Markets alone won’t determine whether two large new coal export terminals get built in Longview and Cherry Point, WA. But when even the most formerly enthusiastic financial analyst gets bearish about coal markets, it’s a signal that the future of the U.S. coal market is murky.

The Seattle Times reports on a report written by analyst Andy Roberts, who three years ago was one of the most enthusiastic proponents of the Millennium Bulk (Longview) and Gateway (Cherry Point) projects. If both projects are approved, it would result in 21 additional mile-long coal trains traveling through the Columbia Gorge each day:   

“In addition to stiff opposition from tribal nations and community and conservation groups, the economic wind has fallen out of the projects’ sails. Asian demand has weakened to the point that coal from the Powder River Basin won’t be competitive in the market until well after 2020, Roberts wrote.”

The article states that Roberts also sees non-coal energy alternatives gaining traction, further deepening coal’s market malaise.

In related news, Arch Coal, one of the major backers of the Longview project, has filed for bankruptcy.

Also Read:

Coal Export - Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Power Past Coal coalition website
Articles about coal export by Sightline Institute