Long-awaited recirculation cites ‘significant’ environmental impacts; public given 45 days to comment
The long-awaited revision of the draft Valero Crude-by-Rail Project Environmental Impact Report was released Monday, almost a full year after California’s attorney general and others publicly challenged the scope and accuracy of the document.
The new report cited additional negative environmental effects of the project pertaining to air quality, greenhouse gases, protected species and more, expanding its scope to cover impacts for more “uprail” communities — and finding “significant and unavoidable” effects that would result from approval of the project.
The “recirculated” report (RDEIR) is just the latest development in Valero’s three-year battle to bring crude oil deliveries to its Benicia refinery by train. The proposal for a use permit to extend Union Pacific Railroad lines into its property so crude oil could be delivered by rail car, initially submitted to Benicia Planning Commission in late 2012, triggered an uproar over environmental and safety concerns, which prompted the drafting of an Environmental Impact Report.
The document, released in 2014, was criticized by many, including Attorney General Kamala Harris and state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, who felt the report’s focus on the 69 miles of rail between Benicia and Roseville didn’t adequately convey the scope of the project’s potentially negative impacts.
The RDEIR addressed these concerns by expanding the range of its focus beyond Roseville to three new routes: the Oregon state line to Roseville; the Nevada state line to northern Roseville; and the Nevada state line to southern Roseville.
In the process, the report uncovered more significant environmental impacts.
The refinery has said it expected 50 to 100 additional rail cars to arrive up to twice a day, brought in at a time of day when there would be little impact on traffic. The trains would carry 70,000 barrels of North American crude each day, replacing shipped barrels from foreign sources, the refinery said in its use permit application.
The DEIR had initially noted that greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Crude-by-Rail Project would be “less than significant.” The RDEIR updated the risk level of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions to “significant and unavoidable,” specifically if trains used the line from Oregon to Roseville, which would travel a round-trip distance of 594 miles per day.
Additionally, the RDEIR found that the project would conflict with Executive Order S-3-05, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The revised report also found that nitrogen-oxide levels would increase in the Yolo-Solano region, among other areas, and that nitrogen emissions in Placer County “would exceed the cumulative 10-pounds-per-day significance threshold.”
Biological resources drew another area of concern. According to the report, crude-by-rail trains could have “potential impacts to biological resources along any southern route,” that “could include collision-related injury and mortality to protected wildlife and migratory bird species.”
Finally, the RDEIR said, other hazards exist: If a train were to crash and result in a small oil spill, there would be a 100-percent chance of 100 gallons or more being released. Similarly, should a train crash in a high fire danger area, the risks would be inevitable.
As the report notes, “Because no reasonable, feasible mitigation measures are available that would, if implemented, reduce the significance below the established threshold, this secondary hazards- and hazardous materials-related impact would be significant and unavoidable.”
Conversely, other areas of concern such as noise pollution and earthquakes, were found to have little or no significant impact.
“Valero’s effort to rush through their dangerous project and their long record of constant violations and fines of Bay Area Air Quality Management District emissions rules give many of us pause to reflect on the many risks associated with this project,” said Andres Soto, a Benicia resident and member of Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community, a group formed to oppose the Crude-by-Rail Project.
“It is only due to the volume and detail of scope of all of the public comments received on the original Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) that Benicia chose to recirculate a seriously flawed DEIR. California Attorney General Kamala Harris and many uprail communities, as well as many Benicians, including BSHC, identified many critical shortcomings with the original DEIR.
“Valero has shown nothing but intransigence and misinformation in the face of this opposition to its flawed proposal, thus we do not expect much to have changed in the RDEIR from the DEIR that would convince us that Valero and Union Pacific Railroad can make this project safe enough for Benicia. The risk of catastrophic explosions along the rail line and in Benicia, and the plan to process dirtier extreme crude oils strip-mined from Canadian tar sands and fracked in the Bakken shale formation is just too dangerous for our safety and our environment.
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
A Valero representative was asked to comment on the newly released report but did not respond by press time Monday.
Copies of the RDEIR are available at Benicia Public Library, 150 East L St.; at the Community Development Department at Benicia City Hall, 250 East L St.; and as a PDF download on the city’s website, www.ci.benicia.ca.us.
Public comments on the RDEIR will be accepted by the city until Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. Comments may be submitted in writing to Amy Million, principal planner of the Community Development Department, 250 East L St., Benicia, CA 94510; or they may be given at formal public hearings on the project by Benicia Planning Commission, the first of which will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at City Hall.
Additional Planning Commission meetings to receive comments on the RDEIR are scheduled for Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8.
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Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: morevaluable crude-by-rail news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials can use…
“Learning ‘Inside the Blast Zone’: Oil Trains Put Millions of Children at Risk
“Railroad disasters shouldn’t be one of the ‘three Rs’ on the minds of school kids and their parents.”
“The federal government needs to protect the millions of students sitting in classrooms inside the blast zone,” said Matt Krogh, extreme oil campaign director for ForestEthics, which is calling for a moratorium on oil trains in the absence of publicly available information about their routes, their contents, and their safety.
“The analyses underscore the importance of transparency around oil trains—transparency that has so far been non-existent.”
“[W]e don’t even know the details on the dangers of these trains—and neither do our first responders or our elected leaders,” says ForestEthics in a call to action. “We don’t know because oil train companies like BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National are keeping four critical types of information hidden.” According to the group, those are:
1.The routing choices they make through cities, towns and sensitive areas;
2.The worst case scenario models they create for your town;
3.The insurance amount they have to cover themselves; and
4.Their emergency response plans when the unthinkable happens.
“ForestEthics has dubbed these documents “The Oil Train Secrets” and is calling for their public release.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/09/08/learning-inside-blast-zone-oil-trains-put-millions-children-risk
“Climate change is happening faster, more intensely and, in many cases, at an unprecedented rate of change….This demands action”
—–World Wildlife Fund,2013.
For….” the good of our planet.”
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable climate change news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials should seriously consider…
“Here’s Why 2016 Could Be Even Warmer Than 2015″
We my be seeing a lot of spontaneous combustion over the next year. Researchers at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) reported Thursday we’re now in an El Niño that is both “strong” and will last through the spring. The resulting burst of regional warming in the tropical Pacific on top of the strong long-term global warming trend means that, as Climate Progress has been reporting for months, 2015 will easily be the hottest year on record — blowing past the record just set in 2014.”
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/12/3700678/2015-hottest-year-ever-2016-hotter/
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Private profits and city revenues vs. the fate of a livable planet. for our children and grand-children. Which will it be Benicia?
Who will our elect officials trust, oil and rail company executives or climate scientists?
“Climate change is happening faster, more intensely and, in many cases, at an unprecedented rate of change….This demands action”
—–World Wildlife Fund,2013.–From the book:” Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis..” Clarity Press.
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable climate change news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials should seriously consider…
“Record El Niño Puts the ‘Icing’ on Global Warming Cake”
“Human-induced climate change has pushed the Earth to the brink of a major shift as scientists predict rapidly rising global temperatures within the next two years.”
“A study, titled Big Changes Underway in the Climate System? (pdf) and published by the British Meteorological Office, notes that heightened greenhouse gas emissions will exacerbate the naturally-occurring phenomenon known as El Niño to push global temperatures to record highs.”
“It looks very likely that globally 2014, 2015 and 2016 will all be amongst the very warmest years ever recorded,” said scientist Rowan Sutton, who peer-reviewed the study.
“This is not a fluke,” Sutton, who works for the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, continued. “We are seeing the effects of energy steadily accumulating in the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, caused by greenhouse gas emissions.”
“It is now likely that decadal warming rates will reach late 20th century levels in the next couple of years,” said the study’s lead researcher, professor Adam Scaife, of the Met Office Hadley Centre”
“We believe we are at an important point in the time series of the Earth’s climate and we’ll look back on this period as an important turning point,” he said. “That’s why we’re emphasizing it because we’re seeing so many big changes at once.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/09/14/record-el-nino-puts-icing-global-warming-cake
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable crude-by-rail news and video information the community and our appointed and elected officials can use…
“DeSmog’s new investigative video, written and produced by Justin Mikulka, details a coordinated effort by the oil industry, members of the U.S. Congress, regulators and the Department of Energy to challenge the known science of crude oil characteristics with the goal of delaying or avoiding any regulatory changes requiring Bakken crude oil stabilization, a safety measure that would protect the millions of people currently living in bomb train blast zones.”
“Stabilization is the process that removes the volatile natural gas liquids from the crude oil, resulting in a “stable” petroleum product with greatly reduced volatility and flammability.”
“DeSmog has reported extensively on the oil-by-rail policy battle, including an investigation that revealed the direct role of the White House in working with North Dakota regulators to avoid any requirements for oil stabilization for the Bakken crude.”
“Warning: This video contains science, humor and political theater all in one — a volatile mix indeed!”
http://www.desmogblog.com/2015/09/17/video-government-industry-ignore-scientific-case-improving-crude-rail-safety-let-bomb-trains-roll
Maybe with the new editor they will allow you back on the Forum page. I sure hope not. By the way the new editor has already left, lasted a day or two. You must have drove her away .
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Private profits and city revenues vs. the fate of a livable planet. for our children and grand-children. Which will it be Benicia?
Who will our elect officials trust, oil and rail company executives or climate scientists?
“Climate change is happening faster, more intensely and, in many cases, at an unprecedented rate of change….This demands action”
—–World Wildlife Fund,2013.–From the book:” Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis..” Clarity Press.
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable climate change news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials should seriously consider…
“California in Losing Battle With Climate Change as Wildfires Devour 700 Homes, Force 23,000 to Flee”
“The oceans and airs of the world are warming. The waters of the Northeastern Pacific have concentrated that heat — resulting in the formation of powerful high pressure systems never seen in modern human memory. Highs that have warded off rainfall from the US West Coast for the better part of five years. Highs that have boosted already above average heat for the region so that now California snowpacks are at their lowest levels in at least 500 years. A lack of rainfall and water flow from snow melt setting off the worst drought in at least 1,200 years. One that has greatly contributed to the death of millions of trees across the state and increased fire risk to extreme and likely never before seen levels.”
“There are harsh consequences to dumping 11 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere each and every year. A rate faster, as an initial forcing, than at any rate in geological history. Governor Jerry Brown, horrified by the severity of the situation this week stated —
“We are really in a battle with nature, … nature is more powerful than we are.”
“Partly true. What’s really happening is that we’ve riled nature into a climate change driven frenzy of heat and fire. And it’s becoming too violent for us to manage.”
http://robertscribbler.com/2015/09/15/california-in-losing-battle-with-climate-change-as-wildfires-devour-700-homes-force-23000-to-flee/
Will you are clueless. The refineries have been in the area for over 100 hunderd years. The rail lines for over 150 years. The train bridge for 85 years. Will just where have you been. Life expectancey is way up not down. You and your AFF crowd are trying to push the refineries out of the area. Will if you have sucess just watch what happens to Benicia. Will have you ever heard of compromise. Will yound your crowd are the ones not listening.
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Private profits and city revenues vs. the fate of a livable planet. for our children and grand-children. Which will it be Benicia?
Who will our elect officials trust, oil and rail company executives or climate scientists?
“Climate change is happening faster, more intensely and, in many cases, at an unprecedented rate of change….This demands action”
—–World Wildlife Fund,2013.–From the book:” Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis..” Clarity Press.
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
Bravo, Mr. Soto!
From the post below: more valuable climate change news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials should seriously consider…
“Climate Expert James Hansen: “We’ve Got An Emergency”
“Time is running out to transition to renewable energy, Hansen said, yet the most “relevant” people in power aren’t aware of the situation’s gravity. “Even people who go around saying, ‘We have a planet in peril,’ don’t get it. Until we’re aware of our future, we can’t deal with it.”
:Mass species extinction, extreme weather events, dry spells and fires are climate change impacts which are happening now. A warmer atmosphere and warmer oceans can lead to stronger storms, he explained. Superstorm Sandy, for example, remained a hurricane all the way up the Eastern seaboard to New York because Atlantic waters were abnormally warm.”
“Amplifying impacts” and feedback loops will accelerate the changes, according to Hansen. “It will happen faster than you think,” he said. If major coastal cities become “dysfunctional” because of sea level rise, as he believes is possible, the global economy could be in peril of collapse.”
Scare tactics or facts?
http://www.dcmediagroup.us/2015/09/10/climate-expert-james-hansen-weve-emergency/
Will now that the local paper is in the process of getting a new editor are you going to attempt to get back on the Forum page as a featured writer? After all you are called “Benicia Citizen Research Reporter”. What a joke.
“How sad to think that nature speaks and mankind does not listen.”
— Victor Hugo, 1840.
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: A valuable investigative report on Benicia’s former refinery tenant, that, is a “MUST READ” for our citizenry and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider..especially when when making their decision on crude-by-rail….and THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET!!
“Exxon’s Own Research Confirmed Fossil Fuels’ Role in Global Warming Decades Ago”
“At a meeting in Exxon Corporation’s headquarters, a senior company scientist named James F. Black addressed an audience of powerful oilmen. Speaking without a text as he flipped through detailed slides, Black delivered a sobering message: carbon dioxide from the world’s use of fossil fuels would warm the planet and could eventually endanger humanity.”
“In the first place, there is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels,” Black told Exxon’s Management Committee, according to a written version he recorded later.”
‘It was July 1977 when Exxon’s leaders received this blunt assessment, well before most of the world had heard of the looming climate crisis.’
“A year later, Black, a top technical expert in Exxon’s Research & Engineering division, took an updated version of his presentation to a broader audience. He warned Exxon scientists and managers that independent researchers estimated a doubling of the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere would increase average global temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (4 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit), and as much as 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) at the poles. Rainfall might get heavier in some regions, and other places might turn to desert.”
The rest of the story, as they say,–below–if you handle the truth and fact based journalism.
.http://insideclimatenews.org/news/15092015/Exxons-own-research-confirmed-fossil-fuels-role-in-global-warming
Sorry Will you are useless. You are like a broken record.
“How sad to think that nature speaks and mankind does not listen.”
— Victor Hugo, 1840.
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable climate change news and information ( or more about those, ” broken record(s”) ) the community and our appointed and elected officials should seriously comprehend…as we enter a very uncertain climate future.
“The Planet Set Three Major Heat Records In August”
“Like a broken record, we are breaking records for temperature over and over and over again. NOAA’s latest monthly State of the Climate Report reports that the Earth just experienced the hottest August on record, the hottest summer (June to August) on record, and the hottest year to date.”
“And it wasn’t even close. Each of those records was broken by 0.18°F (or more). So, yes, 2015 is going to be the hottest year on record — by far.”
“Bottom line: 2014 was the hottest year on record. 2015 will easily top that. And 2016 may well beat 2015, as discussed here. The long-awaited speed up in global warming is at hand.”
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/17/3702638/hottest-august-summer-year/
Mr. Gregory,
Do you support the closure of Valero? If yes, then how will Benicia replace the lost revenue?
Fair questions.
If you can’t answer directly, then your rhetoric is just ….. Rhetoric.
What our “Local Research Reporter” does not understand is the cost to the city if the PC or CC turns down Valero. Valero is the client and will sue the city. The city will pay big time. Will does not understand any of that. He is just an Enviro Greenie agenda driven idealist with no knowledge about the issue. Another words Will is clueless.
Bob Livesay:What our “Local Research Reporter” does not understand…
That would be a very long list, Bob.
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
—Issac Asimov
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: more valuable crude-by-rail news and information for the community and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
“Pre-emption: How and Why Rail Companies Are Above The Law”
“Pre-emption means that rail companies are not subject to any local or state laws. So if they want to build a new propane transloading facility near a school or neighborhood, they can…”
“A new article by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting details how pre-emption has allowed for the construction of oil and gas trans-loading facilities on rail company property with little to no oversight in communities like Grafton, Massachusetts. ”
“In Grafton, the owner of a small railroad constructed what is now the largest rail propane facility in the state. No construction permits were acquired. No environmental assessments completed. And as NECIR reports, the rail company’s neighbors weren’t very happy about any of this.”
“Residents were dumbfounded: The location was in the middle of a residential neighborhood, less than 2,000 feet from an elementary school and atop the town’s water supply.”
“That is the reality of pre-emption. As we’ve reported on DeSmog since oil trains started derailing and exploding, pre-emption applies to all areas of rail operations.”
”
Rail companies believe they are not subject to “right to know” laws regarding the transportation of dangerous materials through communities.”
More truth-telling in the article below:
http://www.desmogblog.com/2015/10/01/pre-emption-how-and-why-rail-companies-are-above-law
A new name for our “Local Research Reporter”. “Copycat Reporter that is Clueless”.
Just curious … If crude by rail is so terrible, do you support the continued supply chain of crude by tanker?
Do you have another preferred method of supplying Valero?
Or do you advocate closure of Valero?
The “Copycat Reporter” will not answer that question.
The use of the quote from Iasaac Asimov brings this truism to mind:
“To understand the workings of American politics, you have to understand this fundamental law: Conservatives think liberals are stupid. Liberals think conservatives are evil.” –Charles Krauthammer Jul 26, 2002
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the post below: A valuable interview/discussion on Benicia’s former refinery tenant, that, is a “MUST READ” for our citizenry and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider.–especially when making their decision on crude-by-rail….and THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET!!
Key question: Should Exxon officials go to jail?
“For decades, Exxon has publicly questioned the science of global warming, contradicting internal findings by the company’s own scientists. Recent exposés by Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times reveal that Exxon concealed for decades its own conclusions that fossil fuels cause global warming, alter the climate and melt the Arctic. Exxon’s climate deception is now sparking calls for a federal probe similar to that which yielded a racketeering conviction of Big Tobacco for hiding the dangers of smoking. We are joined by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California), who is calling for a Justice Department investigation of Exxon, as well as 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben, who was just arrested for a one-man protest shutting down his local Exxon gas station. “It’s difficult to think of a company that could have set back humanity for decades, and perhaps permanently,” Rep. Lieu says. “But that’s what happened here.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/10/21/prison_for_exxon_execs_calls_grow
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more business as usual or leading the way to protect our future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
More valuable information for our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
“Overheated Planet Entering ‘Uncharted Territory at Frightening Speed’
“Head of the World Meteorological Organization warned that dangerous milestone of 400 ppm will soon be a “permanent reality”
Key quote from the article below:
“The laws of physics are non-negotiable,”
“The report further shows that concentrations of the most prevalent greenhouse gases reached new highs in 2014 with industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities driving dramatic increases since pre-industrial times. Carbon levels have increased 143 percent, nitrous oxide (N2O) is at 121 percent, and methane (CH4) reached an eye-popping 254 percent increase since 1750. ”
“WMO warns that this “relentless rise” is fueling climate change and “will make the planet more dangerous and inhospitable for future generations.”
“This latest bulletin comes just three weeks before the COP21 climate talks are set to begin in Paris, during which global leaders are expected to set international targets for greenhouse gas emissions.”
http://commons.commondreams.org/t/overheated-planet-entering-unchartered-territory-at-frightening-speed/15158/3
Portland city council news the community can use—
“Omyheavens-Portland just passed bill stopping new fossil fuel infrastructure. This is a unprecedented step forward! ”
—Bill McKibben
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more business as usual or leading the way to protect our future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
‘The Tides Are Turning’: Portland Passes Landmark Resolution Against Fossil Fuel Infrastructure”
In what climate activists are celebrating as a “landmark” win, the Portland (Oregon) City Council on Thursday unanimously voted to pass a resolution opposing the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in the city and its adjacent waterways.—( read the Resolution)–
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/11/13/tides-are-turning-portland-passes-landmark-resolution-against-fossil-fuel
Will you are growing dirt under a concrete slab. Stop it. You are clueless. Now that there is a new editor maybe you can tell the local residents why you are not posting on the forum page. Simple Will you have been banned Will if you ever get out of the Progressive closet someone might even consider your biased comment. After all the mayor praised you on your contribution to her election success except the Reverend said you were never part of it. Strange Will. maybe you can explain
“To destroy our planet with malice aforethought, with only the most immediate profits on the brain,with only your own comfort and wellbeing (and those of your shareholders) in mind: Isn’t that the ultimate crime?”
—Tom Englehardt, “Terracide and the Terrarists: Destroying the Planet for Record Profits.”
TomDispatch, May 23, 2013.
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more business as usual or leading the way to protect our future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
“Heat Building on Exxon as Multiple Probes Explore Climate Cover-Up”
“Over the course of nearly forty years, the company has contributed millions of dollars to think-tanks and politicians that have done their best to spread doubt and misinformation—first on the existence of climate change, then the extent of the problem, and now its cause,” reads the petition, circulated by groups including 350.org, CREDO, and Climate Parents. “If Exxon intentionally misled the public about climate change and fossil fuels, then they should be held accountable.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/11/19/heat-building-exxon-multiple-probes-explore-climate-cover
Let’s all skip down to the bottom line of Mr. Gregory’s, and local politicos agenda.
Let’s all put our collective money where our collective mouths are.
Let’s force the nasty ole oil company out of Benicia.
Let’s then proudly pony up all the taxes, water sales, retail and rental
taxes and income we’ll lose from the absence of Valero.
After all it will only cost you homeowners a couple thousand $$$ a year in property taxes to make up the difference.
Just think how proud you’ll feel though finally having taken a real stand against the nasty ole oil industry.
I like your thinking, KHV.
It always strikes me as odd that people will move near a refinery or airport, then complain about the refinery or airplane noise.
Odd yes, but the real world complexity does not make for easy judgements. Take your airport example. Over time things can change making a tolerable situation is intolerable. Jumbo jets arrive, landings of jets increase from 2 per hour to two together every 2 minutes with departures in between. It can be a case of inverse condemnation and it is real. LAX and the City of LA bought a lot of houses to deal with that.
The City of Brentwood and other rural communities require disclosures about farm activities to new homeowners whose houses are on former Ag land to protect farmers who have not yet sold their land to developers. Do the homeowners have the right to complain about pesticide overspray, odors, dust and other nuisances? There is no right to pollute or cause a nuisance; it’s not like a water right which has a first in time priority. So when things change or even when they don’t, it poses interesting questions with no simple answers.
Greg, Funny that you should mention airports. In the last several months, SFO and OAK (really the FAA) have drastically altered approach flight paths. There are now areas that previously had no, or very little air traffic. However, now routine low altitude jets have brought with them an exponential increase in noise levels. So much so, that that it appears it is moving in the direction of a lawsuit. The folks that live in these areas did purchase their homes with the expectation that this would someday become an issue. Quite the opposite, in fact.
http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/flight-path-complaints-continue-to-mount-in-santa-cruz-county/35096388
^
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more business as usual or leading the way to protect our future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the article below:more valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed (planning commission) and elected officials ( city council) and to seriously consider…
“1.06 C Above 1880: Climate Year 2015 Shatters All Previous Records For Hottest Ever”
“We knew it was going to be a record breaker. We knew that atmospheric greenhouse gasses in the range of 400 parts per million CO2 and 485 parts per million CO2e, when combined with one of the top three strongest El Ninos in the Pacific, would result in new all-time global record high temperatures. But what we didn’t know was how substantial the jump would ultimately be.”
“Today, the numbers were made public by NASA. And I hate to say it, but it’s a real doozy.”
Key comment “:But aside from reality once again making the fossil fuel cheerleaders of the world (aka climate change deniers) look increasingly imbecilic, 2015’s new temperature increase is a visible sign of increasing climate danger.”
“Regardless of arguments about how possible or likely we are to avoid such dangerous and catastrophic warming in the future, we should recognize now that we’ve already locked in enough atmospheric and ocean heat to begin setting off dangerous geophysical changes. A world 1 C hotter than 1880 is a world of increasingly rapid sea level rise, a world of increasingly swiftly declining ocean health, a world where water security in many places is already at risk, a world of worsening droughts and deluges, a world in which the strongest storms are growing ever stronger. A world 1 C hotter than 1880 is a world that is starting to see the dangerous and damaging impacts of human-forced climate change. A place where the worst is still yet to come.”
“So let’s not mince words. It’s going to be bad and it’s going to get worse. How bad and how much worse depends on how rapidly the world weans itself off fossil fuels and hits net zero or net negative carbon emissions.”
http://robertscribbler.com/2015/12/14/1-06-c-above-1880-climate-year-2015-shatters-all-previous-records-for-hottest-ever-recorded/
“Say a prayer for the Pretender / Who started out so young and strong / Only to surrender.”
— Singer, songwriter, Jackson Browne.
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the article below ::More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed (planning commission) and elected officials ((city council) to seriously consider…
“And the Climate Pretender Award Goes to” …
“My candidate for the inaugural Climate Pretender Award is California Gov. Jerry Brown.”
“While in Paris, Gov. Brown and members of his administration gave one self-congratulatory presentation after another that held up California as a model of climate leadership for the world to emulate”
“But not a word was spoken about the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in Porter Ranch near Los Angeles, which, since Oct. 23, has been spewing 50,000 kilograms (= 110,000 pounds) of methane per hour into the air from a pipe that no one knows how to fix. The single leak alone is the greenhouse gas equivalent of six coal-burning power plants”…
“Indeed, the flow rate of the escaping methane from Aliso Canyon is so extraordinary and the concentrations so astronomical that, out of concern that airplanes could ignite it, the FAA has declared a no-fly zone over the community that will be in place until at least March”
“And now we find out, thanks to a Public Accountability Initiative report, that the gas storage well in Porter Ranch is owned by a company where Gov. Brown’s sister is a highly-compensated board member. The report also points out that his sister, Kathleen Brown, plays an environmental, health and safety oversight role at the company.”
“According to the report:”
“Brown’s relationships with the oil and gas industry likely play a role in influencing his stances on these issues. This report, to be released in sections in the coming weeks, will detail Brown’s many ties to the industry: through his campaigns and political causes, which have benefited from significant industry funding; through close associates, who play advocacy and leadership roles in the industry; and through appointments to key regulatory roles.”
More about the incestuous relationship between big oil and the Brown family below…warning barf bag may be needed. Also read Erin Brockovich’s article on the same subject matter.
,http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/12/20/and-climate-pretender-award-goes
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/12/21/porter-ranch-gas-leak-catastrophe-not-seen-bp-oil-spill
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the article below ::More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed (planning commission) and elected officials ((city council) to seriously consider…
“Pittsburg Defeats WesPac: Biggest California Crude Oil Project Stopped in its Tracks”
“In the final days of 2015 the victories for the climate justice movement are coming fast and furious — fracking bans to pipeline wins to breakthrough climate policies. This week, after years of a hard-fought community-led campaign, we learned that the oil services company WesPac has withdrawn their permit applications to build the biggest oil terminal on the West Coast in Pittsburg, CA!”
”
“That means 242,000 barrels a day of toxic and explosive extreme crude oil from the tar sands and the Bakken will stay in the ground, and off the tankers, oil trains, and pipelines WesPac would have built to bring this dangerous crude to Bay Area refineries.”
“This is an extraordinary victory, and one that demonstrates that grassroots organizing can overcome the power of big oil.”
“Hats off to everyone who contributed to this extraordinary effort: especially the community leaders at the Pittsburg Defense Council and Pittsburg Ethics Council, and also Communities for a Better Environment, Sunflower Alliance, Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter, Natural Resources Defense Council, and 350 Bay Area, among others. This victory belongs to our movement, but most of all to the tireless, resilient, creative, and courageous people of Pittsburg.”
“Let WesPac’s demise serve as a warning to Valero, Phillips 66, and other oil giants that are trying to build oil train terminals in California right now: our movement will not stop until all oil trains projects are halted in their tracks, and extreme oil stays in the ground where it belongs.”
http://pittsburgdc.org/?p=2261
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the article below ::More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed (planning commission) and elected officials ((city council) to seriously consider…
“Martinez: Train derailment near Benicia Bridge rekindles safety fears along East Bay’s refinery belt”
–” Three tank cars carrying a hazardous liquid derailed Wednesday morning on train tracks under the Benicia Bridge, and although there were no reports of leaks, the incident rekindled fears about the potential dangers of derailments along the East Bay’s industrial and refinery belt.”
“These kind of derailments are an example that our community and all the up-rail communities would be in grave danger if crude-by-rail projects are approved,” said Andres Soto of the environmental group Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community. “We’re so glad that (the WesPac oil terminal project) was taken off the table in Pittsburg recently. … These trains go under bridges, and if there was an explosion, the volatility involved could destroy those bridges. It’s a regional issue.”
” Last year anti-crude-by-rail activists in Pittsburg celebrated when the WesPac oil terminal project, which originally envisioned unloading as many as five 104-car oil trainloads a week, was taken off the table. In Benicia, a similar controversy surrounds a Valero proposal to deliver crude by rail to its refinery there. Residents opposed to the project are planning to voice their opposition at a Feb. 8 Benicia Planning Commission meeting, Soto said..”
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_29408757/martinez-union-pacific-tankers-derail-under-benicia-bridge
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
From the article below ::More valuable news and information for our citizenry and our appointed (planning commission) and elected officials ((city council) to seriously consider,,,
“Nationwide Resistance To Crude Oil ‘Bomb Trains’ Gaining Momentum”
“In San Luis Obispo, a local resident explained her opposition to the project”…
“If this project goes forward, we can never go back and change it. The damage will be done and it will be just a matter of time before an accident happens.”
” And if you think she is being alarmist, just remember that the head of the National Transportation Safety Board recently said essentially the same thing.”
http://www.desmogblog.com/2016/02/11/nationwide-resistance-crude-oil-bomb-trains-gaining-momentum
Crude-by rail…what will our public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
From the above article:
“We hope that after thoroughly reviewing the RDEIR, our Planning Commission and City Council will have the wisdom to deny this project for the good of Benicia, our neighboring communities and the good of our planet.”
Well, our Planning Commission members have made a UNANIMOUS 7-0 decision to deny the crude-by- rail project— for the good of our community and the planet. Thank you. Well done. Bravo!
Also a big shout -out to Mr. Roger Straw and his excellent (Benicia Independent) coverage of this subject matter over the past 3 years or so.
The articles below gives the reader/community more information on the Resolution to deny the crude-by-rail project: and the second article lets our Planning Commission and City Council know that there is much more work to be done as we go forward in to a very uncertain environmental future,
http://beniciaindependent.com/released-benicia-planning-commission-resolution-to-deny-valero-permit/
http://robertscribbler.com/2016/02/18/no-winter-for-the-arctic-in-2016-nasa-marks-hottest-january-ever-recorded/
How about a big shout out for the City of Benicia staff. They followed the rules and the law. It will be business as usual at Valero. No different than past 47 years.. What’s next for the anti fossil fuel crowd. You will hear more from the anti fossil fuel folks.
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below more important-valuable information for our community to consider…
“I have talked to scientists all over the world. And what they are telling me — if we don’t get our act together — this planet could be 5-10 degrees warmer by the end of this Century! Cataclysmic problems for this planet! This is a national crisis!” — Bernie Sanders, Michigan Democratic Debate, March 6th.
http://robertscribbler.com/2016/03/07/climate-change-why-2016-may-be-the-most-important-election-in-us-history/
Why does crude by oil matter? Valero will get its crude. Why the celebration by the anti-fossil fuel crowd?
Do they think Valero will be pained by the decision? No. Their costs will be higher and they will pass those costs onto the public. The people …POOR PEOPLE … Will be hurt.
Will atmospheric temperature be affected? No.
So what is the point of the celebration? Do the anti Big Oil crowd believe they have harmed Valero?
This is peeing in the wind moment ..
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Who should our public officials and community trust?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our elected representatives to consider…
“Oil Industry’s Suppression of Climate Science Began in 1940s, Documents Reveal”
“What we found is they knew a great deal, and they knew it much earlier and with greater certainty than anyone has recognized or that the industry has admitted.”
“A trove of newly uncovered documents shows that fossil fuel companies were explicitly warned of the risks of climate change decades earlier than previously suspected.”
“And while it’s no secret—anymore—that the companies knew about those dangers long ago, the documents, published Wednesday by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), reveal even more about the broader industry effort to suppress climate science and foment public doubt about global warming.”
“Industry executives met in Los Angeles in 1946 to discuss growing public concern about air pollution. That meeting led to the formation of a panel—suitably named the Smoke and Fumes Committee—to conduct research into air pollution issues.”
“But the research was not meant to be a public service; rather, it was used by the committee to “promote public skepticism of environmental science and environmental regulations the industry considered hasty, costly, and potentially unnecessary,”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/13/oil-industrys-suppression-climate-science-began-1940s-documents-reveal
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Well, apparently three members of our city council not named Tom Campbell or Elizabeth Patterson have decided to delay the decision on the Valero crude-by-rail project. See: article below.
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? Or should our citizenry listen, read and comprehend what peer reviewed science has been telling us these past many years?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“The ‘Absolutely Disturbing’ New Normal: Earth Just Smashed Another Climate Record: ‘Global temperature records are piling up,’ says NOAA”
“Our ever-warming planet just passed another climate record.”
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Tuesday that March 2016 was the warmest March since records began in 1880.”
“It also marked an 11-month of streak of record-breaking global temperatures.”
“And at 1.22°C (2.20°F) above the 20th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F), March 2016 distinguished itself from all 1,635 months on record by having the highest monthly temperature departure. Meteorologists Jeff Masters and Bob Henson wrote, “This is a huge margin for breaking a monthly global temperature record, as they are typically broken by just a few hundredths of a degree. The margin was just a shade larger than NOAA’s previous record for any month of 1.21°C (2.18°F) above average, set in February 2016.”
“NOAA itself noted that “global temperature records are piling up,” and said it announced the record warm month “[a]t the risk of sounding like a broken record.”
“It’s becoming monotonous in a way,” said Jason Furtado, a meteorology professor at the University of Oklahoma. “It’s absolutely disturbing … We’re losing critical elements of our climate system.”
“When the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced its finding last week that March 2016 was the warmest since at least 1891, Michael Mann, a climate scientist and director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center, said the data offered “a reminder of how perilously close we now are to permanently crossing into dangerous territory,” and added, “It underscores the urgency of reducing global carbon emissions.”
beniciaindependent.com/breaking-benicia-city-council-approves-valeros-request-to-delay
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/20/absolutely-disturbing-new-normal-earth-just-smashed-another-climate-record
Surface Transportation Board news and information the community and our appointed and elected officials can use…
“Rejection of Montana Coal Train a ‘Big Win’ for Ranchers and Environmentalists”
“Federal board sides with grassroots opposition to Arch Coal’s Tongue River Railroad project”
” Driving one more nail into the coal industry’s coffin, a federal board on Tuesday officially rejected a proposal to build a coal-hauling railroad through farm and ranch land in southeastern Montana.”
“Ranchers and environmentalists, who aggressively opposed the project, celebrated the Surface Transportation Board ruling”.
“It’s a historic day when a federal agency recognizes there’s no foreseeable future for coal,” stated Ken Rumelt, an attorney at the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic at the Vermont Law School, who represented the grassroots conservation group Northern Plains Resource Council (NPRC) before the Board.”
“For 30 years we have said that the Tongue River Railroad is a project in search of a purpose,” said Clint McRae, a Northern Plains member whose Rosebud Creek ranch would have been cut in two by the proposed rail line. “It has always been based on speculation, not need. The Surface Transportation Board has made the right decision to dismiss this project.”
Key question: Will the STB make the correct decision
in our local crude-by-rail project? This ruling may give our community some reason for a positive outcome,
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/27/rejection-montana-coal-train-big-win-ranchers-and-environmentalists
Portland city council news the community can use—
“Oh my heavens-Portland just passed bill stopping new fossil fuel infrastructure. This is a unprecedented step forward! ”
—Bill McKibben
“Pittsburg Defeats WesPac: Biggest California Crude Oil Project Stopped in its Tracks”
“In the final days of 2015 the victories for the climate justice movement are coming fast and furious — fracking bans to pipeline wins to breakthrough climate policies. This week, after years of a hard-fought community-led campaign, we learned that the oil services company WesPac has withdrawn their permit applications to build the biggest oil terminal on the West Coast in Pittsburg, CA!”
“This is an extraordinary victory, and one that demonstrates that grassroots organizing can overcome the power of big oil.”
Crude-by-Rail and Surface Transportation news the community can use…
Councilman Tom Campbell has been interviewed in a
a local college newspaper, about Crude-by Rail and the Surface Transportation Board details below:
“The STB will issue a declarative statement about what is considered off-limits for the city, either in favor of Valero’s petition or against, according to Campbell.
“If the board votes “yes,” to the refinery qualifying for preemption, it would take away all of the rights of the city to have any say in the project. The city would be preempted from looking at whether the plan follows zoning or building codes, explained Campbell. In theory, the railroad could build the offloading facility wherever it wanted, even in a residential neighborhood.”
“According to Campbell, the issue is unprecedented, far-reaching and transcends anything the city council has handled in the past.”
“A declaration in favor of Valero’s petition would be “pushing the envelope further than it has ever gone before” and venturing into “uncharted territory,” stated Campbell. If this happened, the case would be escalated to the federal court system.”
“I don’t think the STB is going to go anywhere near that, but there’s no telling,” said Campbell. “If they were to go down that route and decide something that extreme, which would have an effect on every city, county and state that has a railroad going through it.”
“If the board issues a “no” declaration, Campbell said the city council’s vote depends solely on the aspects of the project that directly concern the city, such as the construction of the offloading dock.”
Thank you, Dr. Campbell.
Key question: Will the above victory’s in Portland, Oregon and Pittsburg, California impact the STB’S decision-making for our little city?
http://thepioneeronline.com/31543/metro/transportation-plan-in-uncharted-territory/
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Well, apparently three members of our city council not named Tom Campbell or Elizabeth Patterson have decided to delay the decision on the Valero crude-by-rail project.
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? How pathetic! Or should our citizenry listen, read and comprehend what peer reviewed science has been telling us these past many years?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“Mass Evacuation as ‘Apocalyptic’ Inferno Engulfs Canadian Tar Sands City”…’There was smoke everywhere and it was raining ash,’ says Fort McMurray evacuee”
Key quote from the article: ” “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/05/04/mass-evacuation-apocalyptic-inferno-engulfs-canadian-tar-sands-city
More updated information and an updated video ( for our community and appointed and elected officials) on the fire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.
“Please Get Us Out” — Hothouse Wildfire Threatens to Engulf Tar Sands City of Fort McMurray, 88,000 Evacuated, 1,600 Structures Burned.”
“Emergency situation now ongoing in Fort McMurray, Alberta where a massive wildfire in this northern climate zone is engulfing the city. This is a very dangerous developing situation that includes hundreds of structure fires and what is now the largest evacuation in the history of Alberta — the first time an entire Canadian city has ever had to evacuate due to a wildfire.”
“For years and decades now, IPCC has been warning that increasing greenhouse gas emissions and related rising global temperatures will result in increasing, expanding, and extreme wildfire hazards. The region of Northwest Canada is particularly vulnerable due to the influence of sea ice melt on the local Jet Stream pattern and due to the fact that many plant species in the region are ill-adapted to warming temperatures making them far more vulnerable to wildfires. In addition, permafrost thaw in the Arctic zone provides peat-like fuels that add to the fire risk. And issue where the ground itself burns.”
“Failure to view the current crisis in Fort McMurray in the context of global temperatures that have now exceeded 1 C above pre-industrial averages and in the context of a failure to halt tar sands extraction is a failure to view the situation realistically. Much talk has been made of getting Fort McMurray’s tar sands industry back on track. But it’s the tar sands that have greatly contributed to the intensity of the dangerous fire that is now threatening that city’s very existence. And it’s the tar sands that will produce far-flung harmful impacts affecting so, so many other cities around the world.”
Side note: Highly recommend– Robert Scribbler’s environmental blog. It is one of the best I’ve come across. .Also check out the comment section on this site …more valuable information from his erudite readership.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/05/03/arctic-wildfire-threatens-tar-sands-city-of-fort-mcmurray-thousands-forced-to-evacuate/#comments
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Well, apparently three members of our city council not named Tom Campbell or Elizabeth Patterson have decided to delay the decision on the Valero crude-by-rail project.
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? Will our elected officials choose the profits of a private corporation over the safety and health of their own constituents and the public they promised to serve?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“The Crude Oil “Bomb Train” Story: Profits Over Safety”
http://www.desmogblog.com/2016/05/20/oil-train-story-profits-over-safety
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Well, apparently three members of our city council not named Tom Campbell or Elizabeth Patterson have decided to delay the decision on the Valero crude-by-rail project.
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? Will our elected officials choose the profits of a private corporation over the safety and health of their own constituents and the public they promised to serve?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“‘Bomb Train’ Hits Oregon Community as Feared Derailment Comes to Pass”
“Maybe this is why we don’t like moving oil via trains through the gorge…”
“A fire is burning and large plume of smoke is rising after a train carrying oil derailed not far from the Columbia River in the town of Mosier, Oregon on Friday.”
“Termed colloquially by their opponents as ‘bomb trains,’ the increased threat of oil-by-rail disasters has been of growing concern across North America in recent years. Friday’s disaster is just the latest in a long string of such accidents that have rocked communities and devastated fragile ecosystems in both the U.S. and Canada.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/03/bomb-train-hits-oregon-community-feared-derailment-comes-pass
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? Will our elected officials choose the profits of a private corporation over the safety and health of their own constituents and the public they promised to serve?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“Company Apologizes for Oil Train Disaster It Acknowledges Was Inevitable”
A few key excerpts: Are you listening councilman Mark Hughes?
“I hope that this becomes death knell for this mode of shipping this cargo. I think it’s insane. I’ve been very hesitant to take a side up to now, but with this incident, and with all due respect to the wonderful people that I’ve met at Union Pacific, shareholder value doesn’t outweigh the lives and happiness of our community.” —Jim Appleton, Mosier Fire Chief
Are you listening councilman Allan Schwartzman?
“Eric de Place, policy director at the Sightline Institute, a progressive Seattle think tank, told The Oregonian newspaper there was no reason to think that other areas would experience such “luck” next time.”
“We’re playing Russian roulette,” de Place said. “I think the industry is perfectly willing to put a gun to our heads and risk our lives for the sake of making money. It is abundantly clear this enterprise is unsafe, unsustainable and they don’t know how to manage it.”
Are you paying attention councilwoman Christina Strawbridge?
“Just as safety experts predicted, the new rules are insufficient, and people, wildlife, rivers and lakes will continue to pay a huge price for the government’s failure to take steps to adequately protect us from oil trains.” —Jared Margolis, Center for Biological Diversi
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/05/company-apologizes-oil-train-disaster-it-acknowledges-was-inevitable
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? Will our elected officials choose the profits of a private corporation over the safety and health of their own constituents and the public they promised to serve?
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our children’s and grand-children’s immediate and long term future?
Below: more important-valuable information for our community and our appointed and elected representatives to consider…
“Plan for Nation’s Largest Oil-by-Rail Terminal Faces Massive Opposition”
“Only two groups will argue in support of the project during the five weeks of hearings, while more than a dozen entities are opposed”
“Hundreds of people gathered inside and outside a hearing in Vancouver, Washington on Monday, voicing their opposition to a proposal to build the nation’s largest oil-by-rail marine terminal along the Columbia River—just 70 miles downstream from where a so-called bomb train derailed and exploded less than one month ago.”
“Monday marks the start of five weeks of hearings on the Tesoro Savage Vancouver Energy terminal, which would handle about 360,000 barrels of crude oil and receive an average of four 1½-mile long crude oil trains per day. After hearing expert testimony and public comment, the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) will make a recommendation to Gov. Jay Inslee, who has the final say.”
” In its opening brief, the city of Vancouver says it is “staunchly opposed to approval of the application” and even includes an aerial photo of the fiery and deadly oil train derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec.
“This proposal is directly counter to Vancouver’s vision for itself as a vibrant urban community and threatens the safety of its approximately 165,000 citizens,” according to the brief.”
Key question:
Are our three council members and city staff paying attention, yet?
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/27/plan-nations-largest-oil-rail-terminal-faces-massive-opposition
Thanks DDl,
What’s with all this patty-cake comments on airport noise that follows your cpmment? An attempt at diversion perhaps?
Is Vallero one of the Top-Polluters in the state or not ?
Why do the mayor and the council continue to be hyper-hypocrites and take what is essentially “hush money” from the refinery to fund their little “cutesy-poo” projects and pointless academic “slush” studies ???? Why don’t they take a firm stand against The refinery’s continued existence ?
This would be an excellent time to do so. With oil and gas prices falling through the floor it probably wouldn’t take much to get the refinery’s owners to shut it down.
Instead of putting ugly little lawn signs out in front of your house while you drive your gas guzzling SUV to the market, take a stand put your money where your mouth is…drive the nasty ole refinery out of town !
Back-slapper, patty-cake, it’s all the same.
…while the hyper-hypocrites natter on avoiding the real issue.
The “real issue”, as stated in the article, being the the EIR “uncovered more significant environmental impacts.”. Such as, “effects of the project pertaining to air quality, greenhouse gases, protected species and more, expanding its scope to cover impacts for more “uprail” communities — and finding “significant and unavoidable” effects that would result from approval of the project.”, correct?
We’ve known that the refinery is one of the top ten polluters in
the State for some time.This report just adds to what we already knew.
The “real issue” is why don’t the good citizens of this city, the mayor and the city council behave in an honest and straightforward way toward Vallero ? If they really are environmentally concerned folk shouldn’t they be doing everything possible to shut this TOP 10 polluter down ?
Even if “by rail” is thwarted the refinery will continue belching
out pollutants.
As stated above it’s extremely hypocritical for folks to claim they are serious environmentalists and then permit the refinery to exist so that citizens can pay lower property taxes and water bills. It’s hypocritical for city officials to take “good neighbor” gifts for their pet projects.
If people value the economic benefits of the refinery MORE than they are concerned with the environmental damage then they should be up front and honest about that choice.
You are correct on one thing. If the refinery shuts down you will for sure pay lower property taxes as your home drops way down in value. Solano county does not compare to the counties across the bridges. We are considered low end. I think you will find that most want the CBR issue mitigated to everyones benefit. Safety, clean air etc. The AFF only wants the CBR stopped in its tracks. No compromise. Then they will move on piplelines and tankers. Their only desire is to close the refineries in the area. AFF folks do not care about you or your taxes. Remember most are very Liberal and think the rich and the government will foot the bill. At present it appears the council is about 2 1/2 to 2 1/2 or even. One vote for or against will make the difference. We must remember refineries have been part of the area for over 100 hundred years and are not going anywhere for years to come. A long term solution on the Seeno property is a start. If the refinery leaves. The cleanup will take at least 25 years or more. As time moves on all of this will take care of itself but in the mean time the refinery is a very good neighbor and the residents in most cases do not have a problem with Valero. Keep your eye on the members of the Planning Commission you will see who the enemy is and remember them.. We must stop this AFF group.
All comments are important. But I do believe all commentors should give their names. Tell us who you are, what is the fear?
Crude-by rail…what will our elected public officials decide?
Well, apparently three members of our city council not named Tom Campbell or Elizabeth Patterson have decided to delay the decision on the Valero crude-by-rail project.
So who will the community trust with our future… An un-elected city staff acting like shills for our largest corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas.? Valero environmental engineers? Three council members who still cannot make their minds up after nearly 4 years of deliberations? How pathetic!
Will it be … more oily business as usual or leading the way to protect our immediate and long term future?
More valuable information about those” crude-by-rail cars” for our citizenry and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
“Rail Safety Report Card: Only 225 Of Over 100,000 Unsafe Tank Cars Were Retrofitted in First Year”
“A year ago, when Federal regulators announced new rules for “high hazard” trains moving crude oil and ethanol, the oil industry protested that the rules were too strict. The main point of contention made by the American Petroleum Institute (API) was that the requirement to retrofit the unsafe DOT-111 and DOT-1232 tank cars within ten years did not allow enough time to get the job done.”
“Meanwhile, according to information recently provided to DeSmog by the Association of American Railroads, only 225 of the tank cars have been retrofitted in the past year. So, the API may have been onto something because at that rate it will take roughly 500 years to retrofit the entire fleet of DOT-111s and CPC-1232s based on government and industry estimates of fleet size of approximately 110,000”
http://www.desmogblog.com/2016/05/09/report-card-only-225-out-over-100-000-unsafe-tank-cars-retrofit-first-year
Was there ever an industry that was not noisy? Does any one remember when the rail lines carried very dangerous munitions. All meant to kill and destroy. Blackouts, ballons, anti aircraft guns very close by. The road ways filled with trucks carry very dangerous material. I loved every minute of it. It meant we were winning. It is no different today. Amtrac runs by every refinery, Port Chicago, trains still make a lot of noise and kids love it ETC. Get real and stop complaining. Drive a fossil fuel car.
Do people actually think Benicia would be better off if Valero shut down?
NO
This is a good question and should be addressed to Will G. et.al. for an honest answer .
The AFF group is trying to run Valero out of Benicia. The same with the other four refineries. Pure agenda driven anti fossil fuel {AFF} They did not try to run the arsenal out of town. Build death and destruction to win wars. Man o man did I love the Arsensal. I also love the refineries and those rickety rail lines and bridges. Love to watch the crude by rail cars from my deck run along the straits followed by Antrac tooting their whisle. What a site. The only thing missing is a cannon salute with plenty of smoke. I live the smell of gasoline.
Nonsense. No group is trying to run the refinery or anyone or any business out of town. The reality is that the fossil fuel industries are on the last portion of their useful cycle. Carbon energy is rapidly being replaced by renewable energy, which along with over production, is driving oil prices down. This energy ‘”deflation” will drastically change carbon industries as well as the utility industry. The changes are similar to the impact the Internet had on information technology. What is most important is not to ignore this reality, but to understand that the fossil fuel industry has a finite usefulness that is ending and we need to plan for that transition. Valero and the other Bay Area refineries will close within two decades, their usefulness over. Benicia’s leaders need to be thinking about the future, not the present, and working to replace the town’s carbon-based economy with knowledge-based industries more compatible to the area’s main economic drivers.
Nonsense. You knowe so much when is it endfing? AFF is trying to run the refineries out of town. Granty just where have you been.
sorry for the typos.
Grant, the oil industry is like cancer. Cancer is a 100 billion-a-year business. No one is in a hurry to find a cure.
This comment is ludicrously illogical and full of 1984 ish “new speak”.
Falling oil prices are almost entirely a function of a glut in supply and production. Alt. energy plays a less than trivial part in the World’s energy scheme.
In fact the worse thing that can happen to alternative energy is continued low oil prices. Low oil prices make alternative energy even more expensive in comparison and therefore less economically desirable. This is econ. 101.
Where is your evidence that Bay Area refineries will be gone in Twenty years ??
It sounds like you just pulled this out of your ear …or where ever.
What does replacing a basic foundation of human function and need i.e. ENERGY have to do with, “knowledge based industries” ?
What the heck does an empty phrase like “…more compatible to the area’s main economic drivers.” mean ?
What are “the area’s” main drivers.
Oh and by the way, your first statement is absolutely false there ARE people in this town who are very intent on running the refinery out of town.
Good comment. Grant is a pure AFF Enviro Greenie. You are correct there is a group backed by members of the CSC, Rev. Roger Straw that do want Valero to pack up and leave. If they say different they are being less than truthful. We must keep calling out this AFF group for what they are. Very selfish AFF folks. Not familiar with AFF it means Anti Fossil Fuel.
KHV Grant is opART opf the same group thAT
“Low oil prices make alternative energy even more expensive in comparison and therefore less economically desirable.”
KHV – Perhaps you could point to where oil is being utilized for electrical power generation on a grand scale in the U.S. I’m sure any example would then add credence to the statement that “Alt. energy plays a less than trivial part in the World’s energy scheme.”
TP try Saudia Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, the 51st state?
Big oil producer. Now tell us what amount of world wide energy is produced by oil.
You avoided your discrepancy ineffectively.
Now, you tell us how much of the electrical energy production in California comes from renewable sources.
Then tell us how much of the electrical energy production in the US comes from renewable sources.
Then tell us how much of the electrical energy production in the Europe comes from renewable sources.
After that, you can comment on the inefficiency of using oil for electrical power generation.
After that I am sure that you will agree that Saudi Arabia electrical energy production amounts to merely a trivial part in the World’s energy scheme. Not to mention the fact that Saudi Arabia is not in the U.S.
You made the comment. I did not. So now explain. I have no need to explain anything. You made the comment. You will try very hard to avoid an explanation with some evading comment.
Try again.
I do not guestion your knowledge and have said that in the past. You do not like to be put on the spot and respond in a very sarcastic and negative manor. When you do that you spark the same from others for sure me. I can be just as nasty as you and will be if necessary. The person made a comment and you go over board. That is ok in some cases. But with you it is a mission. You will never change and I do not expect you to. But stay away from the negative sarcastic comments. You will not. So be it. Just like the comment you made about my comments being deleted. You were clueless and made w rong very negative and sarcastic statement. That was not necessary and will get A big time responce from me.. Lighten up.
Duly noted.
Oh, and by the way, follow the link below (but, be careful). I’ll let you do the numbers. However, you will hardly be able to come up with support for the claim, I’m sure you are alluding to, that the majority of electrical power generation in the world is driven by means of burning oil.
http://bit.ly/1FSwQFC
Note the US: 0.8% electricity production from oil sources. That is really, really low.
Oh, and look! Saudi Arabia – 27.7% electricity production from oil sources. Do you think this data might have been concocted by some liberal socialists?
Tom – correct me if I’m wrong. This table that you referenced does not include natural gas fired power plants. NG is a hydrocarbon, and to some extent a byproduct of crude oil extraction..
What percentage of the US power generation is from hydrocarbon sources? That would be a more useful number..
That is a very good question.We know MCE is at 17% and PG&E is about 18%. The NE is big also.
You are correct Dave, that might be useful information. However, it seemed to me that this oil was the point of contention here. LPG burning plants are far more desirable than oil burning plants.
As an aside, one could argue that all sources for producing energy are solar in origin.
Dave, Also of note, is that information from the link denotes the following:
“Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Oil refers to crude oil and petroleum products.”
I don’t know if this precludes natural gas.
Dave,,
68% of the energy produced in n the USA comes from fossil fuels. Coal and natural gas being by far the primary contributors to that figure.
Note: Mr. Peterson has rather dishonestly slipped in “electrical energy production” for ALL energy production world wide.
Then he further compounds his dishonesty by trying to limit the argument to electrical energy production in The US then CA.
All energy would include oil for cars, trains trucks, planes etc.
Here are some facts from The international Energy Agency (iea.org).
for 2014 total energy sources (‘Energy Sources by Fuel”) in the World were:
Biofuels and waste = 5.3%
Other (includes geothermal, solar ,wind etc.) = 1.7%
WHILE
Coal = 19.4%
Nat Gas = 25.85
AND
Oil = 35.8%
Not dishonest at all KVN. In fact very specific to the terminology you were using.
Mr. P,
You continue in your basic dishonesty.
I said “Alt. energy plays a less than trivial part in the World’s energy scheme”.
No where do I limit, “…the World’s energy scheme.” to ONLY “Electrical power generation” You did that and it’s basically dishonest.
Further I don’t know about you but I’d still maintain that Alt. Energy’s total contribution of less than 10% of the total energy produced in the world is pretty trivial.
I believe it is you who is being disengenuios, K-Dawg. You state “falling oil prices” vs. alternative energy. Do you consider transportation when you talk about wind, solar, hydroelectric, etc.? But more to the point, considering alternative energy as “trivial” is nothing less than preposterous. Despite what the opponents of alternative energy hope, alternative energy grows and becomes less expensive every year. If you are diametrically opposed to alternative energy and you are welcome to that opinion. Ultimately, this mindset will be left in the dust. Fortunately for me, I don’t consider it to be a choice of one at the expense of the other.
I’m sorry thom-as, I now see that it’s probably only you
who is “trivial” judging by your dishonest meandering comments.
I’m done with ya boy-o, you just ain’t worth the trouble.
Yes I know, words are hard.
big time and very true.
Bob is bitter because he gets consistently owned, and his comments get deleted after he resorts to name calling. Simple. He will surely respond to this in typical fashion and predictable form.
KHV Grant is part of the group that is a big backer of MCE {Marin Clean Energy}. MCE now gets 17% of their energy from fossil fuel driven natural gas. Talk about hypocritical.. This group is goofy..
Lets do an EIR on cars, buses, motorcycles, eating places, hygene challenged folks, You name it, lets do it. Nothing is out of range from this AFF group. They do not want anyone to live a free life. How about all the water and debree that washs into the bay. What do we do with that. Next thing you know we will be recycling the dead and dog and cat poop. Enough is enough. Make use of your life.
My predictible form is simple. I get to you. You do not tell the truth about the comments that ARE DELETED. You stay away friom the person that started it. There must be balance in deleting comments or it will make no sense to the readers. I have had that discussion in depth with the former editor and agreed and your comment is way off base. You are the last word guy that is sarcastic and do not like anyone to disagree with you. So you lose again.. You will come back as you always do. You go on and on and wear yourself out. Now that is good. You have been exposed on this run and do not like it. Be a little humble.
Very poor form as well as a highly flawed statement, Bob. Perhaps you should take a break for a while. Your purely subjective vendetta against me is laughable, at best. “Lighten up”!
Stop it TP you are just showing your lack of knowledge and cannot take it. You are a very stubborn man that always wants the last word. Well TP you are dealing with the last word champ. As I said I get to you. You will come backas you always do. Just watch TP and his come back. Very predictible stubborn man. See you.
Bob, you got owned and continue to get owned. You are probably hoping to take it to a point where you get deleted for name calling, for the umpteenth time. I do actually think that this maybe a waste of time, since most of the time you ignore or don’t know the meaning of words (similar to KFV). For instance, do you know the meaning of the word hypocracy? Maybe go tune into some pre-game boredom somewhere and stop with your transparent attempts to save face. I’m off to do something interesting. Have a nice day.
What did I tell you. He could not resist me. He loses again
What has happened to this site? Has the change at the editors desk shut down the web page?
No new content for quite some time.
My understanding is that they are revamping it.
The editor in charge at present is interim.. Short staff etc. No changes untill a new hire editor is on board.
The new editor is doing her best to get familiar with the layout. But you are correct if it goes on to long it will hurt the paper and its on-lne blog comment section..
Thanks for the info guys.. Hopefully they can get the site back up and running soon. Going to Vallejo Times site is a drag.
The notice today about the Crude By Rail submitted comments is a joke,.. The opponets sent a form letter out and had folks sign and send it in. low class .
Where are all the AFF {Anti Fossil Fuel} folks with all their Scare Tactics misinfomation. No comments lately.
“Where Have All The AFF folks gone”? I guess to Davis.
You know Bob, if I had more time and maybe was a bit more computer savey, I’d create a mail merge document from all the people spamming the comments on the RDEIR. They are just filling out a form letter and sending it in. No one of these people have read the DEIR, care about Benicia but are happy to go to the gas station and fill their cars with gas, go to the grociery store and buy food deilivered by trucks or take vacations by train or airplane.
It could go something like :this:
Dear Mr/Ms {___________}
I read with some concern your form letter stating your opposition to the Valero Crude By Rail Project. You have no idea what the project encompasses, just mindlessly added your name to a document you may not have even read..
You are full of $hit.
Sincerely
A concerned Benicia RESIDENT!
Dave you are correct. But that is not how Reverend Straw or Kerridge see it. Scare tactics and misinfo. Take a look at the CBR report the City puts out. Same people multi times. New one out today. The residents must get all over the AFF folks.
Yes Mr. Kirchhoffer I am back in fact I have never gone away. You refer to Mr. Stierwalt LTTE on Oct. 20, 2015. It was titled “Facts about “Crude By Rail” safety. Everything he states are repeated so called facts that have been presented by the AFF group before. Nothing new. All that he talks about are being addressed but not by the city but by the proper folks. The United States Government. They will be resolved. The AFF group does not care what the results will be. Their only desire is to close down all the refineries and stop the use of fossil fuel. He also fails to state the involvement of “Center for Biological Diversity”. Does he even know who they are? I do not think so. On the recent update to comments to the city there was an abnormal amount with the same copy. This was put out by this group. The headline says stop bomb trains in California. Your letter will be sent to the following recipients: Amy Million. First of all is is not their letter it is a copy of this groups letter. This is a nationwide group that is very anti Fossil Fuel and for sure anti Crude By Rail. Couple that with “Earthjustice” and now you have two groups that are lawyered up against Crude By Rail. So the so called deep pockets of big oil is way over rated. He also does not understand the motives of the CSC and who was behind this group. Take a guess. My article was titled “Will the Crude By Rail opponets compromise.” Jim K may not like my politics but at the same time my facts are correct on what the Mayor and her followers want. No further discussion on that is necessary. Jim K look up those two grpups.
Where have all the AFF folks gone?WQe know they are not riding on Amtrac over all thise rickety rails and bridges..
Sorry for not editing
Remember statistics can be used to prove anything. You keep saying Valero is a top polluter when you just have to look at the refinery and compare it to any other and it is cleaner. They really make an effort in Benicia as well as care about Safety, they have earned the difficult CA OSHA VPP Star designation. I know people there, I socialize with them, one employee is a neighbor. They all say the same thing, they have a stop work right if they see anything that is not right, unsafe or might be wrong. Try that in the new plant opened in India or even some of those Texas refineries!
So back to the statistics, are you referring to California Watch’s list of CO2 emissions as worst polluters, an obviously skewed piece. I don’t see the Pacific Ocean listed there and it is a major source of CO2 emissions. Hold your breath because you too are guilty.
Electricity generation produces: Total Carbon Emissions: 44,620,904 metric tons
Petroleum refinery produces: Total Carbon Emissions: 12,023,809 metric tons
Get a grip people, just because greenhouse gasses is a politically correct hot ticket item doesn’t mean it represents the big picture.
Instead of trying to restrict or close down one of the cleanest refineries in the world, that’s right world, maybe you should look to your own carbon footprint.
Turn off the lights, try spending time with your family playing a card game in one room instead of blaring a TV in every room in the house. Car pool, plan trips in groups, wear a sweater, conserve water, recycle. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, if you don’t use more gasoline, Valero won’t be able to sell more, less CO2 in the air.
What has happened to common sense that we ship our economy offshore where goods are produced in uncontrolled sweat shops that have uncontrolled wastes. A neighbor went to India build the new refinery in India, he came back a different person. He told me that you cannot believe how they treat people, everyone is expendable. This is where you would have your gasoline produced?!?!?!?
Yes in my back yard, please. Where I can watch them and keep them on their toes in continuing to be a leader in clean operation. Remember when the City held the refinery to a higher reliability standard. Valero responded by spending a lot of money to make sure they had fewer breakdowns, less emissions resulted.
It’s our job to keep watch, just like a baker makes sure nothing gets into the bread dough that could mess things up. We will continue to watch Valero to make sure they stay on this “cleaner” path. Outsourcing our economy by restricting and shutting down business is not the answer.
Again, do you drive a car, turn on a light? Until you go off grid and recycle/repurpose everything, you have no skin in this “shut down” game!
Well off we go. it appears the Mayor and The Rock Star are now ,in it together. The Rock Star is Steve Young. Who is ,helping who? They may have started something that will backfire on both of them. Keep your eye on Sept 1st. That is when the real campaign starts. Does anyone think that the Rock Star can beat Tom “Soup”‘Campbell. He is every ones favorite. How about Christina “The Solid Bridge” Strawbridge. Not a chance. Two very strong candidates that should show at the polls just how strong they are. Now the poor Mayor is doing a stretch thinking that a one trick very limp
pony will take her over the finish line in first place. Thirteen years is enough of the Mayor. She is over and out. Sorry Steve and the Mayor you just made the wrong turn and back to the paddock you. go By the way Kathy did not do Steve any good..