U.S. Geological Survey Baseline Reconnaissance Preparing for Ecosystem Effects of Increased Coal Transport Across the Pacific Northwest U.S. Geological Survey Baseline Reconnaissance Robert Black (Washington Water Science Center, Tacoma, WA) Elena Nilsen (Oregon Water Science Center, Portland, OR) Collin Eagles-Smith (Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR) Bob Black lead PI; Collin and Elena co-PIs; key assistance from coauthors at USGS, NOAA and USFWS. D. Krabbenhoft, C. Smith (USGS) L. Johnson, G. Ylitalo, S. Sol, D. Lomax (NOAA) J. Davis (USFWS)

Proposed Increase in Coal Transport Currently, fewer than 5 trains bearing coal travel from the Powder River Basin through the Columbia River Gorge per day (sightline.org) Proposals call for 18-30 times increase in coal train traffic through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (coaltrainfacts.org) Coal dust lost during transport (Surface Transportation Board Hearing Transcript July 29, 2010) Each train car can lose up to 500 pounds in a single trip 120 cars per train ~60,000 lbs of coal dust lost/train http://daily.sightline.org/2013/10/15/how-coal-and-oil-trains-will-block-traffic-southwest-washington/ http://www.coaltrainfacts.org/key-facts with links to primary sources Surface Transportation Board Hearing Transcript, Re: Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation – Petition for Declaratory Order, Docket No. FD 35305, p.42 (July 29, 2010) (testimony of Greg Fox, VP of Transportation for BNSF) *Numbers subject to change

Public Interest in Coal Transport and Export Washington and Oregon - Scoping process for permitting of transfer terminals produced ~400,000 specific comments. >50 news articles Idaho – “Coal Exports Pack a Big Carbon Punch” Idaho – “Coal Trains Threaten Environment and Public Health” Montana - “Surface Transportation Board: BNSF can require coal-dust suppression” Montana- “Groups rally for Montana inclusion in Army Corps' environmental assessment” Numerous news stories in affected states plus high attendance and involvement in public meetings and rallies throughout the region

Aquatic Resources Near Rail Lines This map was created by staff at the USGS Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center and covers Montana. It was shared with us by Jill Frankforter. Wetland Public Lands Provisional Wetlands Wetlands Public Lands

Exposure of Aquatic Resources to Coal Transport USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/)

Sampling Sites, Proposed Coal Terminals, Rail Line, and Adjacent Resources Horsethief Lake State Park Site map showing Proposed Coal Terminals, Rail Lines, adjacent resources, and two USGS baseline sampling locations. Proposed coal terminals may be outdated; proposals are evolving. Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge

Particulates Measured in Air as Train Passes near Seattle, WA Shows CO2 from the engine passing (blue), then particulates as dust comes off (black and red) PM1 refers to particulate matter particles of diameter less than 1 micron Jaffe, D.A., et al., 2014. Atmospheric Pollution Research 5, 344–351.

Environmental Concerns Environmental contaminants associated with coal: PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), Mercury, Chromium, Selenium, Lead, Arsenic Nervous system damage, impaired reproduction, cardiovascular issues, urinary tract and lung cancers Our study is focused on PAH and Hg, and some trace metals. HERBERT DW, RICHARDS JM.1963. The growth and survival of fish in some suspensions of  solids of industrial origin.Air Water Pollut. 7:297-302. Clarence F. Pautzke (1938) Studies on the Effect of Coal Washings on Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 67:1, 232-233, DOI: 10.1577/1548-8659(1937)67[232:SOTEOC]2.0.CO;2 Carlson, R.M., A.R. Oyler, E.H. Gerhart, R. Cple, K.J. Welche, H.L. Kopperman,  D.Bodenner, and D.Swanson. 1979. Implication to the aquatic enviroment of  polynuclear aromatic Hydrocarbons liberated from northern Great Plains coal.  EPA-600/3-79-093 http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/wv_mou.cfm http://www.coaltrainfacts.org/key-facts www.wste.wa.gov/Rail/Railfinalreport.pdf Gleick, P.H. 1981. Health and saftey effects of coal transportation: Reassessing  the risks. Energy 6: 611-619 http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059979773 USGS Fact Sheet FS–095–01 and others

Mercury has complex dynamics and cycling through aquatic systems.

Methylmercury is produced by some bacterial groups found in the environment… Inorganic Hg SO4/Fe-reducing Bacteria Methyl Hg Methylmercury is the form of greatest concern as far as impacts on sensitive organisms.

…which require the presence of certain biogeochemical conditions that facilitate methylmercury production. Methylmercury is often produced by bacteria in wetland areas that overlap with sensitive habitats where we find many important species of concern.

Questions and Methods Are there measurable levels of coal-related compounds in sediment and/or biota along rail corridors? Baseline Can sources be determined? “Fingerprinting” using PAH ratios, Hg isotopes Do levels change with proximity to rail lines? Are there differences between species? Sampling Sediment Aquatic insects Multiple fish species So far very little study of this issue. USGS funded a small pilot project to provide some baseline information on a few of the potential questions.

USGS Baseline Sampling at Horsethief Lake and Steigerwald Horsethief Lake State Park Site map again showing HTL SP and SW NWR Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge

Study Design Current Coal Rail Line Methods Sample Point: Sediment Tissue (insects, fish) Horsethief Lake SP Coal Loading Offloading at Terminal Wetland/lake Methods -Focus on Hg and PAH -Levels of suspected concern -Hg source fingerprinting (Hg stable isotopes) -PAH from dust vs. combustion (forensic ratios) Steigerwald NWR Columbia River

Horsethief Lake Sampling Locations Fish Sediment Inverts rail line Fish Sediment Inverts Sampling locations close to rail line and farther away. Coal dust was visibly apparent at the ‘coal dust’ site. prevailing winds coal dust Google Earth

Steigerwald Refuge Sampling rail line Fish Sediment Inverts Fish Sediment Inverts prevailing winds Google Earth

Sediment Sampling Target: Fine sediment (silt)

Aquatic Insect Sampling Dragonfly and damselfly larvae

Fish Sampling Insect-eating juvenile fish sculpin pike minnow small mouth bass salmonids pumpkinseed yellow perch -Beach seines -Minnow traps

Project Status Field sampling complete Participating laboratories and sample status USGS National Water Quality Lab – complete -PAHs and trace metals in sediments NOAA analytical chemistry lab - complete -PAHs in fish tissues, invertebrates, aquatic plants USGS-FRESC mercury lab - complete

Results 18900 18900 is the concentration of sum PAHs measured in the coal dust sample, shown on the bar since it is off the scale shown on the x axis. PAHs higher in sediments closer to the rail lines vs. sites farther away *Provisional data, subject to revision

Results And very high in the pure coal dust sample 18900 18900 is the concentration of sum PAHs measured in the coal dust sample, shown on the bar since it is off the scale shown on the x axis. And very high in the pure coal dust sample *Provisional data, subject to revision

Results High molecular weight (HMW) PAHs were only detected at closer sites and in coal dust *Provisional data, subject to revision

Results Trace metals higher in sediments closer to the rail lines vs. sites farther away Provisional data, subject to revision

Results May not be appropriate to compare tissue along the distance gradient since the gradient sites within each location are connected (at least at Horsethief Lake) and fish move around and therefore may not accurately represent conditions closer versus further away from rail lines. Tissue concentrations did not consistently follow the pattern of higher concentrations closer to the rail lines Provisional data, subject to revision

Observations Most source tracking PAH ratios could not be calculated because many of the compounds used for those calculations were not detected Ratio of LMW/HMW PAHs was consistent with a petrogenic (un-combusted) source as opposed to pyrogenic Concentrations of PAHs and trace metals similar to other non-urban wetland sites and provide baseline for future collection and investigation Tissue benchmarks were exceeded for lead, arsenic and selenium Unsubstituted lower molecular weight PAH compounds, containing 2 or 3 rings, exhibit significant acute toxicity and other adverse effects to some organisms, but are noncarcinogenic; the higher molecular weight PAHs, containing 4 to 7 rings, are significantly less toxic, but many of the 4- to 7-ring compounds are demonstrably carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic to a wide variety of organisms, including fish and other aquatic life, amphibians, birds, and mammals. In general, PAHs show little tendency to biomagnify in food chains, despite their high lipid solubility, probably because most PAHs are rapidly metabolized. PAHs were measured in coal dust next to the rail line and similar PAHs are found in sediment and fish, but there are possibly other sources of PAHs which could enter the aquatic ecosystems at these sites.

Questions? Contacts: Bob Black rwblack@usgs.gov (253) 552-1687 Elena Nilsen enilsen@usgs.gov (503) 251-3277 Collin Eagles-Smith ceagles-smith@usgs.gov (541) 750-0949