Oakland council bans coal

[alp227]

Source: East Bay Times

OAKLAND -- During a raucous four-hour meeting Monday night, the City Council voted unanimously to ban the storage and handling of coal and petroleum coke in the city.

Councilmember Desley Brooks was absent from the meeting.

Hundreds of people filled the council chambers and several meeting rooms, offering hours of commentary that was frequently punctuated by cheers, applause and outbursts from audience members on both sides of the issue. Audience members broke into song following the vote, singing "No more coal in Oakland, I'm going to let it shine."

"It's not just about making a dollar -- it's about social responsibility," said Councilmember Noel Gallo.

Read more: http://www.eastbaytimes.com/breaking-news/ci_30064002/happening-now-oakland-council-considering-ban-coal

[stuffmatters]

1. The Koch Bros truck their Pet Coke throughLlong Beach, Ca to their Shipping Terminal

I found it shocking when the LB City Council renewed the Koch Bros Port contract just a couple of years ago...well after the toxicity of Pet Coke/Ash was public knowledge.

[jmowreader]

2. Hopefully no one in Oakland is a coal user who can't afford to switch

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Corrected headline: Oakland council engages in ego-tripping grandstanding.

If there is any coal being shipped by rail through Oakland (I do not know), the Oakland council will learn that they don't have the authority to ban that shipment.

It's a Federal thing. Their actions are meaningless.

This is all about getting their names in the paper.