The problem is coal dust, which under unfavorable conditions flies off the train/ship loading facility and settles all over town in Seward. Complaints in 2007 brought intervention from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Since then the railroad has made some investments in reducing dust, including introduction of glycol in sprayers to keep the coal wet and dust-free even in winter, said railroad spokesman Tim Thompson. But those dust-reduction investments only go so far, he said.
"The weather plays a big part in how we're going to operate in Seward," said Thompson. "If the conditions aren't favorable, then we're not going to do it (unload cars). We've made that commitment."
Thompson said the ship in Seward now, the Yasa Fortune, is not scheduled to load until Jan. 18. Unforeseen costs would only start piling up if the coal isn't ready by then, Thompson said. Another attempt to unload coal from rail cars will be made Sunday, he said.
"We're going to be cutting it real close," Thompson said.
Several other trainloads will be necessary to complete the ship's load, officials said. Rail operations have been hampered not only by dust problems at the Seward terminal but by frigid temperatures in the Interior, said Steve Denton, a vice president with Usibelli coal mines in Healy.
Russ Maddox, a Seward environmentalist who has monitored coal-loading operations for several years, said state regulation needs to be tightened to help the state DEC follow up and make sure companies are meeting commitments. He said similar "fugitive dust" problems are likely to be an issue if development proceeds on the proposed Chuitna coal mine, where air quality problems could affect the communities of Tyonek and Beluga.
Find Tom Kizzia online at adn.com/contact/tkizzia or call him at 907-235-4244.
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