Update: Hundreds flock to San Luis Obispo to speak on proposed oil train spur
Update posted Feb. 5:
-By Dick Mason
Public hearing continues today at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center
–Several hundred protesters arrived from all over the state yesterday for the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission hearing about a proposal by Phillips 66 to add a rail spur to their Santa Maria Refinery in Nipomo to enable increased rail transportation of crude oil to the plant. In recent days, Phillips 66 has offered to reduce the proposed rail transportation from 5 to 3 trains per week.
Buses brought protesters from Santa Barbara County, the Legends Development in Nipomo and other areas. Activist Heidi Harmon of San Luis Obispo welcomed supporters from throughout California during a rally held at noon in front of the County Government Center.
The objection of most of the protesters is the safety issue. Trains carrying crude oil and other petroleum products have occasionally exploded. Some protesters carried signs that read, “Stop the Train Bombs.”
A spokesman for Phillips 66 said that the Santa Maria Refinery has operated safely for sixty years on the Mesa, and they want to continue to do so. He says the expansion is good for California and will protect 200 jobs at the refinery.
Although the public hearing was held in the San Luis Obispo County Supervisors Chambers, the county rented the Fremont theater next door to accommodate the hundreds of people in attendance.
The public hearing continues today at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center.
Original story posted Jan. 27:
Crude oil by rail hearings scheduled for Feb. 4, 5
–On Feb. 4 and 5, public hearings will be held at the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission meeting regarding a request by the Phillips 66 company for a permit to allow the modification of the existing rail spur currently on the southwest side of the Santa Maria Refinery in order to allow for the import/unloading of crude oil at the refinery via train.
The hearings begin at 9 a.m. both days. Speaker sign-ups begin on site at 8 a.m. each morning. Each person will be assigned a number and everyone will speak in numerical order. The meeting will be held at the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors Chambers, Room #D170, County Government Center; 1055 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
The rail spur project includes a 6,915-foot long rail spur, an unloading facility, onsite pipelines, replacement of coke rail loading tracks, the construction of five parallel tracks with the capacity to hold a 5,190-foot-long unit train consisting of 80, 60-foot tank cars, two 60-foot buffer cars, and three, 90-foot locomotives, and accessory improvements. The site is located at 2555 Willow Road, approximately three miles west of the Nipomo Urban Reserve Line and approximately 3,300 feet from the nearest residence. Also being considered is the final environmental impact report for the project.
