BENICIA HERALD LETTER: Too many ‘hitches’ to crude by rail

Repost from the Benicia Herald
[Editor:  No link is provided for this letter because the Benicia Herald does not publish Letters in its online edition. – RS]

Too many ‘hitches’ to crude by rail

By Jan Cox-Golovich, September 9, 2015, Benicia Herald

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” – John Muir

And so it is with the Valero Crude-by-Rail Project.  When it was first presented to the community two years ago, we were told that is would be a simple railway expansion without any environmental impacts at all; that was simply untrue. We quickly discovered that this project would have profound effects locally, regionally, nationally and world-wide.

Our local economy has been “hitched” to the refinery for 50 years;  this 19th century industry is becoming obsolete in a state moving towards reducing greenhouse gases by 80% in 2050, while government and market forces transition to clean energy.  California is suffering from the most devastating drought in its history and the refinery uses almost half of our water.  The drought has been exacerbated by the hottest year on record, which in turn has been exacerbated by climate change, which in turn is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.   This “hitches” back to the refinery where 600 “other” businesses in the Industrial Park will, on a good day, experience transportation woes and worsening air quality because of the daily oil deliveries and — on a bad day — will be risking everything by virtue of being in the oil blast zone.

The Crude By Rail project is “hitched” to 1,700 miles of antiquated, dilapidated rail line, moving hazardous cargo from Canadian tar sands and North Dakota Bakken fracked oil fields to the Valero refinery, exposing millions to the dangers of explosions, fires, derailments, spills and permanent environmental damage to their land, water and air.  Many up-rail folks have made the trek down to City Hall to beg us not to do this to them.  This is an ethical “hitch” that we cannot deny or justify.

On a global scale, this project is “hitched” to the utter destruction of the boreal forest in Alberta and the fracking process ravaging North Dakota, where foul-smelling wastewater ponds are threatening agricultural land, animals, the water supply and human health, and where toxic methane gas flares light up the night sky as bright as any American city on the Google night map.  Scientists say the continued extraction of these extreme fuels is “game over” for the planet and human life upon it.   The Pope’s recent encyclical has “hitched” climate change to a moral imperative:  trade in our short-sighted greed for an alternative path to save our children and life on earth.

John Muir, naturalist, visionary and Martinez neighbor, spoke words that resonate with us today.  Benicia is “hitched” to the rest of the world.  We don’t live in a bubble where a town of 28,000 people can make decisions based on short-term financial gain at the expense of endangering human lives or contributing to the destruction of forests, waterways and the atmosphere, just because they are out of our sight.  Our provincial days are over; time for Benicia to reject crude by rail.

Jan Cox Golovich
Former City Councilmember

California Legislature Approves Landmark Climate Legislation—SB 350

From a State Senator Kevin De León Press Release
[Editor: See latest on SB 350 on leginfo.ca.gov.  – RS] 

Legislature Approves Landmark Climate Legislation—SB 350

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2015

Contact: Claire.Conlon@sen.ca.gov (916) 651-4024

SB 350 Bill Authors Senators Mark Leno and Kevin de León are joined by Senate colleagues and bill supporters at a 2/10/15 press conference where the California Climate Leadership Package was announced.

SACRAMENTO – On September 11, 2015, the California Legislature approved the nation’s most far-reaching climate change legislation by California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, sending the measure to the Governor for his signature.

SB 350, The Clean Energy and Reduction Act, codifies Governor Brown’s goals to double energy efficiency in our buildings and generate half of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030—in the largest state in the union and the eighth largest economy in the world. Before amendments made in the Assembly this week, the original measure also included a provision to reduce demand for petroleum use in vehicles by 50 percent.

“These new steps build on California’s historic commitment to lead the world in the fight against climate change and build a healthy and livable planet for our children and grandchildren,” said Senate leader De León. “But our efforts to reduce carbon emissions are far from over as global warming and air pollution remain one of the most important issues of our generation and one the greatest threats for generations to come.”

Said Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, who presented SB 350 on the Assembly floor Friday night: “This is, make no doubt about it, landmark legislation for California. We will continue to lead the way.”

Highlights (from Sen. De León‘s Newsroom):

Full List of Support for SB 350:

  • 350.org
  • 350 Bay Area/Marin
  • Academy of Pediatrics- California
  • Advanced Energy Economy (AEE)
  • Alameda Building Trades Council
  • Alameda County Board of Supervisors
  • Alliance for Solar Choice
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
  • American Farmland Trust
  • American Lung Association
  • American Lung Association-California
  • American White Water
  • Annies’s Natural Foods
  • Artesia City Councilmember Ali Sajjad Taj
  • Asian Pacific Environmental Network
  • Asthma and Sinus Center
  • Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County
  • Attorney General Kamala Harris
  • Audubon
  • Autodesk
  • AzTech
  • Aztec Energy
  • Azul
  • Baz Allergy
  • Ben & Jerry’s
  • Beneficial State Bank
  • Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates
  • Berkshire Hathaway Energy
  • Biosynthetic Technologies
  • Blattner Energy
  • Bloom Energy
  • Bonnie J. Adario Lung Cancer Foundation
  • Borrego Solar
  • Breathe California
  • Bright Power
  • BYD Motors, Inc.
  • CA Local conservation corps
  • California Association of Sanitation Agencies
  • California Bicycle Coalition
  • California Biomass Energy Alliance
  • California Black Health Network
  • California Catholic Conference
  • California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health
  • California Conservation Corps
  • California Democratic Party
  • California District Council of Ironworkers
  • California Energy Efficiency Industry Council
  • California Energy Storage Alliance
  • California Environmental Justice Alliance
  • California Equity Leaders Network
  • California Federation of Teachers
  • California Interfaith Power and Light
  • California League of Conservation Voters
  • California Municipal Utilities Association
  • California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (CNGVC)
  • California Nurses Association
  • California Pan Ethnic Health Network
  • California Public Health Association- North
  • California Solar
  • California Solar Energy Industry Association
  • California State Association of Electrical Workers
  • California State Pipes Trade Council
  • California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
  • California Thoracic Society
  • California Trout
  • California Walks
  • California Wind Energy Association
  • California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers
  • Californians Against Waste
  • CalSTART
  • Canadian Solar
  • Catholic Charities Diocese of Stockton
  • Center for Climate Change and Health
  • Center for Sustainable Energy
  • Center on Race Poverty and the Environment
  • Central California Asthma Collaborative
  • Chai Energy
  • ChangeLab Solutions
  • Circulate San Diego
  • City of Glendale
  • City of Huntington Park City of Los Angeles
  • City of Santa Monica
  • Clean Energy Collective
  • Clean Energy and Clean Energy Renewable Fuels
  • Clean Fuel Partners
  • Clean Power Campaign
  • Clean Power Finance
  • Clean Water Action
  • CleanTech San Diego
  • Cleveland National Forest Foundation
  • CLIF Bar & Co.
  • Climate Parents
  • Climate Resolve
  • Coalition for Clean Air
  • Coalition for Renewables and Gas
  • Coalition for Sustainable Transportation
  • Coalition of California Utility Employees
  • Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation
  • Code REDD
  • Contra Costa Building Trades Council
  • Controller Betty Yee
  • County of Los Angeles Public Health
  • Dignity Health
  • Distinguished Outreach Services
  • Doctors for Climate Health
  • Dr. Carl Wunsch (Harvard)
  • Dr. Roger Bales (UC Merced)
  • Eagle Creek
  • Eagle Crest Energy
  • Eco Factor
  • EDF Renewable Energy
  • Endangered Habitats League
  • EnergyHub
  • energyhippo
  • Energy Source
  • Environment California
  • Environmental and Energy Consulting
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
  • Eon Energy
  • EtaGen
  • First Fuel
  • First Solar
  • Fresno, Madera, and Kings Building Trades Council
  • Friends Committee on Legislation of California
  • Friends of the River
  • fs energy
  • Gaia Development Services
  • Gap, Inc. Genability
  • Greenbelt Alliance
  • Greenlining institute
  • Green Star Solutions
  • greentech
  • GRID Alternatives
  • Harvest Power
  • Hawthorne City Councilmember Angie Reyes English
  • Health Care Without Harm
  • Health Officers Association of California
  • Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
  • Home Energy Analytics
  • Humboldt/Del Norte Building Trades Council
  • Hydropower Reform Coalition
  • icontrol Networks
  • Inglewood City Councilmember Eloy Morales
  • Imperial Building Trades Council
  • Independent Energy Producers Association
  • Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones
  • International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  • International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
  • Investor Confidence Project
  • KB Home
  • Kern, Inyo & Mono Building Trades Council
  • kW Engineering
  • Lancaster Choice Energy
  • Large Scale Solar Association
  • League of Women Voters of California
  • Levi Strauss & Co.
  • Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom
  • Long Beach  Mayor Robert Garcia
  • Los Angeles City Council
  • Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
  • Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
  • Los Angeles Sustainability Collaborative
  • Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education
  • Los Angeles/Orange Building Trades Council
  • Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California
  • Lyft
  • Marin Building Trades Council
  • Marin Clean Energy
  • Mars, Inc.
  • McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
  • Medical Advocates for Healthy Air
  • Methanol Institute
  • Mercury Press International
  • Mid Valley Building Trades Council
  • Mission Data Empowering Energy Savings
  • Moms Clean Air Force
  • Montebello Mayor Jack Hadjinian
  • Monterey/Santa Cruz Building Trades Council
  • Motiv Power Solutions
  • Mountain Riders Alliance
  • Move LA
  • Napa/Solano Building Trades Council
  • Natel Energy
  • National Parks Conservation Association
  • Natural Resource Defense Council
  • Nature Conservancy
  • Nest
  • NextGen Climate
  • NextTracker, Inc
  • Nobel economist Dr. Kenneth Arrow (Stanford)
  • Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Mario Molina (UCSD)
  • Northeastern, Shasta, Trinity, Lassen & Tehama Building Trades Council
  • Northface
  • NRG Energy, Inc.
  • Oakland City Council
  • Office of Ratepayer Advocates
  • OPEN
  • Pacific Ethanol
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Company
  • Pattern Energy
  • Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
  • Physicians for Social Responsibility – San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
  • Planning and Conservation League
  • plotwatt
  • PolicyLink
  • Propel
  • Proterra, Inc.
  • Public Advocates
  • Public Health Institute
  • Rainforest Automation
  • Recurrent Energy
  • Redlands Area Democratic Club
  • Regional Asthma Management and Prevention
  • Rep. Adam Schiff
  • Rep. Alan Lowenthal
  • Rep. Anna Eshoo
  • Rep. Barbara Lee
  • Rep. Doris Matsui
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell
  • Rep. Janice Hahn
  • Rep. Jared Huffman
  • Rep. Jerry McNerney
  • Rep. John Garamendi
  • Rep. Juan Vargas
  • Rep. Judy Chu
  • Rep. Julia Brownley
  • Rep. Karen Bass
  • Rep. Lois Capps
  • Rep. Loretta Sanchez
  • Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard
  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
  • Rep. Mark Takano
  • Rep. Mike Honda
  • Rep. Mike Thompson
  • Rep. Nancy Pelosi
  • Rep. Scott Peters
  • Rep. Susan Davis
  • Rep. Ted Lieu
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren
  • Retroficiency
  • Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District
  • Sacramento/Sierra Building Trades Council
  • San Bernardino/Riverside Building Trades Council
  • San Diego Building Trades Council
  • San Fernando City Councilmember Antonio Lopez
  • San Fernando City Councilmember Robert Gonzales
  • San Francisco Asthma Task Force
  • San Francisco Board of Supervisors
  • San Francisco Building Trades Council
  • San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
  • San Joaquin, Calaveras & Alpine Building Trades Council
  • San Mateo Building Trades Council
  • Santa Ana City Councilmember Michele Martinez
  • Santa Barbara County Air Quality Control District
  • Santa Clara County Medical Society
  • Santa Clara/San Benito Building Trades Council
  • Sempra Energy Utilities
  • Sequoia Riverlands Trust
  • Service Employees International Union – California
  • Sierra Business Council
  • Sierra Club California
  • Signal Energy, LLC
  • Silicon Valley Leadership Group
  • Small Business California
  • SmartWool
  • Solar City
  • Solar Energy Industries Association
  • Sonoma Clean Power
  • Sonoma County Asthma Coalition
  • Sonoma, Mendocino & Lake Building Trades Council
  • South Yuba River Citizens League
  • Southern California Edison
  • Southern California Public Power
  • Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association
  • Stanislaus, Merced & Mariposa Building Trades Council
  • State Association of Electrical Workers
  • State Building and Construction Trade Council of California
  • Stem, Inc.
  • Sun Edison
  • Sungevity
  • Sunpower
  • Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
  • Sustainable Power Group
  • Symantec
  • TechNet
  • The Utility Reform Network
  • Thinkshift Communications
  • TransForm
  • Treasurer John Chiang
  • Tri-Counties Building Trades Council
  • Trust for Public Lands
  • Tulare County Citizens for Responsible Growth
  • U.S. Senator Boxer
  • U.S. Senator Feinstein   Unilever
  • Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Union of Elevator Constructors
  • United Union of Roofers, Waterpoofers and Allied Trades
  • US Green Building Council
  • UtiliSave
  • Valley Clean Air Now
  • Verdafera
  • Vivint Solar
  • Voices For Progress
  • Vote Solar
  • Watersmart Software
  • Watsonville City Council   WeatherBug Home
  • Western Council of Sheet Metal Workers
  • Western State Council
  • Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification

For more information about California’s climate leadership visit:

http://focus.senate.ca.gov/climate

#ActOnClimate

Photo: SB 350 Bill Authors Senators Mark Leno and Kevin de León are joined by Senate colleagues and bill supporters at a 2/10/15 press conference where the California Climate Leadership Package was announced

###

Claire Conlon
Press Secretary
Office of Senate President pro Tempore
Senator Kevin de León
24th Senate District – Los Angeles
(916) 651-4024

http://sd24.senate.ca.gov

Valero will soon have fifth refinery processing 100 percent North American crude

Repost from the San Antonio Business Journal
[Editor: Note brief reference to Valero’s Benicia Refinery at end of this article.   – RS]

Valero will soon have fifth refinery processing 100 percent North American crude

By Sergio Chapa, Sep 11, 2015, 6:44pm CDT
File photo Valero Energy Corporation's Jean Gaulin Refinery in Quebec City
File photo – Valero Energy Corporation’s Jean Gaulin Refinery in Quebec City

San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp. is expected to have its fifth refinery capable of processing nothing but North American crude by the end of the year.

Valero (NYSE: VLO) revealed in an investors’ presentation released earlier this week that its Jean Gaulin Refinery in Quebec will be processing 100 percent North American crude oil by the end of the year.

Company figures show that the refinery was 100 percent dependent on foreign crude oil in first quarter 2013, but production from the tar sands region of Canada and the shale plays of the United States has dramatically changed the situation.

The Jean Gaulin Refinery is processing about 80 percent North American-sourced crude oil but will be at 100 percent once a project to modify the Enbridge Line 9B Pipeline is completed in the fourth quarter. The project will reverse the flow of the pipeline to enable oil from the tar sands region of Alberta to flow east to Valero’s refinery in Quebec.

Most refineries were built decades ago and were configured to process to Middle Eastern oil, but Valero spokesman Bill Day told the San Antonio Business Journal that the Jean Gaulin Refinery is lined up to be the fifth of the company’s refinery capable of processing 100 percent North American crude oil.

Day said Valero’s Ardmore, McKee, Memphis and Three Rivers refineries can already process 100 percent North American crude oil, while other plants are processing an increasing amount of North American crude.

The investors presentation shows that Valero is expanding its capacity to process a total of 185,000 barrels per day of light sweet crude from the Eagle Ford and other shale plays at the company’s McKee, Houston and Corpus Christi refineries in Texas.

Day said that the addition of the Keystone XL Pipeline would enable Valero to replace foreign heavy crude with heavy crude from Canada. He also noted that a proposed rail terminal at the company’s Benicia refinery in California, would enable Valero to offset foreign crude brought in by ship with North American crude brought in by rail.

SB32 and SB350 – both bills stalled in Cal Assembly

Repost from the San Francisco Chronicle
[Editor:  The following is a brief PORTION of a late-breaking SFChron news article.  The article focuses on medical marijuana and racist mascots, then turns to breaking news on two climate change bills that are stalled in the California State Assembly.  Latest on leginfo.ca.gov: SB32, SB350.  – RS]

California government leaders…

By Melody Gutierrez, Updated: September 10, 2015 10:38pm

[near end of article]  …Also stalling before the deadline was a climate change bill that aimed to chart the state’s path toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. SB32 by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills (Los Angeles County), would have required the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990’s levels by 2030, and to 80 percent below 1990’s levels by 2050. Those targets were previously called for by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brown through executive orders.

The bill failed 25-33 in the Assembly on Tuesday and on Thursday Pavley said she would not seek another vote this year.

“Unfortunately, the state Assembly and the administration were not supportive, for now, and we could not pass this important proposal,” Pavley said in a statement.

SB32’s faltering came a day after another climate change bill was gutted.

SB350 no longer requires the state to cut petroleum use in half over the next 15 years, which Brown said was the result of well-financed opposition from the oil industry. The bill still calls for the state to boost energy efficiency in buildings by 50 percent and requires California to get half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

For safe and healthy communities…