Wyoming Governor Plans Court Challenge as California Bill Advances on Oakland Coal Terminal

Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon said he plans legal action against California efforts to block the West Gateway Terminal, a coal export facility in Oakland. Washington Examiner reported that the terminal forms part of pro-coal measures announced by President Donald Trump last month under the Defense Production Act.

The Trump administration allocated $75 million toward the terminal's construction and an additional $425 million to support 13 coal plants nationwide. The Department of Energy stated the facility could handle more than 10 million tons of bulk commodities each year when built on the former Oakland Army Base near the Port of Oakland.

Gordon told the Washington Examiner that the port is “absolutely essential” for shipping Wyoming coal to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

He argued that California measures would interfere with interstate and foreign commerce protected by the Constitution's commerce clause. California Democratic Assemblywoman Mia Bonta introduced legislation requiring full environmental impact reviews for any new or expanded coal terminal exceeding 5 million short tons per year.

The bill also mandates new reviews if the type or quantity of coal changes or if an existing report is 10 or more years old.

Bonta’s measure passed the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee last week. Bonta said in a press release, “Donald Trump used a Cold War emergency law to try to override all of that. ” Gordon responded that Wyoming would seek court enforcement of the commerce clause if the project faces blockage, noting the state previously sued Washington over a similar terminal in 2020.