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The Washington Department of Ecology will step into the environmental review of a proposed coal-export terminal north of Bellingham, and assume a co-lead role on the review at the request of Whatcom County, which has the statutory responsibility to do the environmental assessment.

Letters were exchanged Friday (July 15) between the county and state, with Whatcom County making a formal request that the state take co-lead responsibility and Ecology accepting the invitation. County and state officials had been discussing the prospect for some time, and several mayors from Washington cities along the railroad line that would ship coal from the Powder River Basin to the Gateway Pacific Terminal north of Bellingham were in the process of sending a formal request to Gov. Chris Gregoire that the state take a co-lead role.