Environment

Court Ruling a Blow to “No Coal in Oakland”

Published

7 years ago

May 18, 2018

Oakland community groups are calling this week’s federal court ruling that the City of Oakland violated its contract with the developer a “temporary setback” as they plan further actions to block construction of a coal terminal in West Oakland.

According to Ted Franklin, an organizer with the grassroots No Coal in Oakland campaign, “We disagree with the judge’s decision, but this is only a temporary setback. We are part of a broad movement that opposes construction of a coal terminal in Oakland and we will fight as long as it takes.”

“Utah’s largest coal producer, Bowie Resource Partners, and local developer Phil Tagami have teamed up on a foolish plan to ship Utah coal overseas,” he said. “A coal export terminal in Oakland would bring toxic dust to our most vulnerable neighborhoods and add to carbon pollution around the world.”

According to Franklin, Bowie and Tagami are seeking to raise $200 million to complete the project.

“No Coal in Oakland will be campaigning to make sure that no investor makes the foolish error of lending them the money to follow through on their plan,” said Franklin.

In 2016, a loose coalition of community, labor, faith, and political groups successfully campaigned for the Oakland City Council to adopt an ordinance banning coal storage and handling in Oakland. In December 2016, Tagami, with Bowie’s financial backing, filed suit to challenge the application of the ordinance to the proposed coal export facility.

Asian Pacific EnvironmentalNetwork (APEN), Center for Biological Diversity, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, Communities for a Better Environment, and No Coal in Oakland filed an amicus brief highlighting the numerous environmental impacts the project would impose on Oakland residents.

Responding to Tuesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Vince Girdhari Chhabria, Oakland Chinatown resident and APEN member leader, Pan Hai Bo said:

“While Phil Tagami celebrtes his win today, he is working to endanger the lives of people across Oakland and pollute the air that he himself breathes—all to line his pockets. We are going to keep fighting, and we are going to make sure that we stop Tagami’s disastrous proposal from putting us all at risk.”

Addressing the City’s options, Lora Jo Foo of No Coal in Oakland said:

“It is important to be clear what the judge’s ruling actually says. He did not overturn the coal ban ordinance. He overturned the resolution applying the ordinance to this particular terminal only because he found the evidence before the City Council in 2016 insufficient.

He also indicated that the city could try again to bar use of the terminal for coal shipping and handling ‘so long as it complies with its legal obligations, including any legitimate contractual obligations to the project developers.”

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Electric UPS Delivery Fleet Coming to Oakland, Richmond, and SF

The project will replace the current Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco and 10 more in Richmond.

Published

3 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of the Port of Oakland.

The Richmond Standard

A total of 60 UPS delivery trucks serving logistics centers in Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco will be replaced with electric versions as part of a partnership between the delivery business and the Port of Oakland.

The Port will use a newly announced award of $10.5 million in Environmental Protection Agency grants and $5 million from UPS to advance the fleet conversion.

The project will replace Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco, and 10 more in Richmond.

The project will feature opportunities for green career pathways through workforce development and training.

“The Port of Oakland is grateful for additional investments to transition freight equipment and infrastructure to zero emissions,” Colleen Liang, the Port’s director of environmental programs and planning.

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez said the “bold investment” will curb pollution, protect public health and provide good-paying green jobs.

“The City of Richmond welcomes this bold EPA investment in zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles,” Martinez said in a statement.

For more information, see the 2024 EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Grant Project.

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California Black Media

Gov. Newsom Goes to Washington to Advocate for California Priorities

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation. During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

Published

1 month ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Newsom visits the White House on Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of Gov.Ca. Gov

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation.

During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

“California is continuing our work to secure additional tools and resources to improve access to health care, clean air and water, and secure critical funding to support communities recovering from disasters,” said Newsom.

At the White House, Newsom met with President Joe Biden and key officials, advocating for disaster relief funding, healthcare expansion, and environmental protection. He also engaged in discussions with senior Biden-Harris officials, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, to address water quality improvements and the San Luis Dam project, which will support water supplies for two million Californians.

“Building on our strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, California is working closely with the White House over the next two months to deliver the critical protections and resources our communities need,” Newsom said.

On Capitol Hill, Newsom met with California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with other Congressional leaders, to emphasize the need to approve pending disaster funding, healthcare programs, and environmental protections. He also previewed California’s upcoming special session to proactively address potential federal challenges when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Newsom’s discussions also focused on securing Medicaid waivers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enhance behavioral health services and reduce homelessness. The state seeks approval for the BH-CONNECT waiver, which would address behavioral health and homelessness, and the MCO Tax Waiver, which would provide over $20 billion for Medi-Cal to improve healthcare access.

Additionally, California is pushing for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are crucial for enforcing air quality regulations. These measures are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the Governor’s office.

Oakland Post

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

1 month ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
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