DEIR, Take Action, Uprail communities, Valero Crude By Rail

Davis holding 2 more Workshops: How To Respond to Draft EIR – July 3 & July 8

Repost from Yolano Climate Action (Google Group)

Monday, June 30, 2014
Subject: two upcoming oil train EIR workshop opportunities July 3 & 8

Public Workshop 2 – Responding to Draft Environmental Impact Report on Crude-by-Rail Oil Trains through Davis

 Thursday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 8
7:00-9:00 p.m.
The Blanchard Room at the Davis Branch Library

Bring questions, ideas for topics, drafts and laptops
Bring a friend!  Every letter adds impact!
Exercise your civic rights with written comments!

Homework for July 3 and 8:

  1. If you have a little time – Go to www.benindy.wpengine.com and browse to get an overview of the project, the EIR (table of contents), news article titles since last August, and how to submit your comments.  You’ll have fun and get ideas for what aspect you want to address in your response.
  2. If you have more time:  pick an idea you might want to write about, such as liability issues in the event of an accident or spill, or the regional impact of one train of 100 cars each day; how to weigh risk vs benefit and how this project measures up, etc.    Then look through the DEIR report (posted at www.benindy.wpengine.com) for a section that might address your topic and read it. See if you spot faulty reasoning, or important concepts that are missing, etc.  Jot down notes or make a rough draft.  It will be most effective if you can cite evidence!
  3. If you can’t resist going deeper, or you have a knack for reading EIR reports, plunge in wholeheartedly and tackle as much as you wish.   Your letter can address more than one point, but again, the more serious and thoughtful each point is, the better. Clearly separate each point you want to make.

Agenda for July 3 and 8

  1. Updates
  2. Check-in
    • —-Who has a draft for feedback?
    • —- Who has an idea?  Needs suggestions for development?  Evidence?  Where it fits in the EIR?
    • —-Who needs an idea for a response?
  3. Working together or in groups
  4. Other assignments
    • —-Write to federal senators and congressional reps (testing the crude & reducing the volatility, tank car safety standards, train speeds, right-to-know issues, ideas from NRDC testimony, etc.)
    • —-Sign up to gather signatures.
    • —-Send model letters to us to use as models for others writers.
  5. Join the nation-wide actions commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Lac-Megantic crude-by-rail derailment and explosion.  In Davis, make a sign “Stop Crude by Rail” and join others at the Amtrak station on July 9th at rush hour.  Contact Reeda Palmer for details at reedajpalmer@aol.com
  6. Carpool to the Benicia Planning Commission Public Hearing on the Valero DEIR on July 10, 7pm, Council Chambers, City Hall,250 East L Street, Benicia.  Up-rail participants are needed to show the regional impact of the project.

Contact:  Lynne Nittler at lnittler@sbcglobal.net
— Yolano Climate Action the go to place for climate activism in Yolo and Solano Counties