Tag Archives: Valero Benicia Refinery

Benicia CA, Benicia Planning Commission, Crude By Rail, Revised Draft EIR, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Crude By Rail

VALLEJO TIMES-HERALD: City releases revised report on Valero’s Crude-By-Rail project

Repost from the Vallejo Times-Herald

City releases revised report on Valero’s Crude-By-Rail project

By Irma Widjojo, 08/31/15, 6:50 PM PDT

Benicia >> The revised draft environmental impact report for the proposed Valero’s Crude-By-Rail project was released Monday.

The new version of the draft includes “potential impacts that could occur uprail of Roseville, California (i.e., between a crude oil train’s point of origin and the California State border, and from the border to Roseville) and to supplement the (draft environmental impact report) DEIR’s evaluation of the potential consequences of upsets or accidents involving crude oil trains based on new information that has become available since the DEIR was published,” according to a City of Benicia press release.

The draft of the report was first released June 17, 2014. However, due to a number of public comments and concerns, the city decided to revise portions of the report and recirculate them back to the public.

The updated parts are subject to another round of a 45-day public comment period.

The Planning Commission will hold a formal public hearing to receive comments on the RDEIR (revised draft environmental impact report) on Sept. 29.

In anticipation of the number of speakers, additional Planning Commission meetings to receive comments on the RDEIR are scheduled for Sept. 30, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8. These additional meetings will only be held as necessary to hear public comment. All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Benicia City Hall, at 250 East L St.

No action on the projects will be taken at these meetings, staff said.

Comments on the RDEIR may be provided at the public hearing, or may be submitted in writing, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Written comments should be submitted to amillion@ci.benicia.ca.us or Principal Planner Amy Million at the Community Development Department.

If the project is approved, Valero Benicia Refinery will be allowed to transport crude oil through Benicia via two 50-tanker car trains, rather than shipping the crude oil by boat. It will not replace the crude that is transported by pipeline.

According to reports, the project has a potential “to result in significant impacts to the environment in the following subject areas: Air quality and greenhouse gases, traffic and transportation, hazards and hazardous materials, biological resources, energy conservation, geology and soils, hydrology and water quality, cultural resources, land use and planning, and noise.”

An environmental analysis also indicated that there would be “a significant and unavoidable impact associated with air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, and biological resources.”

Valero Benicia Refinery applied for a permit to extend Union Pacific Railroad lines for the crude transportation in early 2013, and has since garnered public concerns about rail safety and environmental impact.

Valero officials have contended that the railroad addition would make the refinery more competitive by allowing it to process more discounted North American crude oil.

For further information about the RDEIR and the public hearing contact Million at 707-746-4280.

The report can be reviewed at the Benicia Public Library, 150 East L St.; the Community Development Department, 250 East L St.; or online at bit.ly/1lBeeTt.

Crude By Rail, Local Regulation, Public permitting, Revised Draft EIR (RDEIR), Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Crude By Rail

Valero Benicia Crude by Rail: RDEIR now available, links here

Project Documents: Valero Crude by Rail

By Roger Straw, Benicia Independent Editor, 8/31/15
UPDATED September 4, 2015

Here you can download documents from the City of Benicia’s website.  They are the official documents submitted by Valero and/or prepared by City consultants, including the Report itself, eight appendices and ninety (!) reference documents.  (Documents submitted by citizens and others commenting on the proposal may be found on our Project Review page.)  Caution: many of these are huge downloads.

The Recirculated Draft EIR – released August 31, 2015
Benicia Herald, Benicia Planning Commission, Crude By Rail, Public permitting, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Crude By Rail

Benicia publishes Notice of Availability & Public Hearings on Valero Crude by Rail

By Roger Straw, Editor, Sunday, August 30, 2015

An official notice appeared in the Benicia Herald today regarding the proposed Valero Crude By Rail project.  The newspaper notice details plans to release and recirculate the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report and to hold hearings on the new report.

The City of Benicia arranged for the Benicia Herald to publish this in its Sunday 8/30/15 edition, but it is not yet available online.  I am providing a scanned version is available here .  (UPDATE: See the City’s  online version here.)

SIGNIFICANT HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE TEXT

  • In response to requests made in comments on the DEIR,  the City is issuing this RDEIR to consider potential Impacts that could occur uprail of Roseville, California (i.e., between a crude oil train’s point of origin and the California State border, and from the border to Roseville)  AND  to supplement the DEIR’s evaluation of the potential consequences of upsets or accidents involving crude oil trains based on new information that has become available since the DEIR was published .  In order to allow the public and interested agencies the opportunity to review this information, the City has elected to recirculate  certain portions  of the DEIR.
  • SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT:  …The environmental analysis conducted to date indicates that  there would be a significant and unavoidable impact associated with air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, and biological resources .  The impacts associated with all other environmental issues either would be less than significant or would be reduced to a less-than-significant level with the incorporation of mitigation measures.
  • AVAILABILITY AND PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD:  … 45-day public review period beginning on Monday, August 31, 2015 and ending at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2015 .
  • Because the proposed revisions to the DEIR affect only portions of the analysis, the City is recirculating only those affected portions for public review. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5(f)(2),  anyone wishing to submit comments on the RDEIR should limit those comments to the revised portions shown In Chapter 2 of the RDEIR  (Revisions to the Draft Environmental Impact Report).
  • PUBLIC HEARINGS:  …  The City of Benicia Planning Commission will hold a formal public hearing to receive comments on the RDEIR on September 29, 2015. In anticipation of the number of speakers, additional Planning Commission meetings to receive comments on the RDEIR are scheduled for September 30, October 1, and October 8, 2015 .  These additional meetings will only be held as necessary to hear public comment.  All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Benicia City Hall , located at 250 East L Street, Benicia, CA 94510.  Comments on the RDEIR may be provided at the public hearing or may be submitted in writing, no later than 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, October 15, 2015.
  • All written comments should be provided to:

Amy Million, Principal Planner
Community Development Department
250 East L Street, Benicia, CA 94510
amillion@.benicia.ca.us
(707) 747-1637 (fax)
NOTE: The comment period on the DEIR ended on September 15, 2014 and the City Is in receipt of comments previously submitted so  there is no need to resubmit comments previously provided .

Benicia Planning Commission, Crude By Rail, Public permitting, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Crude By Rail

CONFIRMED: Hearings on Valero Crude By Rail to begin on Tues., September 29

By Roger Straw, Editor
[Note:  The revised environmental report will be available for viewing on the City’s website and here on the Benicia Independent.  – RS] 

45-day Public Comment Period begins on August 31, ends on October 15

Today I heard directly from Benicia City Planner Amy Million, confirming that the Recirculated Draft Environmental Report will be released on Monday, August 31, and that the first Public Planning Commission hearing on the Report will be on Tuesday, September 29.  The hearing will begin at 6:30pm in Council Chambers at City Hall, 250 East L Street, Benicia.

ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD PLAN TO ATTEND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING TO SHARE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.  Mark your calendar now!

Ms. Million confirmed that  if after the first hearing there remain more speakers who wish to offer public comments, additional hearings will be held on consecutive evenings: Wednesday, September 30, Thursday, October 1.  A fourth hearing, if needed, will be held on Thursday, October 8 (presumably at the same time and location, but not confirmed at this time).

In an email, Ms. Million wrote, “The number of hearings is determined by the number of speakers, therefore a maximum number is not set.”

The 45-day public comment period will close on October 15.

The City of Benicia welcomes all comments, and your questions and opinions are important as our Planning Commissioners prepare for a decision whether to permit Valero’s proposed Crude By Rail project.  More information and background can be found here on The Benicia Independent – see the menu above or click below for

Note that with the release of the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report, much on this website will be undergoing changes.  Bear with me as we move into this critical review period.
Roger Straw, Editor