RFK Jr. Calls Coal ‘Corrupting’ at Portland Rally

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says a proposal to bring coal to Oregon and Washington state will lead to political corruption and environmental damage, while the actual number of jobs it will create is minimal.

Kennedy led a rally in Portland on Monday, where he advocated against the proposal to bring coal from Wyoming and Montana to ports in Oregon and Washington, where it would be exported to China.

Kennedy says the U.S. believes it can export the environmental problems from coal, but will find that mercury from its use in Asia washes up on the Pacific shore.

The opponents warn of local problems from coal dust and long coal trains. They also say expanding Asian access to American coal would be bad for the world environment.