The West’s coal country has long sought to offset declining domestic coal consumption through exports to Pacific Rim countries. But politically liberal West Coast cities and states have gotten in the way, obstructing proposals for new coal-handling terminals.
On Thursday, the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED) signed a memorandum of understanding with economic development officials for the Mexican state of Baja California to establish “a close binational collaboration” aimed at connecting Utah energy resources with new markets abroad.
The idea would be to build on existing bulk-handling facilities at the Port of Ensenada, according to an OED news release.