Richmond officials reached a settlement with port operator Levin-Richmond Terminal Corp., along with two fossil fuel companies and the state of Utah, to ban coal storage at the port.
The coal currently going through the shipping terminal is mined in Utah, transported by train across the West, stored for a while at the port and then loaded on a ship and sent to Japan or other destinations in Asia.
This is definitely not the most efficient or climate-friendly operation, and the declining market for coal in the United States has led desperate fossil fuel companies to look abroad for their profits.
Along the way, the health of people in Richmond suffers alongside the health of the planet.
This settlement is great news. I only wish we didn't have to wait until 2027 to stop coal trafficking through Richmond.