By Andrés Soto, Steering Committee, Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community
Just as Lac Megantic, Quebec was destroyed by a derailed train hauling dangerously explosive fracked Bakken crude oil, we in Benicia learned that Valero Benicia had applied for a conditional use permit to build out a rail expansion facility at the refinery to bring in both Bakken crude and Alberta Tar Sands.
We formed a group called Benicians for a Safe and Healthy Community (BSHC), to fight this project. We were appalled when we learned the city staff was recommending that the project be approved with a Mitigated Negative Declaration (“Neg Dec”), on the grounds that environmental impacts were so minor that there was no need for a Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)!
BSHC organized a series of community forums and mobilized residents and allies up and down the rail lines first to advocate, and then to achieve a thorough CEQA review process for the project. This process continued at subsequent Benicia Planning Commission hearings. The Draft Environmental Impact Report and the Revised Environmental Impact Report also generated thousand of comments. Our partners at Forest Ethics, the Center for Biological Diversity and CREDO assisted by creating online petitions.
BSHC continued by collecting signatures at the weekly Benicia farmers market obtaining over 1500 signatures. We mounted a yard sign campaign distributing more than 500 yard signs all around town.
The Sierra Club, Communities for a Better Environment and the Sunflower Alliance also helped mobilize people to attend hearings and comment against the project. This has built community momentum to oppose the project. Comments have been received from outside entities as diverse as the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Yolo County Board of Supervisors, the City of Davis and California Attorney General Kamala Harris.
Now the Final Environmental Impact Report has been issued. The good news is the FEIR has identified the “No Project Alternative” as the most “Environmentally Sound Alternative”. The Benicia Planning Commission Public Hearing has been set for Monday, February 8, with a possible continuation on the 9th and 10th if necessary to receive all of the comments.
The community of Benicia understands that we are on the front line of fighting against global climate disruption. We also need people from elsewhere in the region and the state to stand together with us to oppose this dangerous and unnecessary project. Global climate, regional air quality and the health of the local community are at stake. Please join us on February 8. For more information visit SafeBenicia.org.