Washington and Idaho citizens and government officials each offer two minutes of oral public comments about the Millennium Bulk Terminals proposal for coal export facilities in Longview, Washington, at a scoping hearing on Tuesday evening, October 1, in Pasco, Washington. Before 250 people and county and state agency representatives, during the temporary federal government closure, red-clad opposing and blue-clothed supporting speakers testify in order of drawn lottery tickets. They voice concerns about the global, regional, and community impacts of the Longview coal port and accompanying Northwest coal trains, for agency consideration in a draft environmental impact statement. Participants note employment opportunities, economic vitality, worker/public safety, and human, environmental, and climate health threats.
Helen Yost of the climate activist group Wild Idaho Rising Tide recorded and edited all except the first half-hour of the three-hour scoping hearing, later enhancing sound quality and removing gaps during speaker turnover and lottery ticket drawings.