1. 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)

2. 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 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
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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Exposure of Aquatic Resources to Coal Transport
USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (

6. 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

7. 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., Atmospheric Pollution Research 5, 344–351.

8. 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 The growth and survival of fish in some suspensions of 
solids of industrial origin.Air Water Pollut. 7:
Clarence F. Pautzke (1938) Studies on the Effect of Coal
Washings on Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout, Transactions of the American Fisheries
Society, 67:1, , DOI: / (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 Implication to the aquatic enviroment of 
polynuclear aromatic Hydrocarbons liberated from northern Great Plains coal. 
EPA-600/
Gleick, P.H Health and saftey effects of coal transportation: Reassessing 
the risks. Energy 6:
USGS Fact Sheet FS–095–01 and others

9. Mercury has complex dynamics and cycling through aquatic systems.

10. 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.

11. …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.

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. Sediment Sampling
Target: Fine sediment (silt)

18. Aquatic Insect Sampling
Dragonfly
and damselfly larvae

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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

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

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

25. 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

26. 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.

27. Questions? Contacts: Bob Black rwblack@usgs.gov (253) 552-1687
Elena Nilsen (503)
Collin Eagles-Smith (541)