While State Senator Lois Wolk said Benicia residents and others were “wise to demand” an Environmental Impact Report on the proposed Valero Crude-By-Rail project, she said the document may not have addressed risks adequately.
Wolk, a Davis Democrat, represents Benicia in the State Senate.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) was released to the public Tuesday, and those interested have 45 days to submit comments and observations about the document. Benicia Planning Commission also will take public comment July 10, but will not vote on the document until comments have been addressed and incorporated into the document, and it’s presented as a final EIR.
“I seriously question whether the EIR has adequately evaluated the true risk of an accident or a spill involved with this project,” Wolk said.
“In the past year, there have been six major incidents across North America where rail accidents resulted in millions of gallons of spilled crude oil,” she said.
“Yet the EIR estimates the risk of oil train spills between Roseville and Benicia would be about only once per 111 years? That defies logic and is a risky assumption based on recent experience,” she said.
“It only takes one minor mishap to cause a major accident or spill and potentially catastrophic impacts to the heavily populated communities through which these trains will run,” she said
Wolk said the EIR also highlights that emissions from the increase in rail traffic in the area resulting from this project would have a significant but avoidable effect on the air quality in the Sacramento basin.
“Given the risk from possible spills and accidents involving this hazardous cargo and the project’s anticipated effect on air quality, I urge the City of Benicia, Valero, and Union Pacific to work with the community to implement extraordinary safety measures to guarantee public safety if this project moves forward,” Wolk said.
“In light of this proposal, I am authoring legislation, Senate Bill 506, with Senator Jerry Hill to provide funding to help communities like Benicia provide adequate emergency response to accidents and spills involving rail transports of crude oil and other hazardous materials,” Wolk said.
The project would extend Union Pacific rails on Valero Benicia Refinery property and make other changes to let the company accept up to 70,000 barrels of crude oil each day from North American sources by way of tanker trains.
The oil would replace crude that is brought in from overseas by tanker ship.
The project doesn’t change the refinery’s operations, or allow the plant to increase production beyond the current limits.
The report found that most possible impacts would be averted or modified by preventive or mitigating practices, and that any increase in greenhouse gas emissions from train traffic in the Bay Area would be more than compensated by the reduction in similar emissions by reduction of shipping traffic.
It acknowledged that derailment and spills could have significant impact, but calculated that those risks were minimal and noted that Valero intends to buy or lease cars that are stronger than those that meet current Department of Transportation standards.
It also described the Valero refinery’s own emergency response teams, that of Union Pacific and those who would provide mutual aid in case of an accident.
However, it noted that additional rail traffic would contribute to air pollution from Roseville to the Bay Area, and those emissions wouldn’t be offset by reduced shipping.
“California needs to keep in step with the significant increase in shipments of these dangerous materials in order to respond to the growing risk to California’s citizens,” Wolk said.
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She makes no comment about other Crude by Rail Terminals on the West Coast. Which coukld mean more crude by pipeline and ship in the near future. All this issue is just another way to stay competitive and could be used a lot less than stated. The good thing is by 2016 the Wolk name will no longer be an issue. She is termed out and it appears her son is on his last legs. Her replacement will be a very moderate Democrat. Guess who.
As we allow Mr. L to float further into his spongy ozone of half-hatched assurances and the predictable dissing of local officials….
I would like to ask Valero a simple question: WHile busy claiming that you are a stalwart member of the community and that community concerns come first, one has to wonder aloud:
Nobody else in the community would dare to jeopardize every single member in town — and each of your own employees — by endangering the very air that they breather every minute of every day.
Your report uses the strangest of language to infer that this endangerment seems a fairly-weighed cost of doing business. Benzene. Undefinable particulate matter. hydro- carbon emissions. can we say carcinogenic boys and girls? Never thought we’d be competing with other grim refinery towns whose home values are consistently choked while fumes and odors fill the bleachers and backyards of the towns’ residents.
Seems like a more fit motto for this corporation might be — “Profit first! Lungs? Maybe later….” Meanwhile, what o the trees, pets, wildlife, etc. that also happen to share this “cost” of doing business? Are they “downsides” to your ledger sheets? Does the next generation of Benicians need to ramp up their already-staggering risk of asthma and other compromised breathing capacities so as to fulfill you “trend lines” of “future growth?”.
This “trade off” isn’t acceptable. As a parent of a teen who looks forward to working in this town someday, and one who already knows the challenges of dealing with asthmatic incidents. I say the the project needs to go the way of the bizarre coke domes that were almost built by the yacht harbor several years ago. And a welcome good riddance to both.
Rob
There is truth in comedy, and comedy in truth..
There is also truth and facts.. She is a Davis left Leaning Liberal that wants it her way and her way only. The results of the DEIR and the plannIning commision and possible the city council; will determine the out come for a moment. It will be challenged which means litigation. So then you will find out who is at the front of the line. Thats it. It has nothing to do with my political leanings or any other leanings. It will be resolved one way or the other. My concern has always been why would anyone move here in the first place when they know that there are three refineries in the area. Was your objective to change that for your own pleasure and the heck with others. It was here and folks still moved here. Very strange thinking..
Well, when you call someone with whom you disagree a ” a Davis left Leaning Liberal that wants it her way and her way only” one cannot help but think that it DOES have quite a bit to do with your political or other leanings.
Have you not figured out my political leanings J. Igf not you are not paying attention. It is well know how I lean. My comment was simply political; identity not a personal attack.
Refineries have been in the area for over 100 years. When you moved to Benicia did you know there was a refinery in Benica, Nartinez, Richmand and Pinole? They have been there for a very long time. They have done everything they can and follow all regulations to continue to do business. By the way just what is wrong with profit. My suggestion is to do your research before you chose a place to live. Big business is what your life is all about. Like it or not.. Remember electric cars get a free ride on the hiways. They pay no gas taxes. So I suggest we charge them on their licence renewals the cost as if they were buying gas. Maybe it would up their licence plate cost by maybe a $1000 a year or more. That seems fair. use it pay for it. But that is not fair to the electric cars buyers who also get subsidized to buy an electric car also. So lets all buy electric cars and see what happens to the roads and hiways. Yes you will be taxed a great deal more all because of the selfish electric car buyers who want a free ride. Bad news.
All good points Bob.
Thanks RKJ