PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Health experts want to know what risks coal creates for people working and living around processing plants and railways.
Gov. John Kitzhaber received a signed statement from 130 physicians asking him to order an Environmental Impact Statement.
Sen. Jeff Merkley called for the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Land Management to conduct an assessment for proposed coal export facilities in Oregon and Washington.
Health officials said coal can impact people's lungs and nervous system.
At a press conference, Doctor Andy Harris of the OHSU Global Health Center said coal production is harmful to everyone involved in the process.
The Environmental Impact Statement would likely take less than a year to complete.
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