Steward council says no to coal train in Humboldt County
Members of the NUHW Steward Council from St. Joseph and Redwood Memorial Hospital in Humboldt County voted to join a local coalition opposing a Wyoming-based corporation’s intent to rebuild defunct rail lines along the Eel River to ship coal to Asian markets out of Humboldt Bay.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution against the idea, which creates worries about pollution and public health. Coal dust — which coal trains emanate in large amounts — contains PM2.5 fine particulate matter that contributes to asthma, prenatal complications, respiratory illness, and cardiac diseases.
“Protecting our air purity and waterways from this project are crucial,” said Kellie Shaner, a steward in the Progressive Care Unit at St. Joseph Hospital. “Being a coastal community we rely on the cleanliness of our environment for the health of our ecosystem. We have pristine air, beautiful forests and rivers, and top notch oysters from our bay. We must do everything to protect them.”