The Benicia Independent makes it easier for you to read comments of INDIVIDUAL state and regional agencies and organizations. See our updated Project Review page (or just see below).

Something UNUSUAL happened in Benicia on September 15, the final day of the public comment period on the Draft EIR on Valero’s Crude By Rail proposal. I understand that opponents of a project will almost always wait until the last day to submit public comments. But not only did a remarkable NUMBER of critical comments arrive in the City of Benicia’s inbox on September 15 – there was a dramatic landslide of comments from significant governmental agencies and environmental organizations, including…

• Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community
• Solano County
• Feather River Air Quality Management District
• University of California, Davis
• CA Office of Spill Prevention & Response, and CA Public
  Utilities Commission
• Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (Amtrak)
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District
• San Francisco Baykeeper (including Mahoney letter)
• Cool Davis
• 350 Sacramento
• Communities for a Better Environment (Legal)
• Communities for a Better Environment (Karras)
• Natural Resources Defense Council (9/15/14)
  Attachment 1-Dr. Phyllis Fox (9/15/14)
  Attachment 2-NRDC (IS-MND Comments 7/1/2013)
  Attachment 3-Fox (IS-MND Comments 7/1/2013)
  Attachment 4-Diane Bailey Report (6/2014)
  Attachment 5-Dr. Fred Millar (9/15/14)
  Attachment 6-Governor’s OES Report (6/10/14)
  Attachment 7-NRDC Derailment Risk Zone Maps
• SAFER California
  Attachment A (Dr. Phyllis Fox, 9/15/14)
  Attachment B (Dr. Phyllis Fox, 7/1/13)
  Attachment C (Dr. Petra Pless, 9/15/14)

Also highly significant on September 15 were written comments from four of Benicia’s Planning Commissioners: Steve Young, George Oakes, Susan Cohen Grossman and Belinda Smith.

Prior to September 15, the City also received critical comments from the

• City of Davis (also a downtown map of Davis’ tracks)
• City of Sacramento
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments
• SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
• Placer County Air Pollution Control District and
• Martinez Environmental Group.

These documents are also downloadable from Project Review.