A Further Analysis of an Environmental Paradox: Global Warming, Salmon Restoration, and Wheat Transportation in the Pacific Northwest

Global climate change is one of the most debated environmental issues of the 21st century. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal contributor to climate change. Higher levels of CO2 concentrations are primarily the result of burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. Simultaneously, salmon populations are now being threatened and endangered. One technique to restore the salmon is the potential drawdown of the Snake River in Washington State. But, a paradox arises because this effort may increase the CO2 production by trucks and rail as barge transportation is stopped on the river. This paper uses wheat and barley transportation, the largest user of barge, to examine the impact on energy consumption and associated CO2 production if the river is breached and barge transportation ceases. A GIS-GAMS transportation model examines the pre and post breaching least cost wheat flows for the producer. Significant increases in rail movements are seen, with some increases in truck in a feeder role to the rail. The relative modal energy intensity coefficients affect the energy consumed. Overall results indicate that the paradox continues with breaching causing some increase in CO2 levels, especially for the barley movements (41%) and overall (1.61%), while offering the possibility of some perceived benefit to the endangered salmon stocks.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Gossard, Marcia Hill
  • Jessup, Eric L
  • Casavant, Kenneth L
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 11p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barges; Carbon dioxide; Diesel engine exhaust gases; Energy consumption; Environmental impacts; Environmental protection; Freight traffic; Geographic information systems; Global warming; Railroads; Salmon; Trucks; Wheat
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barley; Drawdown (Breaching dams)
• Geographic Terms: Pacific Northwest
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Freight Transportation; Highways; Marine Transportation; Motor Carriers; Railroads; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01054009
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-1010
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 20 2007 9:57AM