BENICIA>> City officials on Tuesday released the draft environmental impact report for the Benicia Valero Refinery’s proposed crude oil rail terminal.

If approved, the proposed project would allow the refinery to bring two 50-tanker car trains of crude oil in and out of Benicia every day, replacing crude shipments by boat.

Valero has said the project is necessary to remain competitive on the West Coast. Opponents, however, have raised concerns about the type of crude that could be coming in those tanker cars, such as highly flammable oil from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota, or Canadian tars sands oil, regarded as more polluting than other crude.

The project would involve the installation of a rail car unloading rack, rail track spurs, pumps, pipeline and associated infrastructure at the refinery at 3400 East Second St. It would allow Valero to receive up to 70,000 barrels per day of crude oil by train.

Union Pacific Railroad would transport the North American-sourced crude using existing rail lines to Roseville, where the tanker cars would be assembled into train shipments to the refinery, according to city planners.

The draft environmental impact report will be circulated for a 45-day public comment period ending on Aug. 1, city officials said.

The Planning Commission is set to hold a public hearing to take comments on the report on July 10. There will be no final action taken at the meeting.

The report may be viewed at the Benicia Public Library, 150 East L St., the Community Development Department at City Hall, 250 East L St., or online at www.ci.benicia.ca.us.

The proposed project would allow the refinery at 3400 East Second St. to receive up to 70,000 barrels per day of crude oil by rail.