Nancy Price’s Testimony to the Benicia Planning Commission on Feb. 10, 2016

Nancy Price broadened the discussion to possible future sale of crude for direct transport overseas.

Good evening Commissioners,

Thank you for this opportunity as an up-rail Davis resident to speak.

As the final speaker among of Davis residents numbered 91-99 and a former City of Davis Planning Commissioner during the early 1990s, I have the utmost respect for the immense time, energy and attention to detail on a broad range of critical issues you have already spent on the EIR process for the Valero Benicia Crude-by-Rail project (the Project).

Carol Warren’s Testimony to Benicia Planning Commission on Feb. 10, 2016

Carol Warren testified on the impacts of living very close to the train tracks in Dixon.

Dear Planning Commissioners,

My name is Carol Warren, and I am representing the Yolano group of Sierra Club. But mostly, I’m representing myself, because I live in Dixon, perhaps 50 yards from the tracks that carry the oil trains. There are 100 senior citizens living in my apartment complex. There is a trade school across the street, and an elementary school a block away. The tracks go right through downtown Dixon, where there are stores, businesses, a fairground, and churches. We are all in the blast zone for any accident in the Dixon city area.

Lynne Nittler’s Testimony to Benicia Planning Commission Feb. 9, 2016

Lynne Nittler organized the Davis carpools to Benicia.

Dear Planning Commission Members,

Thank you for this opportunity to address you.  I am Lynne Nittler from Davis.

The Planning Department Staff Report suggests the only recourse for uprail residents facing “significant and unavoidable impacts” is to contact our congressional representatives and ask them to pass legislation for our safety.  Staff also suggests that the Planning Commission write such a letter on our behalf.

I want to outline how responsive our CA and Congressional representatives have been in the last two and a half years, and how involved we have already been at the legislative level.    It is partly because of that involvement that the uprail group from Davis asks you to not certify the EIR and to deny the Valero Crude-by-rail Project.

Oil Train Alerts for FEIR releases and public testimony in Benicia & San Luis Obispo

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.

Sign on to West Coast Declaration: No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

Dear Oil Train friends,

Here is an exceptional opportunity for you to sign onto the Declaration below.  The letter from Daphne explains the situation.  Just sign onto the Declaration here. 

I propose having Yolano Climate Action sign on as well, unless any of you send me objections.

In addition, I have sent the Declaration to our city council members, to Yolo County Supervisors, and to SACOG urging them all to sign on to the Declaration.  We are not at the moment threatened with new infrastructure, but we can support the two commitments of the Declaration.

Oil Train Summit in Pittsburgh, PA on Nov. 13-15

sign up now to attend the Oil Train Summit in Pittsburg, PA on Nov. 13-15.

Registration is now open for Oil Train Response 2015, Nov. 13-15 in Pittsburgh, PA – a summit that will bring together grassroots & indigenous leaders, NGOs, elected officials, and oil train experts from across North America to share effective strategies in the effort to protect public health, safety, and the climate from the threat of oil trains.

Yolano Climate Action has some funds available to assist with your travel.  Please contact Lynne at lnittler@sbcglobal.net.

Here is how to register:

If you ARE applying for Financial Assistance with registration fees, travel or other costs, here are the link and instructions:

Please fill out the Financial Assistance Application by October 14. We are providing limited, needs-based financial assistance with registration, travel, and related expenses. We plan to contact applicants about the assistance we can offer by October 21. The Financial Assistance Application is the ONLY form you need to fill out until we contact you about the assistance we can offer. Thank you for telling us what will help you attend and for understanding that our funds are limited and we may not be able to meet all requests.

If you ARE NOT applying for Financial Assistance with registration fees, travel or other costs, here are the link and instructions:

Please fill out the Registration Form.  Registration fees are at half-price through October 16. Once you fill out the Registration Form you’ll get a confirmation email. This email includes a link to a survey with some questions that will help us plan the event. If you already filled out the Save the Date form, you will NOT have to answer the same questions again, but there will be some additional questions to answer.

If you have any questions about registration or the event, please contact Anne at anne@forestethics.org.

We hope to see you in November!

Thank you,

Ethan

Valero Crude-by-rail Project public comment period on RDEIR

30 Protesters began at the train station. Stop oil trains.

On Monday, August 31, Benicia will post the revised sections of Chapter 2 of the draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Valero Crude-by-rail Project.

 

We will have until Oct. 30 for public review (August 31 -Oct. 30 at 5:00 p.m.) which can be a written response emailed to the city (Amy Million, Principal Planner, Community Development Department, 250 East L Street, Benicia, CA 94510.  amillion@.benicia.ca.us  (707) 747-1637 (fax) ).  Testimony was heard at a Planning Commission hearing on Tuesday, September 29 beginning at 6:30 at City Hall, 250 L Street, Benicia.  Other hearings were not needed.  You may still submit written commentary . 

Davis Residents protest oil trains moving through town

30 Protesters began at the train station. Stop oil trains.

Over eighty Davis residents showed up on Saturday, July 11, in fiery red, yellow, and orange shirts to awaken the town to the danger of oil trains transporting highly flammable Bakken crude and toxic tar sands crude oil to refineries in Benicia and San Luis Obispo.  Dozens met first at the train station and carried signs and a six-foot banner of a 1232 oil tank car through downtown Davis to Central Park, a route entirely within the one mile blast zone should there be an accident.  At the park, the marchers enjoyed a round of feisty songs led by the Raging Grannies of Sacramento. 

STOP OIL TRAINS ACTION – JULY 11

                     Save the Date:

        Stop Oil Trains – Davis Action

Saturday, July 11 from 9:30-10:45 a.m.

RSVP here:  https://actionnetwork.org/events/stop-oil-trains-in-davis?source=direct_link&referrer=lynne-nittler

 

There is NO safe way to transport extreme tar sands and Bakken crude. Two years after Lac-Mégantic, oil trains keep exploding and carbon pollution keeps rising.  Oil trains are a disaster for our health, our safety, and our climate.  Join with other Californians on July 11 to remember the 47 who perished in Lac-Mégantic and take action now.

One oil train per week passes through Davis currently.  Two more 100-car trains per day are planned for the near future…unless we stop them.

Davis Vigil and Rally:

• 9:30 a.m. Meet at the Davis Amtrak Station wearing a fiery red, yellow, or orange shirt.  Bring your own sign or carry one of ours.
• Walk through our downtown Blast Zone to the Farmers’ Market at Central Park.
• 10:00 a.m. Gather for a brief Rally at the Rotary Stage (near the carousel) featuring:
• • Rousing songs by the Raging Grannies
  • Mayor Dan Wolk – Davis Resolution against Oil Trains through town
  • Councilman Lucas Frerichs – SACOG letter
  • Senator Lois Wolk – recent CA legislation addressing oil trains
  • Supervisor Jim Provenza – waste water injection  & fracking in Yolo County
  • Damien Luzzo – proposal to ban fracking in Yolo County
  • Leave the crude in the ground!

PR:  Big photo op with our own oil tank car!

Take action: Sign the petition and/or the Pledge to Resist.

Read more about Damien’s story.

For questions or to volunteer:  lnittler@sbcglobal.net

Want more action? Take the 11:20 a.m. Yolo bus to join a mile-long Vigil to stop oil trains with 350 Sacramento from the railroad station on 5th & I to the Capitol on 10th & L.  Wear explosive colors and bring a sign!  www.350sacramento.org

Read the Davis Enterprise for more details. Check the web for more protests around the country.  Try Portland and Martinez.

Future of Railroads Conference – Notes

OIl train accidents, such as the Feb. 15, 2015 accident in West Virginia,  pose dangers for rail workers, too.

Notes by Elizabeth Lasensky

Yesterday, Saturday March 14, I attended the Future of Railroads Conference in Richmond sponsored by Railroad Workers United. This conference was created to bring together railroad workers with environmental and community activists to find where we have common ground. And we do have common ground.