Crude By Rail, Surface Transportation Board, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Crude By Rail

BREAKING: City of Benicia letter to STB asserts local permitting authority

 By Roger Straw, 7/8/16, updated 4:30pm PDT

City of Benicia wants to retain local permitting authority

On July 7, the City of Benicia filed a letter with the Surface Transportation Board stating its views on Valero’s petition for a declarative judgement.  Download Benicia’s letter directly here.

(Click here for a complete listing of STB filings on Valero’s petition.)

A quick summary of Benicia’s 34-page letter can be obtained on the document’s contents page:

  • The first section is titled, “ICCTA does not preempt the Planning Commission’s denial of the Use Permit, expressly or as-applied in this case”
  • The closing section is titled, “If the Benicia City Council approved the Project, could the City impose conditions or mitigation measures on Valero to reduce the environmental and public safety impacts caused by Valero’s Project that are related to UPR’s rail operations?”

A Flood of STB filings on 7/8/16: Valero Refining Company Petition for Declaratory Order

Below you will find the record as of today’s deadline at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for responses to Valero’s petition.  Click on the dates to go to the downloadable document. (Keep track of new postings here, then enter Case Title: “valero”.)

VERY important submissions:

    1. Safe Fuel and Energy Resources California (SAFER)
    2. Cities of Davis, Oakland and Berkeley, California, Sacramento Area Council Of Governments, and County Of Yolo, California
    3. Attorneys for Benicians For A Safe And Healthy Community, Center For Biological Diversity, Communities For A Better Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council, San Francisco Baykeeper, Sierra Club, AND STAND (currently not available on the STB website, downloadable here on the Benicia Independent).  Also available: a very large file of Exhibits accompanying the Benicians letter (and not yet posted at STB).
    4. California Attorney General Kamala Harris representing the People of the State of California (currently not available on the STB website, downloadable here on the Benicia Independent)
    5. Association Of Irritated Residents, Climate Solutions, Columbia Riverkeeper, Evergreen Islands, Friends Of The Columbia Gorge, Friends Of The Earth, Resources For Sustainable Communities, Friends Of The San Juans, Spokane Riverkeeper, And Washington Environmental Council
    6. City of Benicia
VALERO REFINING COMPANY- PETITION FOR DECLARATORY ORDER, Docket FD_36036_0
Date Docket # ID Filed For Type
7/8/2016 FD_36036_0 241071 Safe Fuel And Energy Resources California Reply
7/8/2016 FD_36036_0 241069 City Of Davis, California Reply
7/8/2016
[Broken link at STB]		 FD_36036_0 241072 Benicians For A Safe And Healthy Community, Natural Resources Defense Council, San Francisco Baykeeper, And Stand Reply
7/8/2016
[Broken link at STB]		 FD_36036_0 241070 People Of The State Of California Reply
7/8/2016 FD_36036_0 241074 Association Of Irritated Residents, Climate Solutions, Columbia Riverkeeper, Evergreen Islands, Friends Of The Columbia Gorge, Friends Of The Earth, Resources For Sustainable Communities, Friends Of The San Juans, Spokane Riverkeeper, And Washington Environmental Council. Comment
7/8/2016 FD_36036_0 241073 Association Of American Railroads Support Statement
7/7/2016 FD_36036_0 241063 Tesoro-Savage Petroleum Terminal Llc, D/B/A Vancouver Energy Support Statement
7/7/2016 FD_36036_0 241064 City Of Benicia Reply
7/7/2016 FD_36036_0 241062 Phillips 66 Company Support Statement
7/6/2016 FD_36036_0 241056 James Brian Mcdonald Reply
7/5/2016 FD_36036_0 241045 Canadian National Railway Company Support Statement
7/1/2016 FD_36036_0 241030 Csx Transportation Inc Support Statement
6/17/2016 FD_36036_0 240926 Union Pacific Railroad Company Reply
6/9/2016 FD_36036_0 240889 Safe Fuel And Energy Resources California Request For Extension Of Time
6/8/2016 FD_36036_0 240879 Valero Refining Company-California Reply
6/6/2016 FD_36036_0 240867 Benicians For A Safe And Health Community, Center For Biological Diversity, Communities For A Better Environment, Natural Resoucres Defense Council, San Francisco Baykeeper, Sierra Club, And Stand Request For Extension Of Time
5/31/2016 FD_36036_0 240835 Valero Refining Company-California Petition For Declaratory Order