Report on the Health and/or Safety Impacts Associated with the Transport, Storange, and Handling of Coal and/or Coke in Oakland, Including at the Proposed Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal in the West Gateway Area of the former Oakland Army Base
- Abstract
The purpose of this review is to assist the City in evaluating information in its public record regarding (1) health, safety and/or general welfare evidence that the City Council might consider generally applicable to legislation regulating or banning certain activities regarding coal and coke, e.g., the handling, and storage, and transloading of such material, and (2) whether the development of coal and/or coke facilities would result in a condition substantially dangerous to the health and/or safety of adjacent neighbors which might justify the application of such legislation to projects such as the OBOT which have already obtained some land use approvals. The scope of this review is focused on certain activities regarding coal and coke, e.g., the handling, and storage, and transloading of such material within the City of Oakland and the adjacent communities of Emeryville and San Leandro. This study scope did not include a review of the: (i) rail transportation of coal or coke from the point of origin to the OBOT vicinity, except as the effects occur along the rail lines within the City of Oakland, including within the OBOT, and to a lesser extent within portions of the cities of Emeryville and San Leandro, or (ii) transportation of coal or coke by ship from the point at which the commodity is on-boarded at the OBOT to its ultimate destination. Because numerous public commenters noted the contribution of the greenhouse gas emissions of coal when combusted by the end user overseas, this study also includes a review of those comments. The scope of this review is also specifically limited as this is not a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. ESA reviewed the health and safety issues raised by commenters along with citations to substantiate their statement of impacts. ESA also reviewed additional scientific information relevant to the consideration by the City Council, based on the comments received.
- Resource Type
- Report
- Author
- Environmental Science Associates
- Date
- June 23, 2016
- Organization Type
- Private
- Health and Human Impact
- Overview/general
- Climate and Environmental Impact
- Overview/general
- Emission Sources
- Conventional energy Energy Conventional
- Fossil Fuel
- Coal
- Region
- Southwest
- Other
- Health impact assessment