ayesha Gill
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Ayesha Gill
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
David Morris
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
David Morris
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Anne Meyer
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Anne Meyer
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Robert Kuzma
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Robert Kuzma
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Tom Smith
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Tom Smith
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Richard Orlando
Kalb, Dan

delay.
Thank you!
Richard Orlando
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Tyler Preston
Opposed to Coal Export through Oakland
I am a resident of West Oakland. I am seriously opposed to the proposal to ship coal through
our city and port, specifically as this would impact my neighborhood tremendously. Coal dust
would cover my house, car, dog, and lungs on a daily basis. The proximity of long-time
residential zonesto this port makes it a terrible option for shipping a commodity such as coal.
As a field engineer, I've had first hand experience with the extreme propensity for releasing
dust that coal has. Please do not let this neighborhood face this additional hurdle in recovering
from poverty and blight.
Matthew Tyler Preston
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Marla Schmalle
At Large; Kalb, Dan; Guillen, Abel; McElhaney, Lynette; Anniecampbellwashington@oaklandnet.com; Gallo, Noel;
Brooks, Desley; Reid, Larry; Office of the Mayor
Passing Coal through our Port
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 1:11:49 PM
To Oakland City Council members and staff, Mayor Schaaf, Governor Jerry Brown
Having listened to the entire hearing on Monday evening, it seems to me the essential unanswered question is why
CCIG & TLI are unwilling or unable to oversee the development of a healthy and prosperous port community?
Why must our flatland communities be the dregs of our city, and Oakland among the dregs of port cities
worldwide? Being middlemen who profit from handling undesirable commodities is like being a dealer who
doesn't use.
I urge council members and our mayor to pass a resolution prohibiting pet coke and coal from transmission through
our neighborhoods and our port. At the same time, I urge those of you who know Tagami and others managing the
development of the bulk facility to ask them to accept this restriction and move forward without delay. Oaklanders
will be grateful for their help in creating an Oakland where all human lives matter, and all our people have
opportunity to attain physical well being and human dignity.
Marla Schmalle
Oakland CA,
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
lkelp@aol.com
DL - City Council
Please don"t use our port to export coal!
Dear Mayor and City Council of Oakland,

Please do not allow coal to be exported through our port.
I find the idea that anyone would want to bring export coal through Oakland is not only appalling, but
damaging to the whole world, even if it hopefully doesnt damage the East Bay (except those who live
near the Port) in the process. I am hopeful that our civic leaders will set an example of combating climate
change at home through clean locally generated energy that also will create jobs for people who live in
our community. Will any of this coal export money generated go to our community, or just to big
business?
This may sound like two unrelated issues, but it is one planet and one issue. I believe that you and the
council are working toward developing more local clean energy, and not brought in from far away by a
process where others make the money and we residents pay.
Perhaps another port would like to have the honor of spreading coal dust on residents living near the
tracks, to say nothing of encouraging more coal mining by workers who are also not protected; just so a
few people can get richer.
How about putting our community, Oakland and the East Bay, first in your list of priorities? Id appreciate
it. And keep coal exports out of Oakland. Thank you.
Sincerely
Larry Kelp
Berkeley CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
judy margulis
Kalb, Dan
Please Keep Coal Out of Oakland Base Redevelopment
Friday, September 18, 2015 11:26:37 AM
Hello Council Member Kalb,

I think developing a coal transfer facility is a terrible idea because it creates fewer jobs than handling less toxic
materials and because it will expose Oakland to financial liability of the untested containment technology fails.
Please do everything that you can to stop this terrible idea from becoming reality.
Thank you,
Judy Margulis
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Jacob Yang
Cole, Doug; Office of the Mayor; DL - City Council
Please keep coal out of Oakland
To: The Honorable Mayor Libby Schaaf; Mr. Douglas Cole, Manager of the Army Base
Gateway Redevelopment Project; and Members of the Oakland City Council.
Dear Mayor Schaaf, Mr. Cole, and Members of the Oakland City Council,
My name is Jacob Yang, I'm an Oakland resident since 2012 and a homeowner in West
Oakland since last November. I write to let you know that I do not want the coal industry to
be a part of a taxpayer-funded project on public land that was supposed to be used to clean up
our air. West Oakland is a neighborhood already highly impacted by and struggling with
issues of air pollution that effect the health and wellbeing of my family and my neighbors
daily.
My understanding is that this project was intended to clean up pollution and provide benefits
to the local economy not further compromise our health and climate. It is clear to me that
coal is bad for community health.
Open-top rail cars that transport coal lose up to 600 pounds of coal dust per car; this translates
to 60,000 pounds of toxic fine particulate matter entering our air and water for every trip
made by a coal train. Coal dust, plus more diesel emissions from increased freight traffic,
would intensify the air pollution already plaguing West Oakland. We are already
overburdened by industrial pollution in West Oakland. My neighbors are already twice as
likely to visit the emergency room for asthma as the average Alameda County resident, and
are also more likely to die of cancer and heart and lung disease. Coal dust causes decreased
lung capacity, childhood bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, and heart disease--so
you are exacerbating my neighborhoods' health issues if you support this.
Oakland is becoming known worldwide as a green and innovative city. Let's not throw that
reputation away by making a deal with the dirtiest fossil fuel industry on the planet. It is clear
that coal is really bad for the climate.
California has worked hard to be a coal-free state. We do not burn coal here. But while the
state is setting aggressive carbon-reduction targets, this terminal would enable the most
carbon-polluting fuel to be brought to market. By stopping these coal exports, we can limit
the amount of dangerous climate disrupting pollution that is threatening families in our
community and throughout the world. The mining, transport, and burning of this coal would
result in over 12.5 million tons of greenhouse emissions each year. That's like adding more
than two million passenger cars to the road each year!
There is no such thing as clean coal. Utah coal contains mercury, carbon, and other hazardous
pollutants that will harm air quality, increase respiratory illness rates, and accelerate climate
change. These pollution impacts are global and local -- many of these pollutants blow over
the ocean and increase pollution rates in California. Whether it's burned here or abroad, the
effect of coal on global climate will be felt by everyone.
Homeowners, voters, and residents in Oakland are watching this decision closely. Please use
this opportunity to keep coal out of Oakland and the Bay Area, and out of our air and water.
We have an opportunity to work toward a healthier and sustainable Oakland. Let's not throw
that away on a deal with the dirty, dying coal industry.
Sincerely,
Jacob S. Yang
Oakland, CA
jacob@jacobsmithyang.com
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Lilly Miriam
Please keep my and your own lungs coal dust free!
To whom it might concern:

I'm originally from Czech Republic, I'amUSA citizen andan Oakland resident and I don't
want the coal industry to be a part of a taxpayer-funded project on public land that was
supposed to be used to clean up our air.
I trust youthat you will not allow this monstrous plan which would bedestroying the climate.
Please keep my and your own lungs coal dust free!
I'mconcernabout what a massive increase in train traffic and coal-dust pollution would mean for all of us living in
East Bay.
Miriam Vranova
Oakland, CA
-Lilly
From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
Jeffrey KESSEL
DL - City Council
Kalb, Dan
please rectify an error in posting coal-related testimony--REVISED MESSAGE DISREGARD PRIOR
Thursday, October 15, 2015 9:45:30 PM
Dear Council Staff,

I have closely followed the presentation to the Oakland City Council of testimony pertaining
to a proposed coal transport facility. In particular I have looked over the "document" on your
website located at:http://www2.oaklandnet.com/w/OAK055096.
This is not a single document as stated on your website, but is a scanned collection of
documents includes a lengthy report titled No Coal In Oakland, dated September 18, 2015.
I believe you are doing a great disservice both to the users of your website and to the authors
of the document No Coal In Oakland, dated September 18, 2015. This document represents a
tremendous amount of research on coal and has copious footnotes WHICH CONTAIN
HYPERTEXT, so that readers may easily verify the claims made. The version of this report
submitted by email to the Council contained footnotes with hypertext. I have attached this
version.
Yet amazingly your posted version of this report has eliminated the hypertext feature (and
equally bad, buried the report among numerous other documents, with no Table of Contents
and no easy way to search for the report). I went to the Oakland website and searched for
"No Coal In Oakland September 18, 2015", and got no results!
Please post this report with its hypertext feature intact. And post it in such a manner that one
can find it as a single entity on your website by searching for "No Coal In Oakland September
18, 2015".
In the internet age to remove hypertext from a document is like removing all the vowels. The
meaning is still there but the document is much much more difficult to use. And rather than
wasting taxpayer money by taking the time to scan the document, it would be quicker to
simply post a link to the stored hyper-texted document (in the form originally submitted by
email to the Council).
Please let me know when you have properly stored this document.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Kessel
Oakland, Ca
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Lindsey Poole
DL - City Council
Port of Oakland Coal Project
Dear Oakland City Councillors,

I'm just writing to let you know that I am categorically opposed to coal being shipped through
the Port of Oakland. This is a critical health, environmental, and frankly, moral issue. Aside
from the significant negative local health impact due to coal dust pollution, we have a
responsibility not to invest in any projects which add new sources of carbon dioxide
emissions to the atmosphere, of which coal burning is one of the worst contributors.
I consider greenhouse gas pollution mitigation the hallmark issue of our time, and I will not
support financially or at the ballot box, any candidate who prioritizes short term fossil fuel
driven growth over CO2 reduction. I hope that you do everything in your power to block this
secretive and underhanded attempt to debase and pollute our community.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Poole
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Date:
Thomas Fratar
Kalb, Dan
Thomas Fratar
Proposed Coal Terminal at the former Oakland Army Base
Monday, July 20, 2015 4:48:13 PM
Dear Congresswoman Lee, Mayor Schaaf and Councilman Kalb:

This is a request for you to exercise whatever authority is available to you to
stop the conversion of the former Oakland Army Base into a rail / shipment
terminal for coal, potash, petcoke and other materials from which
particulate matter can escape. There is no upside in this scheme for
residents and workers in the area. The best outcome they can expect is
inconvenience. Less than the best can involve serious threats to health and
safety and disruption of lives. I would also like to request that any public
hearings on this matter include the following:
EPA Particulate Matter Standards. According to the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District compliance is currently classified as
Nonattainment. What specific measures will the developers employ to
assure that their activities will not further impair efforts to achieve a status
of Attainment?
Monitoring Procedures. What specific devices will be employed to
measure the extent to which particulate matter escapes from train travel,
train off-loading and ship on-loading activities?
Remedies. In the event escaped particulates exceed agreed thresholds
what specific remedies would be available to assure the immediate return to
agreed thresholds?
Traffic Congestion. A standard 100 car coal train traveling at 20 mph
through an urban area takes 4.4 minutes to cross an intersection. Estimates
for coal coming from the Utah mines would involve 9 and 15 trains / week.
Are there any limits to the number of trains / week the developers can send
through East Bay intersections, including coal trains from, say, Montana or
Wyoming or trains that may be used for products like petcoke and potash?
What is the cumulative effect of traffic delays on residents and workers in
area?
Respectfully,
Tom Fratar
Oakland, CA
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Attachments:
Margaret Rossoff
Cole, Doug; DL - City Council; Office of the Mayor; Cappio, Claudia; Monetta, John;
BParker@oaklandcityattorney.org
Public comments regarding health and safety of coal
Tuesday, October 06, 2015 3:38:21 PM
Comment from Rossoff re Jobs.pdf
Attached are my comments to be included in the documentation regarding the proposal to

include coal among the OBOT commodities.
Margaret Rossoff
Oakland, CA
(
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Christie McCarthy
Harris, Monica
RE: Coal Exports
Thanks so much. I'll check out KTOP.
-----Original Message---->From: "Harris, Monica" <MMHarris@oaklandnet.com>

>Sent: Sep 21, 2015 4:02 PM
>To: Christie McCarthy <chrisdavemc@earthlink.net>
>Subject: RE: Coal Exports
>
>Hello Christie,
>
>Thank you very much for sharing your opinion on this important issue. I encourage you to watch the City Council
meeting this afternoon at 4:00 pm on KTOP (channel 10 depending on your cable provider. It is also available at
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/KTOP/ . We are expecting hundreds of members
of the public to speak tonight and you will have a chance to hear City Councils thoughts on the topic.
>
>Best,
>
>
>Monica Harris
>Community Liaison
>District 1, Councilmember Dan Kalb
>City Council | City of Oakland
>1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Ste. 234 | Oakland, CA 94612
>510-238-7014
>Click this link to subscribe to Council Member Kalb's newsletter.
>
>
>-----Original Message---->From: Christie McCarthy [mailto:chrisdavemc@earthlink.net]
>Sent: Monday, September 21, 2015 11:18 AM
>To: Harris, Monica
>Subject: Coal Exports
>
>Dear Monica Harris,
>
>I'm not sure if council member Kalb is keeping track of folks' opinions about the coal export possibility at the Port
of Oakland, but if so, just to let you know that we are strongly opposed. The risks to the health of the community
are not worth whatever benefits there may be in terms of jobs, etc.
>
>Best,
>
>Christie & David McCarthy
>
>
>PS Your team is doing a great job representing our fascinating and varied District 1!
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Amy Kittiver
Kalb, Dan
SAY NOT TO COAL EXPORTS
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 7:56:16 AM
Dear Dan:
I hope we are on the same page about the coal exports. This is a bad deal for Oakland
AND our earth.
Thank you!
Amy
Amy Kittiver, CPA

5327 Shafter Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
Office: 510-547-4565
Cell:
Fax: 510-244-0569
This message contains information which may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the intended
addressee (or authorized to receive for this address), any distribution, copying or disclosure of this message or any
information contained in this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
advise the sender by reply email and delete this message. Thank you.

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From:

From: Deborah Silvey, Fossil Free California Coordinator

Hello Mr. Kalb,

Dear Council Members:

Dear Council Member Kalb,

Dear Councilman Kalb,

Example of American Indian opposition efforts:

Coal Train Slide show and Dr. Berres Comment Summary:

Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:

Please register my opposition to the coal exportterminalbeing builtas part

From: Helen Nicholas

From: Helen Nicholas

Has this been corrected?

From: Jeffrey KESSEL <kessel_j@berkeley.edu>

Dear Mayor and Council Members,

Olga A. Bolotina, Chief of Staff

Click this link to subscribe to Councilmember Kalb's newsletter.

Report A Problem | Public Works Agency Call Center | (510) 615-5566

From: Jeffrey KESSEL [mailto:kessel_j@berkeley.edu]

Dear Council Staff,

Date:: Friday, Oct 2nd 2015

Dear Mayor and Council Members,

Honorable Mayor Schaff and City Council,

I am in favor of temporarily re-naming our city NoCoal-Land!

To whom it may concern:

Dear Council Members,

Dear Council Member Kalb:

John & Laurie Slama

Dear Mr. Kalb,

Dear Mayor Schaaf and City Council Members,

Marcille Rae Sibbitt

Dear Oakland Leaders:

I am writing as a young adult (18) who is very concerned about the

Please do not allow coal exports through Oakland.

Napa Valley College student

To Whom It May Concern:

Dear Councilor Kalb,

Begin forwarded message:

Dear Oakland officials,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council,

Dear Mayor and City Council of Oakland,

Hello Council Member Kalb,

To whom it might concern:

Dear Council Staff,

Dear Oakland City Councillors,

Dear Congresswoman Lee, Mayor Schaaf and Councilman Kalb:

Attached are my comments to be included in the documentation regarding the proposal to

Thanks so much. I'll check out KTOP.

-----Original Message---->From: "Harris, Monica" <MMHarris@oaklandnet.com>

Amy Kittiver, CPA

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