The battle of the future of coal exports in the Pacific Northwest continues to gain momentum as both sides of the debate undergo publicity pushes.

The Alliance for Northwest Jobs & Exports, made up of mining, energy and shipping companies, formed recently to publicize their unified message that exporting Powder River Basin coal to Asia from Northwest ports makes sound economic sense and is not a threat to the environment or human health.

Ambre Energy hopes to soon barge up to 8.8 million tons of coal a year through Columbia County and Kinder Morgan is in the early stages of their plans to use the county’s rail line to transfer coal to Port of St. Helens land in north Columbia County.

“Will we bring thousands of new jobs here or will we let them pass us by?” the alliance’s website proclaims in large block letters.

The group attests that six separate plans to utilize regional ports, including Port Westward near Clatskanie, to ship coal to the in-demand Asian market could create thousands of family-wage jobs and stimulate the local economy with development and new tax revenue — nearly $25 million, according to rough estimates from developers and ports.

The trade group is delivering their message in advertisements across television, print and radio.

The Alliance for Northwest Jobs & Exports is a counterpoint to conservation groups like the Sierra Club and Columbia Riverkeeper who are banded together in a campaign to “Power Past Coal.”

On July 30, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) released a report called “The True Cost of Coal,” which attests the Pacific Northwest faces serious threats from these coal export proposals. The report warns of diesel emissions and coal dust from long rail cars, construction-related damage to crucial fish habitats on the Columbia River and environmental harm if Asia begins burning more coal.

The NWF report calls on elected officials and regulatory agencies to require deeper examinations of the coal proposals. You can read a PDF of the report here: National Wildlife Federation 'The True Cost of Coal' report.

Oregon’s last remaining coal-fired plant in Boardman, Ore., is expected to stop burning the material for fuel by 2020. While the U.S. is using less of the fossil fuel domestically, coal companies hope to sell low-sulfur Powder River Basin coal to Asian countries, including China, in order to satiate the growing demand.