The proposal, if adopted, would make it illegal for coal trains to run through city
The No Coal! Political Action Committee kicked off a new campaign for a “Bill of Rights,” which would ban “activities related to the transportation of coal.” 
The committee held an event to showcase their new Bill of Rights on Jan. 26. More than 100 people from the community flocked to the Squalicum Boathouse at Zuanich Point Park, leaving latecomers standing.
The committee plans to bring their proposed Bellingham Bill of Rights to the City Council on Friday, Jan. 27.
If passed by city officials, the initiative would become an ordinance, said Terry Garrett, a member of No Coal! The group is also collecting signatures in hopes of putting an initiative on the November ballot.
The Bill of Rights “removes legal ‘powers’ and ‘rights’ from those Corporations to ensure that the powers and rights of the community are superior to the ‘powers’ and ‘rights’ claimed by those Corporations.”
Former international corporate business lawyer Stoney Bird said the goal of the bill is to ensure that citizens have the right to make decisions that affect them and the environment.
“For Bellingham, and other communities along any of the possible train routes, there’s a choice between rolling the dice with the current system of environmental laws when we know that the dice are loaded, and standing up to demand a different system,” Bird said.
According to the proposed Bill of Rights, the corporate coal project would reduce access to the waterfront, delay emergency vehicles, increase air pollution from coal dust and lower the value of property near the tracks.
Kim Brooke, owner of North Star Wool Design, said she doesn’t want the coal train project to go through.
“It’s going to ruin my business and everything I own,” Brooke said. “There are 1,100 acres of wetland, and it’s three miles away from me. Just the wind alone and the brown water issues, it’s going to change the whole area in which I live and all the businesses.”
Related articles:
