MANY THANKS TO THE BENICIA HERALD for its detailed coverage of Valero’s presentation earlier this week on its Crude-by-Rail Project. Donna Beth Weilenman’s lengthy report presented the very best in understanding Valero’s message.
I was somewhat disappointed, however. A small but growing segment of Benicia residents and business owners attended Valero’s meeting, offering a peaceful presence and an alternative view on crude by rail. Other news sources, including a nearby newspaper, two TV stations, two radio stations and a couple of blogs included references to the strong public opposition to Valero’s proposal at that meeting. Ms. Weilenman’s report virtually ignored the public’s input on that night.
Benicians need to hear Valero’s point of view, but a variety of voices made “news” at the actual event, and folks need to know about that as well.
The residents and businesses of Benicia have been waiting since last July for Valero to present its facts and to sell its proposal to bring North American crude oil by railroad tank car into our community. We can expect highly financed and professional messaging to promote their plan. Thanks to a recent paid ad in a local magazine and this week’s community meeting, we now know how Valero will focus our attention — and in some cases, misdirect our legitimate concerns.
We learned at this meeting, finally, that Valero clearly does not rule out importing train cars full of highly volatile Bakken crude oil and the world’s dirtiest crude from the tar sands of Canada.
After its presentation, when Valero opened the meeting for questions and answers, I must admit that I was surprised by the preponderance of questions expressing deep concern for the health and safety of Benicia. Well over 80 percent of the questions asked were cautiously skeptical and highly concerned about safety and the environment. I took notes on each of the approximately 24 questions asked, with the following results: Nine were about emergency spills and explosions, four were about the source and crude oil content of Valero’s rail shipments, two were about failure-prone DOT-111 tank cars, and one each concerned train routing, traffic in the Industrial Park and permitting of the proposed project.
Following each question, a panel member or representative of Valero or Union Pacific gave a brief answer. Many in attendance, including myself, felt that some of the answers were almost glib, and all were calculated to smooth over every public concern.
We were assured over and over again that Valero’s excellent safety record, thorough planning, and yet-to-be passed new federal and state regulations would protect us from a catastrophic spill or explosion. This in the face of recent news reports on the massive increase in crude-by-rail shipments and the inevitable skyrocketing numbers of horrific explosions and spills over the last year.
We were assured over and over again that no additional or adverse pollution would result, supposedly because trains give off fewer emissions than ships. This totally ignores easily available background on the environmentally destructive methods of crude oil extraction in the Bakken region of North Dakota and tar sands mining in Canada, and the excessive corrosive effects and additional toxic emissions when refining extreme crudes. No one asked Valero at this meeting to address the 100 connect-disconnect operations every day on tank cars as opposed to a single connect-disconnect of a docked ship once a week. How will these repetitive operations add to what are known as “fugitive emissions,” not to mention a massive increase in risk for spills and accidents?
I usually call myself a liberal. In this instance, I am a deeply conserving skeptic. Please, Valero — I know that you work for Texas executives who guide your actions here, but as you mentioned at your meeting this week, 50 percent of your management and more than 100 Valero employees live here in Benicia. You are our neighbors. Please help us protect our lives and our city, and stand with us on behalf of communities uprail and downwind of Benicia. Ask Valero’s Texas executives to rethink their strategies for the future of energy production. Valero could lead the way in the oil industry. Everyone knows that refining of crude oil is a dying enterprise. In the next 50 years Valero will need to retool to produce energy in cleaner and safer ways. There is no need to grasp at the last, most dirty and dangerous barrels of crude to make a quick buck.
Listen to concerned Benicians and folks from communities uprail and downwind of here — stop the Crude-by-Rail Project.
Roger Straw is a Benicia resident.
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Reverend since when is refining of crude oil a dying industry. Just where hAVE
sorry hit the wrong button. Reverend I was also at that meeting and I never saw your group challenge any of the comment answers.. The answers were accerpted without challenge. If there was such a great concern, why did not you stand up and challenge the answer. Be a man Reverend rather than wait to AFTWER No you take a back handed approach after the fact when you were given every opportunity to ask ADDIition questions and for sure challenge the answer. Some how I believe you just sat idle and all you wanted to do is be very critical of Valero aftwer the fact. Reverend you just might be very surprised how many people were vwery satisfied with their answers. Your small band of anti fossil fuel folks set the stsandard of for your responce with the very unprogfessional and rude tactics of handing out your loterate before and after the meeting. Very low class Reverend and believe me Reverend the public was aware of it. Then you on in this article and attack a very competent reportwer because it diid not go your weay. The reporting was very accure. Reverend you are the one wering blinders not the reporter.
Sorry for all the typos, but this article was very inaccurate and made me furious. Reverend your attack on a very fine reporter is uncalled for. The first paragraph of this article was very complimentary of the paper and the writer. Then you just bash the writer. that is a trick you pull all the time. Sorry Reverend no kind words from me for you. When you deserve them I will give them. In this case and many others you do not deserve kind words Reverend. I know you and some of your followers will come back at me. I know who it will be. The usual suspects from your very negative anti fossil fuel group. I will be here to take it and dish it out. So come A head on.
This is a No Brainer
The presence of a number of armed (?) guards, and steel worker muscles stood in stark contrast to Valero’s predictable, and lame presentation. I did not get the impression any worried citizens were put at ease.
New lab test shows Bakken crude may be less dangerous than earlier data suggest
Very interesting Dennis. It would be good news if conclusive. However, much remains to be tested and verified. Near the end of the article it states, “To be sure, Capline’s latest data still show Bakken crude ranks higher in volatility than most other crudes, based on vapor pressure tests conducted by the company. At the 5.94 psi, for example, Capline’s latest Bakken sample still ranks more than double that of Light Louisiana Sweet crude, which tested at 2.38 psi in May 2013. Still, the wider range of readings and the infrequency of the testing suggests there remains much uncertainty about the quality of Bakken crude.”
What kinds of imported oil are being brought in by ship now? Does anybody know? Seems to me it’s counterproductive to worry about oil from the Alberta tar sands and Bakken oil when similar types of oil are probably already arriving by ship at greater expense to Valero. I know the United States imports oil from Venezuela and that country has a very large oil sands deposit. The oil refiners can also import light crude oil from many countries that is similar to Bakken oil. In that regard I don’t get why the local residents should be any more fearful of oil by rail than oil by ship.
Excellent comment. The rail issue is in the news be cause of recent major increase in shipments and some accidents. Rail in the long run is safer than pipelines. You are correct about the content. It is all a cover for their anti fossil fuel agenda {for you J}.
Dennis that is very positive news. Now will the anti Valero fossil fuel crowd buy into it as positive ? I believe they will take it as non-conclusive and wave it off. I believe giving info to this group just gives them more treason to doubt testing. i would assume if this result had been on climate change they would have been jumbing for joy. Only when it is in their best interest will this group believe new tests. Thanks for the info Dennis. New post by ther Reverend confirms what I just said.
I’ve invented a new drinking game for Benicia Herald Forum readers. It’s called the Anti-Fossil Fuel Game. Every time the words anti-fossil fuel are used after any of the articles, you can take a sip of your wine, or whatever beverage you choose. I have to go…I think I have a computer problem…there seem to be two screens in front of me…
Well J it seems you are drunk with joy over fossil fuel. I will be happy to help you in your daily drinking so as not to hear from you any more. Fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel; fossil fuel.. I hope this gets you and your crowd through the day. I will come back tomorrow with more fossil fuel. I like your idea.
Bob, you didn’t read the rules. You have to say ANTI-fossil fuel for me to sip. So, those 9 f.f.s are disqualified and I had to forego 9 sips of the premium Sonoma Valley chard I had all ready to go. Hope you realized you raised my hopes, only to dash them down.
No, I”m full of joy at the number of times “anti-fossil fuel” shows up on these pages, thus allowing me to fuel up. I think I’ll start another game. Anyone who can guess how many times a-f-f shows up in a 6 month period wins a free fill-up at the Valero station on 2nd.
You may be so filled up you will not remember. Thats actually good. You will need that fuel when the Valero project is approved.
Does that mean we will all need to be compus non mentis when the Valero project is approved? That doesn’t sound very positive for Valero…or, maybe it does if we all need to be unable to think or reason to deal with the project.
“I”m full of joy at the number of times “anti-fossil fuel” shows up on these pages,
Almost, but not quite as much as “evil Koch Brothers”.
Well at least we weren’t deflected by “socialist president” or “when will we stop picking on the wealthy,” Koch Brothers, while somewhat Pillsbury dough-boy-y looking, are a bit more interesting and “meaty” than the other two distractions. Don’t know what they have to do with fossil fuel, specifically, but what the heck…
You already did that. Fossil fuel; fossil fuel. That should get you ,through the nite.
Bob, I keep telling you, it’s ANTI-fossil fuel, for crying out loud, I have had NO, count ’em, NO sips tonight, thank you very much.
Furlong stated:Pillsbury dough-boy-y looking, are a bit more interesting and “meaty”
LOL
Is that the best you’ve got?
Pretty weak, totally uncalled for and embarrassing to you.
Well I was called a godless liberal and un-American because I questioned “mission accomplished,” so I figure it all evens out. You are correct, though, I should have left out the dough-boy and meaty comments; I do apologize.
Anti fossil fuel; anti fossil fuel; anti fossil fuel; anti fossil fuel. This should get you till about noon and then more for the rest of the day. Thanks for the heads up. You are really into this game. I for sure will help you enjoy it. Anti fossil fuel, theres one for the road.
Apology accepted.
I was called a godless liberal and un-American because I questioned “mission accomplished,”
I am confident the words I may have used on this subject were not intended directly at you, but rather those on the liberal side who have made hay of the phrase “mission accomplished” for the purposes of denigrated President Bush as well as the sailors on the USS Lincoln.
It is a touchy subject for me, as my son served on the Lincoln and was present for the President‘s speech.
I would ask before you delve deeper into this subject, to spend 10 minutes to read what THE President actually said that day.
I watched his performance on USS Lincoln (you don’t need “the” with ship names), after he flew a plane a couple of hundred miles from San Diego. The phrase “mission accomplished” was, and is, in no way a denigration of anyone who served on Lincoln, which is a silly thing to imply from my comment. My point was that name calling is always childish – including my own – but I have never quite recovered from being called godless, a traitor and un-American because a questioned what was, undoubtedly, the worse foreign policy error of the century so far. None of which, of course, has anything to do with fossil fuel, anti- or otherwise, so I’d suggest we allow others to get back to the subject of Mr. Straw’s excellent article.
I never called you that. You are implying that I did.
DDL
PS:The use of the with ship and boat names depends on readability and personal preference.
J the comments until you started in on your personal attack messahes and some humor were all about the article. =I played along with you for the humnor and fun of it. But your comments did touch some buttons that did get some of us riled up. In the past this whole commemnt section was about personal attacks. It was started by the left leaning Liberals because in most cases they did not like to be callerd Enviro Greenies, Left Leaning Socialist or Liberals at all. That is what they are and I called them that. It started to go way off the deep end with personal attacks. When thaty happens I think you will find out the conservatives can be just as nasty when we are attacked. You of all commentors should know that. I do not think you even fit in to that group but you did go over the top a little. I have no bad feeling toward you at all. Now back to the Reverend Roger Straw’s article. As I read his article I got the feeling he was not there. His reporting of the meeting was not accurate.,. He even thanked the paper and the wrier and then proceeded to rip them. Just what is that all about.. This whole issue is about connecting the dots. It starts with the Mayor to Campaign manager and committee to CSC to, Good Neighbor Group, to a few followers to contributors to the mayor’s campaign. They in most cases a very liberal agendsa driven and get all upset when a very strong conservative calls them out. That is just part of this issue and they are noisy. The other is the folks that want info on health and safety that is not agenda driven. Yes i am for the Valero Three Rail Project but at the same time know all the EIR issues and other issues will be answered and solved. That is where the big difference is. That is why I call that small group Anti Fossil Fuel.. .