The next two meetings for public comment on issues surrounding the Gateway Pacific Terminal coal export project will be held in Friday Harbor and Mount Vernon.

The Friday Harbor meeting will be noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at Friday Harbor High School, 45 Blair Ave.

The Mount Vernon meeting will be 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way.

Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Department of Ecology and Whatcom County Planning Department will attend to listen to testimony about what environmental and economic issues need study as part of the project's environmental impact statement.

That document, often referred to as an EIS, must be prepared as a part of the process of deciding whether the coal terminal, proposed by SSA Marine of Seattle, should be granted federal, state and Whatcom County permits needed to build and operate at a Cherry Point site south of the BP refinery.

Another Whatcom County meeting will be held 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at Ferndale Events Center, 5715 Barrett Road.

Reach JOHN STARK at 715-2274 or john.stark@bellinghamherald.com . Read the Politics Blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics.