Hundreds march against coal trains

SEATTLE — Hundreds of people marched at Golden Gardens Park Sunday for a rally against coal exports.

Event organizers said the march, known as the “Walking Train Against Coal Trains,” was to spread awareness about local and national movements to stop fossil fuel exports, as well as learn about the danger of exporting fuels to the climate, waterways and local economy.

Demonstrators told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News that they wanted to send a message to President Obama to stop proposed coal exports to China.

“We are tired of being tied down to this dirty fossil fuel industry. It is time for a clean energy future and President Obama needs to step up now,” said a demonstrator.

The march was also on the same day when thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C., against the Keystone XL pipeline.

The Army Corps of Engineers is now reviewing 124,000 comments they received regarding a proposed coal export terminal at Cherry Point in Bellingham.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe said only a few coal trains run on the tracks through Seattle each week.

Officials with BNSF said up to nine loaded coal trains a day could pass through Seattle for Whatcom County and not all the empty trains would return the same way.

A special guest speaker at the rally was Mayor Mike McGinn and he spoke about the environmental issues in regards to the coal exports.

KIRO