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===November 2011: 13 State Senators ask State to look at coal train impacts===
In November 2011, 13 Washington State Senators wrote a joint letter to the Washington State DOE and Whatcom County. In their letter the senators point to potential problems including health related and adverse economic impacts that could be felt by the communities along the rail corridor which includes most of the states population. The senators explicitly request that the process examine these issues.<Ref>[http://www.communitywisebellingham.org/2011/11/senators_ask_rrreview/ "13 State Senators ask State/Whatcom to expand SEPA Scope"] Community Wise Bellingham, November 7, 2011.</ref>
===March 2012: Washington State City Council passes coal train traffic resolution===
On March 17, 2012, Washougal City Council voted 7-0 to pass a resolution requesting that Washougal be a “party of record” for the Gateway Pacific Terminal Project in Whatcom county and the Millennium Project in Cowlitz county. The resolution requested that impacts along the rail line through Washougal be included in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and also urged the State Department of Ecology, the Army Cops of Engineers, as well as both Whatcom and Cowlitz counties, to conduct an EIS scoping hearing for each project in a Clark County location.<ref>[http://silverstarreporter.com/2012/03/locallife/eastcountypolitics/increased-coal-train-traffic-spurs-resolution-by-washougal-city-council/ "Increased Coal Train traffic spurs resolution by Washougal City Council"] Martha Martin, Silver Star Reporter, March 18, 2012.</ref>
==Northwest ports to be used to export Powder River Basin coal to Asian markets==