Jean Jackman’s Testimony to Benicia Planning Commission on Feb. 9, 2016

Jean Jackman asks the Planning Commission to be good neighbors, moral people, and consider the health of all people along the rail.

Re:  Public Comment delivered at Feb. 9, 2016 Planning Commission meeting.  This is my written version of comments regarding the FEIR and the Valero Crude-by-Rail Project.  Please note I have submitted letters to earlier drafts as well.

Good evening Commissioners.  Thank you for you public service, dedication and endurance.

My name is Jean Jackman and I am your neighbor from Davis.

 I am terrified at the prospect of 1.5 million gallons of oil rolling through my town twice a day.

Frances Burke’s Testimony to Benicia Planning Commission on Feb. 10, 2016

Frances Burke urged the Planning Commission not to base their future on a dinosaur industry.

Good Evening, My name is Frances Burke I am from the City of Davis in Yolo County.

As has been brought to your attention, Davis is a uprail community . Oil mega trains headed to the  Valero refinery will pass through our downtown and past my house..  I live in a UC Davis housing community and within 200 feet of the Union Pacific rail tracks. I can see and hear trains passing by all day and all night. With the Valero refinery and the crude oil trains it will bring, I will feel, smell, and taste the additional fumes and breath the additional particulate matter from the increased daily trains.  I will hear and feel the increased train traffic every time they signal at a crossing, and I am a potential victim of a deadly accident, explosion or train derailment.

Dana Stokes’ Testimony to Benicia Planning Commission on February 10, 2016

Dana Stokes spoke on the True Cost of Oil that must be paid by someone!

Dear Planning Commissioners,

Thank you for listening to my commentary this evening.  Here is the written version of my comments regarding the Final Environmental Impact Report and the Valero Crude–by-Rail Project.

The True Cost of Oil – Who Pays?

I wish to address the section of the staff report entitled “Significant and Unavoidable Impacts (Impacts without Mitigation Measures)” beginning on page 26.   The identified impacts are summarized for informational purposes only, as the staff report summarizes in several paragraphs why under federal preemption no mitigations of any kind can be offered for any of the impacts.

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.