California Apposition to Oil-by-rail Mounts

A chorus of local governments across California opposed to crude oil trains grew louder this week in light of recent derailments, with a total of 14 cities and towns now trying to block the trains from running through their communities.

 

Five northern California cities - Berkeley, Richmond, Oakland, Martinez and Davis - have voiced their opposition to crude by rail in general. An additional nine communities specifically oppose a Phillips 66 project to enable its refinery in San Luis Obispo to unload crude-carrying trains.

 

Fiery derailments in West Virginia, Illinois and Ontario in recent weeks have brought the issue back into the national spotlight. The most devastating crude by rail disaster, a July 2013 derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, which killed 47 people, is mentioned in many of the opposition measures.

 

San Luis Obispo County is weighing whether to approve the Phillips 66 project, which would use Union Pacific (UNP) rail lines to bring five 80-car trains per week to the refinery, starting in 2016.

 

That has prompted concern from communities along the company's rail network, including densely populated cities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

"The opposition is growing exponentially," said Jess Dervin-Ackerman of the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter.

 

On Monday the Bay Area city of San Leandro passed a resolution opposing the Phillips 66 project, noting that at least 20 schools are located in the "blast zone" along the projected route.

 

Paso Robles, a city in San Luis Obispo County, could be the next to take a stand against the dangerous cargo. Its city council is expected to debate the topic at an upcoming meeting.

 

While local governments lack the ability to stop the trains, which fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, they hope to put pressure on San Luis Obispo County officials.

 

"Every one of the tank cars on these trains carries more flammable crude oil than any municipal fire department can fight. That's why California cities and towns are saying no," said Matt Krogh of environmental group ForestEthics.

 

Phillips 66 said it has one of the most modern crude rail fleets in service and that every railcar used to transport crude oil in its fleet exceeds regulatory safety standards.

 

"The proposed rail project is designed with safety as the top priority and with safety measures embedded in the project," said spokesman Dennis Nuss.