Stand for Benicia
On Tuesday, the Benicia City Council will hear from a Citizen Group requesting that a draft Industrial Safety Ordinance be referred to city staff for review. This is a signature moment for Benicia, as it will signal whether the City Council puts the health and safety of Benicia, its citizens and community members over the Valero Refinery’s “just trust us” stance to its industrial safety record. This record is not pristine, as recalled by the disastrous May 5, 2017 event that called for a shelter in place and evacuations, as well as the limited communications and information provided to the city. Because Benicia has neither real time, public fence-line nor community air monitoring we really do not know how toxic and damaging the air we are breathing is. A Benicia Industrial Safety Ordinance would address these loop holes.
Please plan to attend the Benicia City Council meeting, June 19, and show your support for reasonable health and safety measures through a city Industrial Safety Ordinance.
Constance Beutel,
Benicia
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Constance what is wrong with the one in place. it seems to be working well. Just another hit on Valero. This group talks about heavy marine and truck use. I assume AmPorts will also be charged a fee plus others. This groups approach was not a good example of “OPEN GOVERNMRNT”. By passed city council, city attorney, councilmembers and the public. Valero was not given due process. Pure Progressive Socialism at its best. Authoritarian and Totalitarian approach. That is not what America is about. I remember a comment made by the Richmond Mayor saying what they had in place did not work well. Look it up Constance, it is there.
Valero operates under multiple levels of government oversite and regulations; federal, state, and regional controls. All levels are thorough and stringent.
Does the letter writer think that yet another level of regulation will change anything? It is a waste of time and resources. The ISO would not prevent an accident. It appears that with each incident at the refinery the popular reaction is “more regulation”.
How about preventive measures? How about teaming up with the refinery and researching and supporting technologies that may actually make a true difference.
I view the ISO as a purely punitive action. Punishment is not prevention.
Thank you Matter. Well written.