Yesterday, the City of Benicia released its agenda for the upcoming City Council meeting, including materials related to the continuation of Council discussions on Valero Crude By Rail.  See Item 15.A. on page 7.

Next Tuesday, our City Council can take a FINAL vote on Valero’s dirty and dangerous oil train proposal.

The report by Community Development Director Christina Ratcliffe gives City Council members four alternative courses of action and supplies every document needed to accomplish each alternative:

1. Deny Valero’s appeal of the Planning Commission’s unanimous decision – thereby denying the project and stopping crude by rail in Benicia.
2. Uphold Valero’s appeal and approve oil trains in Benicia.
3. Send the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) back to City staff for yet another go-round.
4. Take no action until after the federal Surface Transportation Board weighs in.

The agenda includes the staff report and 10 attachments, as follows:

1. Draft Resolution FEIR
2. Exhibit A-1 Statement of Overriding Considerations
3. Exhibit B MMRP (Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program)
4. Draft Resolution Use Permit , Project Approval
5. Draft Resolution Use Permit, Project Denial
6. Valero Submittal – Clarifiation and Rebuttal Cuffel 091316 (Rebuttal of Dr. Phyllis Fox’ expert analysis)
7. Valero Benicia Sulfur Springs Setback Evaluation Memo (Note this is a huge PDF file, which may appear blank on your screen, displaying content off to the right.)
8. Hogin Memo STB Process (Previously submitted 4/8/16)
9. Valero’s Petition to STB for Declaratory Order FILED May 31, 2016
10. City of Benicia STB Reply July 7, 2016

For a Benicia Independent analysis, see City staff again recommends approval of Valero oil trains – Council to vote on Tues, Sept 20.