COMMISSION RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE THE TRANSPORTATION AND EXPORT OF HAZARDOUS FOSSIL FUEL MATERIALS SUCH AS CRUDE OIL, COAL, AND PETROLEUM COKE IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
[Oppose Export of Hazardous Fossil Fuel Materials]
RESOLUTION TO INITIATE SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT’S WORK WITH THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO TO CREATE A POLICY TO OPPOSE THE TRANSPORTATION AND EXPORT OF HAZARDOUS FOSSIL FUEL MATERIALS SUCH AS CRUDE OIL, COAL, AND PETROLEUM COKE IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
WHEREAS, There is a new push by the fossil fuel industry to transport, export, and/or refine coal, crude oil and petroleum coke (“petcoke”)—a byproduct of oil refining—on the West Coast and in California; and
WHEREAS, The industrial use of these hazardous fossil fuel materials is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and a major contributor to climate change, pollution, and environmental injustice in our communities; and,
WHEREAS, Coal and petcoke are commonly transported via open-top rail cars and a large volume of those materials escape during transit exposing communities to toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead, copper, mercury, zinc, and nickel at levels that are harmful to community members, workers, wildlife, and nature; and,
WHEREAS, The volume of crude oil by rail shipments has increased dramatically throughout the country and in Northern California in particular (57 percent increase during 2013 alone), and this dramatic rise has been accompanied by a similar rise in spectacular accidents, nearly 100 in 2013 totaling 1.15 million gallons of spilled crude which is more oil than has spilled from rail cars in the past 4 decades; and,
WHEREAS, The transportation and export of these hazardous fossil fuel materials will lead to an increase in diesel emissions in communities along rail lines and transportation corridors, including exposure to coal dust and particulate matter from diesel engines that has been linked to serious health hazards, asthma, heart attacks, and cancer; and,
WHEREAS, There is currently a renewed interest among the fossil fuel industry to uplift a longstanding federal ban on the export of crude oil; and,
WHEREAS, The staff at the Port of San Francisco have demonstrated strong environmental leadership by consistently rejecting proposals from companies seeking to transport or export coal on or through Port of San Francisco property or terminals; and,
WHEREAS, A formal policy to prohibit the transportation and export of these hazardous fossil fuel materials in the City and County of San Francisco would enable San Francisco to join West Coast cities and ports such as the Port of Oakland in helping to bottle up the nation’s coal supplies and keep them in the ground where they can do the climate, the environment, and communities no harm; and,
WHEREAS, Such a policy would also support efforts in Bay Area cities, other cities like Chicago, and states such as Michigan to stop the use of petcoke, which emits 30-80% more carbon dioxide than coal, as a coal alternative; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Commission on the Environment hereby requests the Department of the Environment to work with staff at the Port of San Francisco, environmental and community advocates, and stakeholders to develop a policy prohibiting the transportation and export of coal, crude oil, and petroleum coke on Port property for consideration by the San Francisco Port Commission; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment requests that Department of Environment staff work with the Commission to enact citywide legislation regarding the transportation and export of these materials following the Port Commission’s adoption of a policy regarding these activities on Port property.
`I hereby certify that this Resolution was adopted at the Commission on the Environment’s Meeting on May 22, 2014.
Monica Fish, Commission Secretary
VOTE: 4-0 Approved; 3 Absent
AYES: Commissioners Arce, Josefowitz, Gravanis and Wald
NOES: None
ABSENT: Commissioners King, Stephenson and Wan