Opinion: Sen. Lummis and Rep. Hageman Say California Is Waging War on Wyoming Coal Through the Oakland Terminal
The Wyoming Republicans argue Gov. Newsom signed a bill to kill a permitted coal export terminal that President Trump backed with $75 million, while the state's high-speed rail has laid no track. They warn of legal action.
This is a summary of an opinion column. The views belong to Sen. Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Harriet Hageman, both Wyoming Republicans, not to RightNewsRightNow.
The argument. The two lawmakers write that California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signed a bill to kill a coal export terminal in Oakland before it opens. They say it would be the West Coast's first such terminal, linking Wyoming miners to overseas buyers. They write that President Trump backed the project this summer with $75 million through the Defense Production Act, and that California Democrats introduced the bill right after the announcement. In their telling, the bill adds a new layer of environmental review meant to stall the project until investors give up.
Their evidence. They say the terminal passed environmental review, won years of litigation and drew more than $240 million from California taxpayers before Oakland conceded and moved ahead. "California politicians didn't like the result, so they changed the rules," they write. They argue that if lawmakers can void a permit retroactively because they dislike the product or the president who backs it, "no approval in the state is safe," whether the project is coal, a refinery or housing.
The rail comparison. The authors contrast the move with Newsom's vetoing, the same day, a bill to speed hiring of auditors for the state's high-speed rail. They write that California has spent $15 billion over 18 years without laying a mile of track, that the line was promised for $33 billion by 2020, and that it is now estimated at $126 billion to $231 billion with completion not expected until 2040. They add that Newsom sued and lost after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revoked $4 billion in federal grants.
What they want. They write that Wyoming has more than 600 years of coal reserves, that demand for electricity in Asia is climbing, and that "those nations will burn coal whether California approves of it or not." They say Wyoming will use "every tool at our disposal, including legal action," and close with, "Wyoming will keep mining. California can keep its train."
Note for readers: these are the authors' claims and opinions. We have not verified the cost figures or the terms of the California bill, and the text we reviewed did not include a response from Newsom's office.