Oil train hearings in February. Your voice counts! Attend one or both hearings!
Add your voice to the public testimony on the FEIRs and usage permit questions.
Our oil train sagas continue with an urgent next chapter for both the Valero Crude-by-Rail Project in Benicia and the Phillips 66 Rail Spur Extension Project in San Luis Obispo.
Both cities will hold final public hearings to listen to your brief comments on their Final Environmental Impact Reports (FEIR) and whether the projects should be denied. This may be our last chance to oppose the permits to allow infrastructure for the transport of crude by rail to the two refineries. We need as many voices as possible from uprail folks to make an impact. See actions for San Luis Obispo and Benicia below.
San Luis Obispo / Phillips 66 Refinery. On Feb. 3rd take Amtrak to SLO to testify for 2 minutes the morning of Feb. 4th on the Final EIR released in December detailing eleven “significant and unavoidable ” impacts. These include air quality and health impacts, and the risk of “fire or explosion in the vicinity of a populated area” that would affect all communities along the rail route. Phillips 66 proposes bringing 80 or more tank cars of tar sands crude per week on a route through northern California including Sacramento, Davis, the Bay Area, and on to San Luis Obispo.
The hearings will be at the San Luis Obispo County Building, 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo. Speaker numbers will be given out beginning at 8:00 a.m. on February 4th. The hearings will begin at 9:00 am.
Local activists will be taking Amtrak to San Luis Obispo. Please contact Elizabeth Lasensky, elasensky@yahoo.com if you would like to join us. We have some funding to cover travel and lodging.
You may also email written comments to Planning Commissioners and Supervisors at these email addresses. If possible, make your comments specific to the FEIR above, especially if you wrote a letter that received comments in the FEIR and you wish to respond.
– jim@jimirving.com (Planning Commissioner)
– ktopping@calpoly.edu (Planning Commissioner)
– frenchbicycles@gmail.com (Planning Commissioner)
– elcarroll@co.slo.ca.us (Planning Coordinator)
– rhedges@co.slo.ca.us (Planning Assistant)
– jbrennan@co.slo.ca.us (Supervisor)
– bgibson@co.slo.ca.us (Supervisor)
– ahill@co.slo.ca.us (Supervisor)
– lreynolds151@gmail.com (Supervisor)
– darnold@co.slo.ca.us (Supervisor)
– fmecham@co.slo.ca.us (Supervisor)
– boardofsups@co.slo.ca.us (Board of Supervisors, general address)
You may copy and paste this list into your email:
jim@jimirving.com; ktopping@calpoly.edu; frenchbicycles@gmail.com; elcarroll@co.slo.ca.us; rhedges@co.slo.ca.us; cray@co.slo.ca.us; bgibson@co.slo.ca.us; bgibson@co.slo.ca.us; ahill@co.slo.ca.us; lreynolds151@gmail.com; darnold@co.slo.ca.us; fmecham@co.slo.ca.us; boardofsups@co.slo.ca.us
Benicia / Valero Refinery. FEIR was released on January 5. The City of Benicia Planning Commission will hold a formal public hearing to receive comments on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. to consider the Final EIR and a Use Permit for the Crude by Rail project that will bring 100 tank cars per day of Bakken crude and perhaps eventually tar sands through Davis enroute to Benicia each day. If warranted, additional meetings will be held February 9-11. All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Benicia City Hall, located at 250 East L Street, Benicia, CA 94510.
Contact Lynne at lnittler@sbcglobal.net to carpool on Feb. 8, leaving from the Unitarian Universalist Church at 27074 Patwin Road off Russell Blvd. at 4:00pm to arrive in time to get seats and sign up to speak on the first night. Put “Benicia carpool” in the subject line. For a big impact, we need 4-5 carpools! You will only be allowed to speak briefly. We’ll provide speaking points.
You may also email your comments on the specifics of the FEIR and your recommendation on whether to accept or deny the proposed project to the City of Benicia: Amy Million, Principal Planner, Benicia Community Development Department: amillion@ci.benicia.ca.us.
You may also send your letter to Amy Million at 250 East L Street, Benicia, CA 94510, or by Fax: (707) 747-1637.
Yolano Climate Action Central 