On Friday, June 3, a Union Pacific train carrying Bakken crude oil derailed in the town of Mosier, Ore. Fourteen rail cars came off the tracks, and four exploded over a 5 hour period.
There are several things that the City Council needs to keep in mind whenever they re-open discussion of the appeal of the Planning Commission’s unanimous decision to reject the Valero Crude-by-Rail project. Many of the assurances given to the public about the safety of transporting crude by rail have been called into question by this derailment.
1. The train cars that derailed and exploded are the upgraded CPC-1232 version promised to be used by Valero for this project.
2. The train derailed at a relatively slow speed as it passed through the small town of Mosier. Union Pacific trains carrying Bakken to Valero will travel at speeds up to 50 mph in most of Solano County.
3. The portion of track on which the train derailed had been inspected by Union Pacific three days before the derailment.
4. A Union Pacific spokesman, while apologizing for the derailment and fire, would not answer a reporter’s question as to whether the Bakken oil had been stabilized with the removal of volatile gases prior to shipment.
At the Planning Commission hearing, I tried repeatedly without success to get an answer from both UP and Valero as to whether they intended to de-gassify the Bakken oil prior to transport.
5. A major interstate, Interstate 84, was closed for 10 hours in both directions while first responders used river water to try and cool the tank cars to a point where foam could be used to try and put out the fire. It took more than 12 hours to stabilize the scene.
6. An oil sheen is in the river, despite the deployment of containment booms.
And finally, Oregon Public Broadcasting on June 4 had an exchange with the Fire Chief of Mosier, about how this experience changed his opinion about the safety of transporting crude by rail:
“Jim Appleton, the fire chief in Mosier, Ore., said in the past, he’s tried to reassure his town that the Union Pacific Railroad has a great safety record and that rail accidents are rare.
He’s changed his mind.
After a long night working with hazardous material teams and firefighters from across the Northwest to extinguish a fire that started when a train carrying Bakken crude derailed in his town, Appleton no longer believes shipping oil by rail is_safe.
“’I hope that this becomes the death knell for this mode of shipping this cargo. I think it’s insane,’” he said. “’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.’”
When the City Council took up the appeal of the Planning Commission decision in April, Mayor Patterson and Councilmember Campbell stated their opposition to the project, while the other three councilmembers (Hughes, Schwartzman and Strawbridge) approved Valero’s request to delay a decision on this project until at least Sept. 20. There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.
Steve Young, a member of the Benicia Planning Commission, is running for the Benicia City Council in November.
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Thank you, Steve. Very thorough summary. This is all very tangible evidence and great points that support the rejection of Valero project very well. Good luck to you.
“The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark,”
—-Thomas Paine
Source: The War On Science: Who Waging it, Why It Matters, What We Can Do About it
Thanks, Mr. Young, for sharing this excellent information with the public you serve..
As we wait for the Surface Transportation Board to make a ruling, it is important to remember that no appointed or elected representative has voted in favor of moving forward with crude-by-rail ‘ Listed below are the officials who have voted “no” on this plan.
Planning Commission Members. Term Expires:
George Oakes, Sr. 1/19
Kari Birdseye 1/19
Susan Cohen Grossman 1/20
Trevor Macenski 1/20
Don Dean 1/17
Steve Young 1/17
Elizabeth Radtke 1/20
Add: Mayor Elizabeth Patterson and Councilman Tom Campbell .
:These are the (9) appointed and elected officials who have voted in favor of rejecting the crude-by rail project.
Nobody (0) has voted in favor of this deal .
We have three council-members: Mark Hughes, Allan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge who are so far “undecided” on how they will vote after nearly 4 years of deliberations.
The tally so far:
9 opposed—0 in favor—3 undecided.
The article(s) below provide more valuable information ( reminders ) for our appointed and elected officials to ponder…
“Let’s take a look at the recent derailments and why this past month demands more of a public response from Washington than it has received thus far:”
February 14, Ontario #1:
The train was going within the speed limit
The train was hauling newer model tank cars (CPC-1232s)
The train was carrying tar sands crude
The resulting fire destroyed 900 feet of track and burned for 6 days
February 16, West Virginia:
The train was going within the speed limit
The train was hauling newer model tank cars (CPC-1232s)
The train was carrying Bakken oil
There were multiple massive explosions
The fires burned for days
Hundreds of families were evacuated and one person nearly lost his life
March 5, Illinois:
The train was going within the speed limit
The train was hauling newer model tank cars (CPC-1232s)
The train was carrying Bakken oil
The fire burned for days
Firefighters could only access the derailment site by a bike path
March 7, Ontario #2:
The train was going within the speed limit
The train was hauling newer model tank cars (CPC-1232s)
The train was carrying tar sands crude
Canadian National Railway Co. is building a new 1,500ft track of railroad around the burning train wreckage. Seriously.”
“It is clear from this most recent spate of accidents that neither “safer” tank cars or the current speed limits are limiting the threat crude-by-rail poses to our communities. But that wasn’t the only lesson to be taken from these derailments. The other, just as significant, is that transporting tar sands isn’t necessarily safer than transporting Bakken crude — which we explain in detail in our recent blog post.”
http://priceofoil.org/2015/03/13/many-explosions-will-take-stop-crude-rail
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/06/05/oil-train-disaster-plans-burning-
need-truth-about-oil-train-fires
http://www.desmogblog.com/2016/06/05/luck-rides-rails-another-near-miss-bakken-bomb-train
“The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark,”
—-Thomas Paine
From the above article:
” There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.”
Well stated, Mr. Young.
Beyond crude -by-rail..–“.the bigger picture”– of a changing climate and the impact it will have not only for us, but our children and our grand-children and their children as well.
The article listed below is valuable scientific informational portal for our undecided official(s) to seriously consider…your decision is of local/regional importance which is connected to the bigger picture, our future on this planet!!
Councilman Hughes are you paying attention?
An excerpt for you:
“Ten Times Faster Than a Hothouse Extinction — Human Carbon Emission is Worst in at Least 66 Million Years”
“If you look over the entire … last 66 million years, the only event that we know of … that has a massive carbon release and happens over a relatively short period of time is the PETM ( Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maxmum). We actually have to go back to relatively old periods. Because in the more recent past, we don’t see anything [even remotely] comparable to what humans are currently doing.” Richard Zeebe of the University of Hawaii in a recent paper published in Nature.”
“Annual human carbon emissions are about 150 times that of all the volcanoes on the Earth, 10 times faster than a hothouse extinction that occurred 55.8 million years ago….”
“Let’s be very clear. The human fossil fuel emission is outrageous and unprecedented on geological timescales. An insult the Earth has likely never seen before. For the pace at which we are emitting carbon into the atmosphere is just flat out insane. We’ve known this for some time because the best of science can’t find any time in all of Earth’s geological history that produces a rate of atmospheric carbon accumulation equal to the one that’s happening now.”
Please read the full article to make a command decison not only for Benicia but for our children and all children, as well.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/03/22/ten-times-faster-than-a-hothouse-extinction-human-carbon-emission-is-worst-in-at-least-66-million-years/
“Climate change is a moral issue of unprecedented scope, a matter of intergenerational injustice, as today’s adults obtain benefits of fossil fuel use, while consequences are felt mainly by young people and future generations.”
—James Hansen, 2012
Book Source: ” Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive The CO 2 Crisis?”
From the above article:
” There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.”
Well stated, Mr. Young.
Beyond crude -by-rail..–“.the bigger picture”– of a changing climate and the impact it will have not only for us, but our children and our grand-children and their children as well.
The article listed below is valuable scientific informational portal for our undecided official(s) to seriously consider…. your decision is of local/regional importance which is connected to the bigger picture, our future on this planet!!
Councilman Schwartzman are you paying attention?
An excerpt for you:
“World Meteorological Organization — Dangerous Climate Future Has Arrived”
“The alarming rate of change we are now witnessing in our climate as a result of greenhouse gas emissions is unprecedented in modern records. — Petteri Taalas, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization”
“The startlingly high temperatures so far in 2016 have sent shockwaves around the climate science community,” said David Carlson, Director of the World Climate Research Programme, in a recent World Meteorological Organization press release. Dr Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Penn State echoed these sentiments — “I think we all knew this would be a warm year due to the major El Niño event. But I don’t think any of us expected such remarkable and persistent record-breaking warmth.”
“It’s a new extreme record warmth that comes immediately following a major global temperature ramp-up during 2015 — a period that the World Meteorological Organization is calling alarming due to an increasing number of severe climate impacts. “Our planet is sending a powerful message to world leaders to sign and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and cut greenhouse gases now before we pass the point of no return,” said Mr Taalas, the WMO’s Secretary General in a press release announcing its most recent State of the Climate annual report.”
Councilman Schwartzman, please read the full article to make a command decison not only for Benicia but for our children and all children, as well.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/03/21/world-meteorological-organization-dangerous-climate-future-has-arrived/
” The Stone Age did not end for a lack of stone. And the Oil Age will end long before the world runs out of oil.”
—James Canton
Book source:” Physics Of The Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny And Our Daily Lives By The Year 2100.”
From the above article:
” There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.”
Well stated, Mr. Young.
Beyond crude -by-rail..–“The bigger picture”– of a changing climate and the impact it will have not only for us, but our children and our grand-children and their children as well.
The article listed below is valuable scientific informational portal for our undecided official(s) to seriously consider…. your decision is of local/regional importance which is connected to the bigger picture, our future on this planet!!
Councilwoman Strawbridge are you paying attention?
An excerpt for you:
“The Choice Before us is Urgent: Sans a Swift Switch to Renewables, Dangerous Climate Change May Be Imminent”
“The first is that the globe will probably rocket well past peak CO2 levels of 405 parts per million by April and May of this year. This jump has been pushed along by a baseline massive human CO2 emission and assisted by a record ocean warming event (El Nino) in the Equatorial Pacific. Overall, this new yearly record will be more than 55 parts per million higher than peak ‘safe’ levels of 350 parts per million recommended by some of the world’s top climate scientists.”
“Such high atmospheric CO2 concentrations likely haven’t been seen in 15 million years. If CO2 levels (and the levels of related heat trapping gasses) remain so high for extended periods or continue to rise, then more and more dangerous and disruptive changes to the geophysical system of the Earth are in store. Global temperatures, the driving force of many of these changes, are already hitting +1.1 C above 1880s averages during 2015 (and +1.57 C during one month of 2016!) and will continue to ramp higher for decades and centuries unless those excessive greenhouse gas concentrations start to fall.
In 2016, we see massive losses in Arctic sea ice, rapid warming in the northern polar regions of the globe, increasing instances of extreme weather, increasing rates of glacial destabilization, increasing rates of sea level rise, increasing instances of mass casualty producing heatwaves, increasingly rapid rates of ocean health decline (ocean anoxia and acidification), increasing stress on ecosystems around the globe, and a number of dangerous tropical viruses spreading up from the lower Latitudes.”
“This is the world that economic dependence on fossil fuel based energy sources has given us. It’s a more difficult and dangerous one to live in than that represented by the milder 20th Century climates. And, over time, that difficulty and danger grows worse so long as the fossil fuel burning continues and concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gasses do not fall.”
Councilwoman Strawbridge, please read the full article to make a command decision not only for Benicia but for our children and all children, as well
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/03/16/the-choice-before-us-is-urgent-sans-a-swift-switch-to-renewables-dangerous-climate-change-may-be-imminent/
“The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark,”
—-Thomas Paine
Source :” The War On Science: Who is Waging it, Why It Matters, What We Can Do About it”
Thanks, Mr. Young, for sharing this excellent information with the public you serve..
As we wait for the Surface Transportation Board to make a ruling, it is important to remember that no appointed or elected representative has voted in favor of moving forward with crude-by-rail ‘ Listed below are the officials who have voted “no” on this plan.
Planning Commission Members. Term Expires:
George Oakes, Sr. 1/19
Kari Birdseye 1/19
Susan Cohen Grossman 1/20
Trevor Macenski 1/20
Don Dean 1/17
Steve Young 1/17
Elizabeth Radtke 1/20
Add: Mayor Elizabeth Patterson and Councilman Tom Campbell .
:These are the (9) appointed and elected officials who have voted in favor of rejecting the crude-by rail project.
Nobody (0) has voted in favor of this deal .
We have three council-members: Mark Hughes, Allan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge who, so far, are “undecided” on how they will vote after nearly 4 years of deliberations.
We now have one candidate for council, Lionel Largsespada who, supports Valero Benicia Refinery’s Crude-By-Rail Project.
Not a vote– but an endorsement for business as usual.
The tally so far…for the community to comprehend–
9 opposed—0 in favor—3 undecided and one endorsement in favor
The article/video/graphics below provides more valuable scientific information for our appointed and elected officials and our children (young adults, who reside in our little city and are able to vote) to seriously consider…
“Hot Hot Heat: New Data Shows World is Baking in 2016″”
“Furthermore, also on Tuesday, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) noted that the six-month period from January to June 2016 was also the planet’s warmest half-year on record, with an average temperature 2.4° F warmer than the late 19th century.”
“NASA also recorded that five of the first six months of 2016 also set records for the smallest respective monthly Arctic sea ice extent since consistent satellite records began in 1979”.
“It has been a record year so far for global temperatures, but the record high temperatures in the Arctic over the past six months have been even more extreme,” said Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “This warmth as well as unusual weather patterns have led to the record low sea ice extents so far this year.”
“At Climate Central, Andrea Thompson writes: “While 2016 has gotten a boost from an exceptionally strong El Niño, the record temps are mostly the result of the excess heat that has built up in Earth’s atmosphere due to accumulating greenhouse gases. That heat is raising global sea levels, disrupting ecosystems and leading to more extreme weather events.”
Key question:
As climate change accelerates can we continue on with business as usual?
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/07/19/hot-hot-heat-new-data-shows-world-baking-2016
CBR is not the only issue this city faces. If you are only a agenda driven voter Will you are way out of step. Would you sacrifice the services that we have in this wonderful city just to stop fossil fuel. Because that is what this is about. Pure and simple FOSSIL FUEL. You bring up a candidates name that will not be able to vote on this issue when he is elected because it will be all over before the election. All except for a big law suit the city could face. There are solutions that the CBR crowd will not even discuss or negotiate on. This city is letting CBR stand in the way of some very important issues going forward. We now have two Planning Commissioners running for council. The voters in this town are much more savvy than you think Will. This whole CBR group is willing to sacrifice the things that make this city great. One being Valero who they have made the enemy. The other is econ development of the Seeno property. Both very valuable assets to ,this city. But Will this anti CBR group including you do care about the future of this city.. They also know ,that California is the leader in renewable energy and in a very short time things are changing for the good of all of us. Look what PG&E is doing with renewable energy. Also Valero with the scrubber. These are all things that will keep this city safe and healthy. Remember Will those refineries have been here for over 100 years. The only exception is Valero at 50 years. Remember also Will the growth of this city started to happen just as the refinery was starting up. From 7,000 to 28,000. That tells us all that the refinery was and has never been an issue. . ..
“The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark,”
—-Thomas Paine
Source :” The War On Science: Who is Waging it, Why It Matters, What We Can Do About it”
Thanks, Mr. Young, for sharing this excellent information with the public you serve..
As we wait for the Surface Transportation Board to make a ruling, it is important to remember that no appointed or elected representative has voted in favor of moving forward with crude-by-rail ‘ Listed below are the officials who have voted “no” on this plan.
Planning Commission Members. Term Expires:
George Oakes, Sr. 1/19
Kari Birdseye 1/19
Susan Cohen Grossman 1/20
Trevor Macenski 1/20
Don Dean 1/17
Steve Young 1/17
Elizabeth Radtke 1/20
Add: Mayor Elizabeth Patterson and Councilman Tom Campbell .
:These are the (9) appointed and elected officials who have voted in favor of rejecting the crude-by rail project.
Nobody (0) has voted in favor of this deal .
We have three council-members: Mark Hughes, Allan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge who, so far, are “undecided” on how they will vote after nearly 4 years of deliberations.
We now have one candidate for council, Lionel Largsespada who, supports Valero Benicia Refinery’s Crude-By-Rail Project.
Not a vote– but an endorsement for business as usual.
The tally so far…for the community to comprehend–
9 opposed—0 in favor—3 undecided and one endorsement in favor
Beyond the undecided, the endorsers and the corporate shills—
The article and video’s below provides more valuable investigative journalism and scientific information for our appointed and elected officials and our citizenry to seriously consider and comprehend…
“Smoke and Fumes: Six Decades of Oil-Tobacco Nexus of Deception and Attacks on Science”
“The oil industry used science, communications and consumer psychology to shape the public debate over climate change and block action decades earlier than anyone suspected”
Key question:
As climate change accelerates— can we continue on with more business as usual?
http://www.desmogblog.com/2016/07/20/smoke-and-fumes-six-decades-oil-tobacco-nexus-deception-and-attacks-science
Business is not as usual. Take a look what PG&E has done. They could well pass MCE on renewable energy by 2030. Not that far AWAY. The state of California is the leader in clean energy. Will just what are the folks that flow into the Bay Area from other cities to do when you and the anti fossil fuel folks want to drive out the refineries? Most cannot afford to live in the area. So they live where housing is affordable. Are you going to force them to buy e-cars or hybrids. Get real Will. It is you that is not very realistic.
“If we want to get a glimpse of what we can expect this year or next year,…we need only look again at the impact of recent heat waves i Australia(2008), Russia(2010), and the United States(2012), which destroyed up to 40 percent of grain and corn harvests, and which livestock died in the tens of thousands.”
Source: Ten Billion, Vintage Books. 2013.
Thanks, Mr. Young, for sharing this excellent information with the public you serve..
As we wait for the Surface Transportation Board to make a ruling, it is important to remember that no appointed or elected representative has voted in favor of moving forward with crude-by-rail ‘ Listed below are the officials who have voted “no” on this plan.
Planning Commission Members. Term Expires:
George Oakes, Sr. 1/19
Kari Birdseye 1/19
Susan Cohen Grossman 1/20
Trevor Macenski 1/20
Don Dean 1/17
Steve Young 1/17
Elizabeth Radtke 1/20
Add: Mayor Elizabeth Patterson and Councilman Tom Campbell .
:These are the (9) appointed and elected officials who have voted in favor of rejecting the crude-by rail project.
Nobody (0) has voted in favor of this deal .
We have three council-members: Mark Hughes, Allan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge who, so far, are “undecided” on how they will vote after nearly 4 years of deliberations.
We now have one candidate for council, Lionel Largsespada who, supports Valero Benicia Refinery’s Crude-By-Rail Project.
Not a vote– but an endorsement for business as usual.
The tally so far…for the community to comprehend–
9 opposed—0 in favor—3 undecided and one endorsement in favor
The article and video below provides more scientific information for our appointed and elected officials and our citizenry to seriously consider and comprehend…
“Scorching Global Temps Astound Climate Scientists”
“What concerns me most is that we didn’t anticipate these temperature jumps,” David Carlson, director of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) climate research program, told Thompson Reuters Foundation late Monday. “We predicted moderate warmth for 2016, but nothing like the temperature rises we’ve seen.”
“Massive temperature hikes, but also extreme events like floodings, have become the new normal,” Carlson added. “The ice melt rates recorded in the first half of 2016, for example—we don’t usually see those until later in the year.”
“The fire is an omen of things to come, according to Holthaus: “Even if rainfall amounts don’t change in the future, drought and wildfire severity likely will because warmer temperatures are more efficient at evaporating what little moisture does fall. That, according to scientists, means California’s risk of a mega-drought — spanning decades or more — is, or will be soon, the highest it’s been in millennia.”
Key question:
As climate change accelerates— can we continue on with more business as usual?
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/07/27/scorching-global-temps-astound-climate-scientists
“I believe that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
—-Rachel Carson, The Real World Around Us. 1954.
Thanks, Mr. Young, for sharing this excellent information with the public you serve..
As we wait for the Surface Transportation Board to make a ruling, it is important to remember that no appointed or elected representative has voted in favor of moving forward with crude-by-rail ‘ Listed below are the officials who have voted “no” on this plan.
Planning Commission Members. Term Expires:
George Oakes, Sr. 1/19
Kari Birdseye 1/19
Susan Cohen Grossman 1/20
Trevor Macenski 1/20
Don Dean 1/17
Steve Young 1/17
Elizabeth Radtke 1/20
Add: Mayor Elizabeth Patterson and Councilman Tom Campbell .
:These are the (9) appointed and elected officials who have voted in favor of rejecting the crude-by rail project.
Nobody (0) has voted in favor of this deal .
We have three council-members: Mark Hughes (now running for mayor), Allan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge who, so far, are “undecided” on how they will vote after nearly 4 years of deliberations.
We now have one candidate for council, Lionel Largsespada who, supports Valero Benicia Refinery’s Crude-By-Rail Project.
Not a vote– but an endorsement for business as usual.
The tally so far…for the community to comprehend–
9 opposed—0 in favor—3 undecided and one endorsement in favor
The post below provides more scientific information for our appointed and elected officials, city staff and our citizenry to seriously consider and comprehend
‘Climate Change is Here and Now, Dire NOAA Report Warns’
‘The impacts of climate change are no longer subtle. They are playing out before us, in real time’-
“Environmental records of all kinds are being shattered as climate change takes effect in real time, scientists warned on Tuesday.”
“Last year’s record heat was fueled by a combination of the effects of global warming and one of the strongest El Niño events on record since at least 1950, NOAA said.”–(National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration)
“Last year’s El Niño was a clear reminder of how short-term events can amplify the relative influence and impacts stemming from longer-term global warming trends.”
NOAA listed the report’s highlights:
**Greenhouse gases highest on record.
**Global surface temperature highest on record.
**Sea surface temperatures highest on record
**Global upper ocean heat content highest on record.
**Global sea level highest on record.
**Extremes were observed in the water cycle and precipitation.
This is big trouble on a very large scale–
Read the rest of the article for a wake-up call if you care about the future of our “little city” and the planet
Key comment by Mr. Young from his above article:
.” There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.”
I couldn’t agree more!!
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/08/02/climate-change-here-and-now-dire-noaa-report-warns
To clarify; Trevor Macenski was not a member of the Planning Commission in February when the Commission voted 6-0 to not approve the use permit request or certify the EIR. The seventh member of the Commsission at the time, Rod Sherry, had recused himself since his employer had a business relationship with Valero.
Steve Young the main problem was you were a member. You had a ring in the nose of all the members. Grandstanding and shut out the folks that wanted to comment. Sorry Steve you ran them off. Are you proud of that? Steve you ,have no back ground of good ,things you have done for this city. All you have is the Planning Commission long winded and testimony with only your not so valid testimony. Only Enviro Greenie agenda driven comments that the Nextdoor folks love. You will live and die by that group. Sorry Steve but you are a loser.
.?
Crude-by-Rail—
Mr. Steve Young, Thank you for the clarification.
History;
When I read in the Herald that the Planning Commission had voted unanimously in favor not to proceed, to not approve the use permit request or certify the EIR. I went to the City of Benicia web-site to secure the names of the members of the Planning Commission, Thinking it was important for the citizenry to know the names of the people who serve on this public committee. And, secondly to thank them for their due diligence on this important matter.
Steve Young has started his campaign for City Council under the disguise of “Special to the Herald”. article. It is not a special it is a campaign article. It identified Steve Young , stating he is running for the Benicia City Council in November. A very under handed way of getting a free campaign ad. It is very apparent who he wants to replace on the city council. . He mentioned Councilmembers Hughes, Strawbridge and Schwartzman. Only Strawbridge is running for re-election. So that appears to be his target. Bad move by Young. Schwartzman is not up for re-election. Hughes is running for mayor and I would assume Young would back Mayor Patterson because of her vote not to delay the CBR project. So that also appears to be his target. If both Campbell and Strawbridge run for re-election they are shoo ins. So the only slim chance the “Rock Star” has is if Hughes beats Patterson and he is a third place finisher which is not likely. Others will be in the race and he is a short timer in town. Yes the same Steve Young who prevented others from making comments with his three hour filibuster and bullying tactics. Targeting the three very well respected councilmembers will not set well with voters. A short timer with no history of this town will not get him elected. He is a one trick agenda driven pony. I would also urge the residents to contact his targeted three and tell them that you do approve of their very fair appeal of the Planning Commission decision which he is a member. Sorry Steve trying to editorialize your campaign with a free campaign ad is way off base..
So back to the question of train safety, community safety? And two additional questions: Does Union Pacific have any liability insurance to cover such incidents? And is Union Pacific in any way answerable to anybody on the local or state level or only to the American Railroad Administration that has been recently fault by its own Inspector General for inadequately policing the railroad companies?
STAND (http://www.stand.earth/), formerly called ForestEthics is taking the lead on oil train issues, linking communities together for action through Crude Oil Awakening (CAN) conference calls. They’re planning a Week Of Action July 6 – 12 (http://stand.ngpvanhost.com/stop-oil-trains/week-of-action/).
Here where my wife and I live on the south most tip of Texas, we’re fighting three LNG export operations targeting our local Port of Brownsville (next door to South Padre Island, TX). But we recently learned that two highly flammable condensate trains a day, 120 rail tanker cars each, could be headed our way starting Summer 2017 thanks to our Port leasing land to a condensate processing and distribution program. And oil trains will be heading our way as soon as our Port repairs an old oil dock and builds a new one. One day, not much going on. The next day, boom: LNG headed our way. The next day, boom: condensate trains. The next day, boom: oil trains. What next?
Communities need to link together and construct early warning networks for mutual self-defense against these operations that promise jobs and economic prosperity without mentioning all the dangers, harms, and costs to public health and safety. Visit saveRGVfromLNG on Facebook.
Hey Bob Livesay…
Should Steve Young have not mentioned he is running for City Council would that have bode better for your taste? Seems he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. How about speaking to your opinion of the CBR project or stick to the subject, which is the latest tragedy involving an oil tanker derailment poisoning the soil, air and water in Oregon. Why not come clean with your agenda, seems only fair if you’re going to try to punch holes in Steve’s honesty.
I’m all about “slim chances”… GO STEVE!! GO BERNIE!!
Go Steve Go Bernie tells the whole story. Are you saying Steve is a Socilist. Did he have A Fubd trAISER
fund raider for Bernie. Yea just we wANT
Oh Bob. You implying Steve is a socialist speaks volumes to your character. Your desperation is showing.
Ask him who he support and possible had a fund raiser for.
He stated he did not. I will take him at his word.
I did stick to the subject. His OP ED was a pure political free ad. Wake up and understand politics. I have no agenda except to make sure all the facts are reported. I do believe I did state that the three councilmembers are being treated like the e4nemy. They are not. They did the right thing to protect this city from a very expensive law suit. If that happens the City will pay if Valero as the client sues. Wake up and understand what is actually happening. This is not about emotions it is what is best for the city. That has not been determined yet. You apparently to not understand the 14th Amendment,. That is very clear.
Thanks so much to Steve for his thoughtful and well researched letter. You can tell that he puts the welfare of the whole city first . What a pleasure to have someone so knowledge in this city. Such a shame that some people can’t appreciate what he is doing and only attack him because they are so wedded to the fossil fuel industry and willing to ignore the very real safety threats that these trains will bring. Imagine if this had happened in the refinery next to oil tanks. It might have ended up like the massive fire that Valero had at it’s Texas refinery.
It was not a letter. It was a campaign article cloaked as an OP ED article. Pure agenda driven political ideals. I am not going to be sucked in by that below the belt tactic. The residents see his motives. His problem is he thinks he has been given Rock Star status by this very small group. . Not so.
From the above article:
” There is still time for the citizens of Benicia to tell their elected officials how they feel about this project. I urge them to do so.”
Well stated, Mr. Young
More valuable information for our “undecided” elected officials to consider when voting on crude-by-rail…
“What is the Precautionary Principle”?
“The precautionary principle advocates common sense. This principle states that evidence of harm, rather than definitive proof of harm, should prompt policy action.”
“In 1998, a group of scientists, environmental activists, lawyers, and scholars met together in Racine, Wisconsin, to hone the definition of the precautionary principle as a new approach to thinking about environmental regulations and the evaluation and control of toxic chemicals. The resulting Wingspread Consensus Statement on the Precautionary Principle (link is external) states that “when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.”
“The precautionary principle holds that when significant risks to public health are suspected, efforts should be made to reduce those risks, when possible, even when scientific knowledge is inconclusive, and to seek alternatives. The principle critically shifts the burden of proof from the general public to the initiator of that public health or environmental risk. Instead of the public having to show they have been harmed, the initiator has to show that the activity, process, or chemical exposure is likely harmless.”
Key question:
Is the precautionary principle something that we should add to our General Plan– going forward into a very uncertain climate, economic and industrial future?
http://www.silentspring.org/precautionary-principle
The issue here is not Steve Young, and how long he has lived in town doesn’t matter. What does matter is why the City Council would ignore the recommendation of the Planning Committee and give Valero an extension. It is clear from this explosion and many others that hauling Bakken crude by rail is a ridiculous idea that can’t be supported rationally. Why would any City Council member be willing to risk a similar explosion? Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.
I believe councilmember Schwartzman gave a very public statement at the council when the delAY
delay was voted on. Mr. Cooke is a very big Enviro Greenie who is agenda driven for his own personal benefit.. Shameful is a very negative word directed at the very popular council members. Steve was campaigning. No doubt about it. You do not understand politics and Steve made a big mistake with his attack on these three very fine people. His “Rock Star” status is very limited. Grant ever thought that the PC vote could have been wrong and the three councilmembers are right. They are correct in their vote. You just are crying about it.
I hate to crumble your cookie, but the “Valero 3” city council members are not very fine people. FYI, Steve Young has not lived in Benicia a long time, but his accomplishments have eclipsed most during his tenure in Benicia, including Planning Commissioner. Your statement “A short timer with no history of this town will not get him elected” is false.
Wrong. Her hasd made a lot of folks very aware of his Socuialist ideALS and his agenda DR
He has not made a lot of people in Benicia very happy with his filibustering and bully tactics. He is out.
Cindy go on record and state why they are not very fine people. Because they did was right for the city and now you think they are not fine people. Maybe you should really take a look at the issue with very clear eyes and see actually what is going on. These three councilmembers do know what they are doing and we will not know what the outcome will be for a very long time. But by defaming the three members you are falling into the Steve Young camp and that will not work. He is not needed. You should be thankful for these three councilmembers. But first you must answer my question. Are you up to it. You made the statement now back it up.
The bigger picture…. who are you going to trust oil company executives or climate scientists?
The above comment from author Grant Cooke:
” Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.”
S
They did. Grant just does not pay attention. Schwartzman gave long explanation and Hughes and Strawbridge did also give explanations. The problem with Grant is he does not care what they said because it did not fit his Enviro Greenie agenda. Yes Grant I am they one that has called you an Enviro Greenie a while back. You even mentioned the term at a council meeting a while back. Saying someone called you that. Guess who it was. Yes Bob “The Owl” Livesay. I assume by now you know what I mean.
In 1995, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sherwood Rowland asked,
“What’s the use of having developed a science well enough to make predictions if, in the end, all we’re willing to do is stand around and wait for them to come true.”
,The bigger picture…. who are you going to trust oil company executives or climate scientists?
The comment below from author Grant Cooke:
” Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.”
How true, Mr. Cooke.
As we wait the opinion of the Surface Transportation Board —
Other climate news that should concern our appointed and elected officials is happening even faster than science models projected…
“Arctic Sea Ice Plummets To Staggering Low In May, While CO2 Levels Hit Record High”
“Last month saw the biggest year-over-year jump in atmospheric levels of heat-trapping carbon dioxide on record — 3.76 parts per million. And that, reports NOAA, took May 2016 to the highest monthly levels of CO2 in the air ever measured — 407.7 ppm.
“At the same time, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reports the warming-driven death spiral of Arctic sea ice hit a staggering new May low (see figure). May 2016 saw Arctic sea ice extent drop “about 600,000 square kilometers (232,000 square miles) below any previous year in the 38-year satellite record.”
“Carbon dioxide levels are increasing faster than they have in hundreds of thousands of years,” explains Dr. Pieter Tans, who leads NOAA’s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. “It’s explosive compared to natural processes.”
“Humanity is creating an explosive change in the atmosphere, which is driving an explosive change in the Arctic. Unfortunately, what happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic — and the accelerated loss of Arctic sea ice drives more extreme weather in North America, while accelerating the disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet and the defrosting of the permafrost, which contains more of carbon than the atmosphere currently does.”
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/06/08/3785940/co2-levels-arctic-sea-ice-record/
“We know that fossil fuels cause climate change of unprecedented destructive potential”
—-Harvard Faculty For Divestment, 2014
,The bigger picture…. who are you going to trust oil company executives or climate scientists?
The comment below from author Grant Cooke:
” Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.”
How true, Mr. Cooke!
The article(s) below provide more valuable information for our citizens, appointed (city staff) and elected representatives to seriously consider…
“Report: Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Set to Pass 400ppm—Permanently”
“Carbon emissions and extreme weather events poised to push CO2 levels past symbolic threshold for good, new study finds—”
“Record carbon dioxide levels are set to surpass the symbolic threshold of 400 parts per million (PPM) this year and will likely never fall below that line again in our lifetimes, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.”
“Emissions have increased over the past 12 months due to the continued burning of fossil fuels, but the impact has also been exacerbated by an unbridled El Niño event. Reports from earlier this year also found that 2016 is poised to become the hottest year in recorded history.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/13/report-carbon-dioxide-levels-are-set-pass-400ppm-permanently
And:
“May Marks 8th Consecutive Record Hot Month in NASA’s Global Temperature Measure”
“May of 2016 was the warmest May since record keeping began for NASA 136 years ago. It is now the 8th record hot month in row. In other words, since October, every month has been the hottest such month ever recorded (October vs October comparison, November vs November etc). And May’s record is just the most recent high mark during a period that has now vastly exceeded all previous measures for global temperature tracking.”
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/06/13/may-marks-8th-consecutive-record-hot-month-in-nasas-global-temperature-measure/
“We know that fossil fuels cause climate change of unprecedented destructive potential”
—-Harvard Faculty For Divestment, 2014
–The bigger picture…. who are you going to trust oil company executives or climate scientists?
The comment below from author Grant Cooke:
” Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.”
How true, Mr. Cooke!
As we wait the Surface Transportation Board opinion on crude-by-rail, the planet is heating up in an unprecedented manner!!
The article below provide more valuable information for our citizens, appointed (city staff) and elected representatives to seriously consider….
“What is happening right now is we are catapulting ourselves out of the Holocene, which is the geological epoch that human civilisation has been able to develop in, because of the relatively stable climate. It allowed us to invent agriculture, rather than living as nomads. It allowed a big population growth, it allowed the foundation of cities, all of which required a stable climate.” — Stefan Rahmstorf
“So what the heck is going on? We know that a strong El Nino just passed. But, though a real beast of a thing, the 2015-2016 event wasn’t quite as powerful as the 1997-1998 El Nino. And global temperatures will end up being about 50 percent hotter than 1998 averages by the end of this year. Essentially leaving this great El Nino’s heat spike in the dust. Meanwhile, scientists attribute about 1/5th of the 2014 to 2016 heat spike to El Nino. The rest came from someplace else. But where?”
“The first obvious suspect is greenhouse gasses. In 1998, atmospheric CO2 levels peaked at around 365 parts per million at the Mauna Loa Observatory. This year, that heat trapping gas hit near 408 parts per million in the same measure. That’s a 43 parts per million jump peak to peak in just 18 years. A 12 percent increase in a gas that is capable of causing severe geo-physical changes in what, geologically speaking, is not even a blink of an eye. And you have to go back millions of years into Earth’s history to find times when CO2 readings were so high.”
Read the rest of the article (i,e, the science facts) to understand the big picture of what is happening to our planet.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/06/17/rapid-polar-warming-kicks-enso-out-of-the-climate-drivers-seat-sets-off-big-2014-2016-global-temperature-spike/
Beyond the fossil fuel fools—
“We know that fossil fuels cause climate change of unprecedented destructive potential”
—-Harvard Faculty For Divestment, 2014
–The bigger picture…. who are you going to trust oil company executives, or climate scientists?
The comment below from author Grant Cooke:
” Frankly, the fact that none of the three council members–Hughes, Strawbridge or Schwartzman–are willing to discuss their reasoning in public is shameful. Civic leaders have a responsibility to lead, and leadership requires transparency.”
How true, Mr. Cooke!
The article below provides more valuable information for our citizens, appointed (city staff) and elected representatives to seriously consider….
“As Southwest Burns, Climate Scientists Warn: You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”
“If we continue with business-as-usual burning of fossil fuels, by mid-century what we think of as extreme summer heat today will become a typical summer day.”
“More than 20 fires are also burning in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Washington state, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. Meanwhile, record-breaking heat reached 123°F in Palm Springs and 115°F in Phoenix. Death Valley recorded the country’s hottest temperature on Monday at 126°F. At least six deaths have been attributed to the extreme heat.”
“Michael Mann, a professor of meteorology at Penn State University who was in Phoenix for the Democratic National Platform committee meeting last weekend when the temperatures hit 106°F, told the panel that the extreme weather was “an example of just the sort of extreme heat that is on the increase due to human-caused climate change.”
“Mann also warned that, absent immediate action to curb climate change, scorching heat in the region could become the new normal by 2050.”
“If we continue with business-as-usual burning of fossil fuels, by mid-century what we think of as extreme summer heat today will become a typical summer day,” he said.
As our three council members––Hughes, Strawbridge and Schwartzman— procrastinate on a decision on crude-by-rail,
The public has a right to know: are they paying attention?
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/22/southwest-burns-climate-scientists-warn-you-aint-seen-nothin-yet
Thank you Mr. Young, for this excellent article., it makes it so clear why transporting crude by rail is a terrible idea. Why would any member of the Benicia City Council vote to take such a risk ? I have lived here for over 40 years and I understand that The City is very dependent on support from Valleri but is that worth sacrificing the health and well being of my family? I say NO!
At present has Valero effected the Health and Well being of your family?
As a person who lives “down river” from Benicia, I appreciate the Planning Commission’s wisdom. Here in Crockett, we don’t have a Planning Commission or a City Council to protect us from our own County (Contra Costa) slightly sycophantic relationship with the 4 refineries over here. Benicians are very lucky to have local representation!
It is a shame that Mr. Livesay tried to divert attention away from important public health issues that affect us ALL regionally, Should an exploding Valero oil rail car dump into the Strait, the fiery poison will float past my kitchen window and out into our fragile bay ecosystem. The toxic air from refining the extreme crudes and/or from a burning rail car, will be breathed in by everyone who lives along Carquinez Strait and beyond.
I have to say this: Most politicians who get mileage out of refinery issues are those who choose to stroll through the revolving door that separates regional governments and the petroleum industry. Case in point on our side of the river: The chief of staff for our county supervisor (Federal Glover) job-jumped directly to Phillips 66 and now serves as the refinery’s Public Relations rep.
Many thanks to Steve Young for this article. Good luck to everyone in Benicia.
Well stated Nancy. Although you are not a Benician, your wisdom, understanding, rational, and experience speaks volumes on this issue.
The likes of Steve Young and Grant Cooke should be thankful that the City Council did due diligence on their vote to delay. Attacking those three members is wrong. They did the right thing. Remember Valero never asked for a delay just a recommendation. They stated that they were going to file regardless. The council made the decision to delay not Valero. Before making a final decision they wanted all the info possible. This is a very big legal issue. If Valero does not get approval and the Council had NOT done their due diligence the city has no leg to stand on. We do not know what the report will bring and also do not know how the final council vote will turn out. But to attack councilmembers who are doing a good service for the city in trying to get all the answers should be applauded not attacked because of personal agenda driven ideals. That is wrong. Steve Young can run on his one agenda driven ideal but should get his facts correct and understand why the council did what they did. I am very thankful they did what they did as should Steve and Grant. But no they are not. Driven by emotion and scare tactics.. Grant the three councilmembers that you think are shameful showed strong leadership and were very transparent. You should be the one called shameful for your attack on three very fine elected officials you just do not happen to agree with. Yes Grant and Steve be thankful that they showed responsibility and put the best interest of the city first before making any decision. At this point Grant and Steve are blowing false statements about three councilmembers that they should be ,thankful for what they did. Get the facts folks then make your statements. Do not let emotion guide your views. Nancy I am in favor of all the facts not just emotions. Nancy I did not divert attention away from the issue Steve young did. His political attack on three councilmembers was what he wanted all the time. Steve and Grant are trying to make these three the enemy when in reality they are the friends of the residents of this city. Steve and Grant are trying to make the folks think these three are the enemy. That is wrong. I do not want someone like that on the city council I want very clear thinking folks like the three council members. Be proud that they care.
Good points Steve. We are dealing with a similar issue down here in San Luis Obispo County at the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery. In addition to the points you listed, there was another pertinent comment from the Mosier Fire Chief. Fire Chief Jim Appleton says the usual amount of wind in Mosier — about 25 mph — could have turned the incident into a major disaster, destroying the town and sending flames across state lines. Lastly, it’s strange that someone is criticizing Steve for writing his opinion while he’s running for council. Don’t you want to hear the opinions and reasoning of the candidates? It is common for candidates to send in their opinion pieces to the local papers.
I find the attack on the three councilmembers very strange. No thought put into the attack. You attack councilmember Schwartzman who is more than likely your only vote left on the council. He is your swing vote but you include him in your attacks. Some even saying recall. The attention paid to emotion and scare tactics is wrong. Your Rock Star candidate was wrong in challenging the jurisdiction on railcars and rail lines. Your Rock Star leader forced a 6/0 vote against the FEIR when they have no jurisdiction.. Should have voted to approve FEIR and voted to deny the permit based on land use. You would have been on much stronger grounds and it would be over by now except for a law suit by the client. The Rock Star improved Valero the clients position on a law suit big time. He did not do the City or its residents any favors. The city could be stuck with a big law bill. You want clear thinkers on the council not emotion driven people who use the wrong method to get to an agenda driven decision. The Rock Star is not the right candidate for council. His followers need to think about the approach which the Reverend also backed. Emotion, scare tactics and threats never work. Not a good move.
The City “could be” stuck with a big law bill? Hey Bill! The City “could be” stuck with irreversible damage to it’s water, soil and air should there be a tanker accident, to which would cost us a HECK of a lot more than a law suit! I have no idea how many decades you’ve lived on this planet, but I have a pretty good idea of how you’ve treated it.
One thing that is very apparent- you do not think clearly.
I have been around for a few years. I do think clearly. I have seen progress and it moves very smoothly. From the telephone to what we have today. How many years have you been around? I am 83 what about 6you. Yes I have seen plenty. Yes I want clear air, water etc. it is going in that direction. I have done much more than you to get there.
Bob,
Can you please reconcile for me how crude by rail is ‘going in that direction’- cleaner air, water etc. Are you ignoring the latest accident? Or banking on it never, ever happening again? Expanding the methods of receivership of crude oil is literally counter intuitive and counter productive to a cleaner and healthier planet.
I’m very confused by your contradictory statements.
This whole issue is about anti fossil fuel. CBR just happens to be the issue at present. Have you seen the scrubber that Valero put in at the refinery. Have you looked at the advancement in fracking? Even on coal with their new methods which will never happen because the Feds will never subsidize it. Just solar and e-cars. I did not ignore that accident. They were not properly prepared and the Oregon Governor stated that. A good example of moving in the right direction is PG&E on renew energy. They are at 30% and will be over 33% by the end of 2016. Four years ahead of the mandate. Will be at least be at 50% by 2030 mandate date. Tell me that is not progress. It is. California refinery’s are under very strict regulations and follow them. . By the way is it ok with you that MCE buys 17% fossil fuel fracked natural gas just last ,year for ,theor mix? By the way there will be no difference in emission no matter what fossil fuel they use. All refinerys are meeting all requirements. It will not happen over night and stopping CBR will not change anything. Many of the accidents were because of not being properly prepared and pure negligence. The incident in Canada will result in three folks that are being I indicted not have a pleasant future. It was negligence. The rail cars will be improved and the rail lines will have much stricter reviews. Emotions will not solve your issue. If you did listen to the Valero Fire Chief you would understand just how prepared Benicia is.
You’re implying that the “negligent” folks didn’t state WE ARE FULLY PREPARED FOR AN ACCIDENT at any juncture leading up to the dreadful accident. Scapegoats are abundant. Valero’s fire chief is PAID to say they’re prepared, I mean really Bob…. Really.
Did not have to say anything. It was pure negligence. No way around it. Three folks are indicted. Does that answer your question. When the Gov says they were not prepared I would say that says a lot. It appears you do not believe the Valero Fire Chief and maybe also the City of Benicia Fire Chief. You do not believe the facts. Only scare tactics filled with emotion. Do you believe Valero and the City are preopar3ed to handle an issue like the Gorge issue in Oregon? Please4 explain. Now answer me about tanker ships and pipelines. Are they next on your agenda driven anti fossil fuel ideals. Ever thought that Science and Silicon Valley could help a great deal which they are. Look up how coal can burn very clean. Better investment in that resource than electric cars that do need electricity supplied by natural gas. Even your beloved MCE is big on Natural gas. I do believe that is a fossil fuel.
A few points.
1. To say the Valero FC stated he was prepared because he is paid is one of the most arrogant, self serving statements I have ever heard. You are calling him a flat out liar. I guess the same then applies to the Benicia PD and FD saying they are ready to handle crime and fires. The same can be said for every politician in the country.
2. During the planning commission meetings I heard more than one speaker state that Valero could be competitive with CBR. Again another arrogant, even ignorant statement.
3. I have heard numerous people say oil is on the way out. While oil is a finite resources it will be the dominant energy source for at least the next 50 years based on all the reports I have read.
4. I find it interesting that the anti CBR people refuse to come right out and say that they are against ANY oil project, no matter what it is.
John you have it right.
I think very clearly.. Do you also want to stop tanker ships and pipelines also? What is next on your agenda driven ideals.
Steve you posted on Nextdoor that Valero is at 65% of capacity. Where did you get that info. Could you please share your source. Thank you.
Waiting for the info Steve. It would be very helpful to all of us,. Also improves credibility. Thank you.
If the city says no oil by rail … Fine. I say lets make up the supply gap by bringing in more tankers and dig in a pipeline. Let’s get the refinery up to 100% capacity and let it rip. Bring in more oil utilizing any means .. Except rail, of course.
I urge all residents of Benicia to demand that Steve Young tell us where he got the following info: Valero is at 65% capacity; Overseas shipping of oil {sounds as if Valero can start any day now}, tell us the process that Valero must go through to get approval to ship oil overseas out of Benicia. When making statements without facts can create fear and panic in the residents. Steve give us the facts not scare tactics.. I assume you can give us the source. That will solve the issue. But they must be specific.
Steve we are still waiting for your response. Please give the residents an answer. You are running for city council and credibility ,is very important. Thank ,you.
Steve where is your answer. You made the statement, Now back it up. .
Steve your comment on the MCE money shows the public you are out ,of touch. Do your homework and then comment. You do not know ,the issue. Just a one trick pony. Sorry to say that but you are not at all qualified to represent the residents of this city on the city council.
Reading this article and reading many comments, I just wonder if there is a hidden agenda here …
Yes, there are hazards involved with shipping oil by rail. There are also hazards involved shipping oil by ship and by using pipelines. Transporting oil ALWAYS involves risk.
So the questions I ask are, “Does the anti rail group oppose oil by rail, or do they oppose big oil all together? Do they, in fact, just oppose Valero? And are their opposition to oil by rail really a means to hurt Valero and chase them out of town?
I ask these questions because I cannot see their logic in opposing oil by rail, which would only default to more oil by tanker. A tanker spill would be much worse than a train derailment. So why is train transportation so much worse than an Exxon Valdez moment?
The only conclusion I can draw is that Mr. Young simply opposes Valero’s existence and wants them out of town.
That should be the question to Mr. Young and to the anti rail group, do you want to close Valero? Yes or no. And if you support Valero, why is rail transport more hazardous than ship transport or pipeline?
Good comment Matter. We are now starting to hear from the other side on CBR. The anti fossil fuel/CBR/Valero group is now starting to feel the other side. Kerridge, Cooke, and especially the Nextdoor crowd do not like the competition for facts which they have none. Only maybe and scare tactics. Yes Steve Young is a supporter of Bernie. Think about that.
There is no hidden agenda… just.more facts–can you handle the truth?
“… the world is changing rapidly, moving away from an oil-based economy. The social impacts are being examined across the world. We need to transition, to get away from fossil fuels.”
— Benicia Planning Commissioner George Oakes
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
— Proverb 29:18
In Benicia we have a vision– the city council established a Sustainability Commission and a Climate Action Plan–and if memory serves– they were both unanimous 5-0 votes. Thank you Mayor Patterson.
As we go forward into our election season (typically Labor Day to Election Day) it will come down to who the voters trust to protect our small town atmosphere/environment; and how we as a community will have to transition (in our past history) from a military town to a refinery town, to the next phase be it renewable energy (wind .solar etc. .) or something yet to be determined.
We have been in our past and present history a city that has grown (Economic Engine) by the use of polluting industries: the military ( with expensive cleanups: the Arsenal; Tourtelot; Ghost Ship Fleet) is the biggest polluter in the world and of course the oil industry (Valero is a huge emitter of greenhouse gases in both the Bay Area and in California) is a close second. So we will need representatives on the council, city staff, EDB and Planning Commission that understand this dynamic as we go forward—.the General Plan is our guide but we will need conscientious people (Marilyn Bardet; Tom Campbell and Elizabeth Patterson come to mind ) going forward to implement the plan and yet, understand the big picture of not only Benicia’s future but California and the planet’s existence.
Below: more valuable” scientific information” for our economic development board, city staff, appointed and elected officials and our citizenry to seriously consider going forward into a very worrisome environmental future…
“There are a few things we know about climate change that should really keep us up at night. The first is that the world is warming, and this warming of the Earth, in so many ways, is dangerous to human beings and all the other innocent creatures living here.”
“The second is that, over recent years, this warming has been very rapid. In the three years from 2014 through 2016, the Earth’s atmospheric temperature is likely to have increased by 0.2 degrees Celsius or more to around 1.2 C above 1880s levels. When thinking about this in absolute terms, it doesn’t sound like much. But in geological terms, this is very rapid warming, especially when you consider that, at the end of the last ice age, it took about 400 years to produce a similar amount of atmospheric temperature gain.”
“What all this boils down to is that as global temperatures have spiked, we’ve rapidly crossed an established climate threshold into a far more geo-physically dangerous time.”
“Why is this a big deal”?
“Four reasons” —
“First, hitting 490 CO2e crosses the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change‘s (IPCC) lowest climate threshold. If this were a highway, and climate change were a collision, we’d now be careening through the first guardrail.”
“Second, 490 CO2e represents significant current and future warming (and there’s good reason to believe that IPCC’s estimates of that warming may be a bit conservative).”
“Third, it signifies that we have now fully entered the era of catastrophic climate change, with some bad climate outcomes almost certainly locked in as a result. We see a number of these instances now in the form of extreme rainfall events, extreme drought, coral bleaching, sea ice and glacial melt, threatened crops, ocean anoxia and dead zones, widespread harmful algae blooms, ocean acidification, and expanding infectious disease ranges. However, what we are experiencing now is just the tip of the (melting) climate change iceberg if we do not rapidly respond.”
“Fourth, if we were never really aware before that we very urgently need to get serious about swiftly cutting fossil-fuel emissions, protecting and regrowing forests, and working to help people to adapt to climate change, then this is our wake-up call.”
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/08/12/smashing-through-490-ppm-fragmenting-prospects-for-avoiding-2-c-warming/
So … From your article and comment, may I assume you are anti oil and advocate the closing of Valero?
Matter it certainly appears that way. He even campaigns with Mayor Patterson. We all know where she stands., Steve even hosted a get together for Bernie. Think maybe fund raising. I do have the flyer.
I find it amazing that I have not received an answer to my simple question …. Do the anti rail crowd want to shut down Valero? Yes or no?
Not a peep.
This just reinforces my theory that the anti rail movement is a diversion. The real, hidden, view of Mr. Young, and others, is to shut down Valero. They just won’t publicly state that agenda.
Again you are correct Matter. Ask Roger Straw that same question.. He supports Steve and does want all the refinery’s shut down. I will ask Roger Straw that question. Roger do you want all Bay Area Refinery’s shut down? That means it will include Valero.