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Category Archives: Valero Benicia Refinery
Valero Crude by Rail: FINAL EIR released today – PUBLIC HEARING FEB 8
By Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent
The City of Benicia published a Public Notice in the local newspaper today, announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). The notice also gave details on upcoming public hearings. Relevant excerpt on upcoming dates:
PUBLIC HEARING The City of Benicia Planning Commission will hold a formal public hearing to receive comments on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. to consider the Final EIR and a Use Permit for the Crude by Rail project. In anticipation of the number of speakers, additional Planning Commission meetings to receive comments are scheduled for February 9, February 10 and February 11, 2016. These additional meetings will only be held as necessary to hear public comment – if all members of the public who wish to speak on the FEIR and the Use Permit have been heard, for example, during the meeting on February 9th, then no further public comments would be heard during subsequent meetings. 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.The FEIR is now available on the City’s website and linked here on the Benicia Independent’s Project Documents page. Please set aside time immediately to review the document and prepare your comments for the City. There are only 34 days between release of the document today and the Public Hearing on Monday, February 8.
Letter from the Mayor of Oroville opposes Valero-Benicia oil trains
By Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent, December 18, 2015
City of Oroville, California – and others – oppose Valero Crude By Rail
Late this afternoon, the City of Benicia posted yet another batch of letters opposing Valero Crude By Rail.
The first letter in this document is significant: it comes from the mayor of the City of Oroville, CA, which is located near the Feather River Canyon and at the head of the California State Water Project. The letter concludes with
The Oroville City Council and the citizens of the City of Oroville ask Valero to reconsider their proposal to deliver North American crude oil by railcar “uprail” from the Nevada border and down through Roseville to the Benicia refinery due to the potential devastation of California wildlife, water resources, and air quality.
The remaining 12 letters are CREDO Action letters from individuals all over California, also opposing Valero CBR. (These 12 can be added to the previous 2,062 similar letters sent by CREDO supporters.) I don’t have an exact count, but there were also a LOT of letters generated by the Center for Biological Diversity and by ForestEthics. We aren’t alone here in Benicia!
For these letters and many others, see our Project Review page.
LATEST: Valero Crude By Rail FINAL Environmental Impact Report likely to be released early January
By Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent, December 18, 2015
Latest: Valero Crude By Rail FINAL Environmental Impact Report likely to be released early January
During staff comments at the conclusion of the December 10, 2015 meeting of the Benicia Planning Commission, Principal Planner Amy Million offered an update on the Valero Crude By Rail proposal.
Currently, the City’s consultants are preparing the Final Draft of the Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), including responses to public comments.
Ms. Million reported that staff had hoped the FEIR would be completed by end of this year, but that it looks like it will be another week or two into January before it is released.
According to Million, “No date has been set for the FEIR/Use Permit,” but she confirms that there will NOT be public hearings on the project at the Commission’s January 14 meeting.
That said, the law allows a MINIMUM of only 10 days between release of the document and a public hearing and decision. Million is on record saying the City will provide “more than that.”
At any rate, I am guessing that we should be ready for hearings in early February, March at the latest if there are no unexpected delays.
For more information, see:
- Project Review (Critical studies and public comments)
- Project Documents (Documents submitted by Valero and City consultants)
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