Don't commerce laws prevent lefties on the west coast from denying other states the ability to export coal?

Or does their socialism make them exempt from obeying our laws?

Coal states sue California cities and Washington state to force ports to ship exports

By Anna M. PhillipsStaff Writer

Feb. 26, 2020

Buffeted by falling domestic demand, America’s ailing coal industry set its sights a decade ago on the promise of reaching Asian markets. But that meant shipping from West Coast ports, and politicians there had other ideas.

Some coastal communities, taking a stand against coal to fight climate change and protect public health, acted to block the exports. And now coal states are fighting back in the courts — all the way to the Supreme Court — and using taxpayer funds to boost a fading industry.

“We believe that these coastal states are using their local authorities for land-use planning to essentially block interstate commerce,” said Utah Mining Assn. President Brian Somers. “If California produce or other commodities come through on a train, we don’t have the authority to stop them at the border. That’s what’s happening to our coal.”

If all had gone according to the coal industry’s plan, as many as seven ports in California, Oregon and Washington might have become gateways to energy-hungry Japan, China and India — and a lifeline for coal producers in landlocked Western states.

Instead, the industry has endured one setback after another.

Demand in Asia proved more volatile than expected. The home market worsened because of competition from cheap gas and renewable energy, and coal-fired power plants continued to close. President Trump’s regulatory rollbacks didn’t provide the industry renaissance he claims. On top of all that, the West Coast states and cities rebelled.

Lawmakers in Oakland and Washington state blocked plans for coal-export terminals, citing health concerns and pollution risks. Just last month the Richmond City Council gave the California city’s port three years to phase out coal exports. Nearly all coal mined in Utah is exported to Japan through Richmond, an arrangement that would end under the new ordinance.

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-02-26/interior-states-are-using-lawsuits-against-the-west-coast-to-prop-up-the-dying-coal-industry