An article in the New York Times (June 15,2013) describes efforts to block train shipments and port expansion for low sulfur coal from native American reservations. Environmentalists claim that train transport will result in coal dust being blown into rivers and pollution of the port waters. They also claim that more coal available globally will decrease coal prices and lower the incentive to shift to alternate energy sources. But proponents of the project claim tha replacing China’s high sulfur coal with this coal will decrease global emissions. In addition, coal deposits in other locations, with higher sulfur content can expand if the US does not export coal. Should the battle over logistics be the strategy to contain exploration of low sulfur coal ? Should the detrimental economic impact on native American tribes be included in the calculus ? How should the US government intervene to balance the interests of stakeholders ?