VIDEO:  California’s “downtrack” communities object to P66’s dirty oil expansion in San Louis Obispo, the southern half of our P66 refinery.

Click here to view:   https://youtu.be/Hyq7X7VJgnc

In the video above, first responders, community leaders, and local officials talk frankly about the impact of oil trains in our communities.  Many thanks to Forest Ethics that produced this video.

WHAT HAPPENED IN LAC-MEGANTIC CAN HAPPEN HERE

In 2013, Lac-Megantic — a little town of Quebec no bigger than Rodeo — a PARKED crude oil train full of North Dakotan Bakken Crude exploded, taking out the center of that small town and claiming 47 lives.  Here is footage recorded by civilians as well as a recent interview of Marilaine Savard, spokesperson for a Lac-Megantic citizen group.  The interview was conducted by KPIX’s investigative reporter Christine Ayers

Click to view. Running time: 6.19 minutes

FACT:  A MAJOR SPILL COULD CONTAMINATE MUCH OF THE DRINKING WATER FOR MOST OF CALIFORNIA

• Crude trains are edging the Delta and crossing the Delta waters on the Benicia bridge train trestle. The Delta waterways are the source of the drinking water in California.

FACT: THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS REQUIRED HAS DROPPED FROM 1 INSPECTION FOR EVERY 14 CARS TO 1 INSPECTION FOR EVERY 4,000.

• Shortly before the Lac Megantic disaster, Canadian rail authorities sought a reduction in the number of inspections required.

FACT:  CRUDE BY RAIL HAS INCREASED BY 40% IN THE LAST 5 YEARS.

• The amounts of crude oil trains spills and accidents 2013– one year – equals the total number of crude oil spills that occurred in the previous 40 years.

FACT:  REFINERIES ARE NOT LIABLE FOR CRUDE OIL TRAIN ACCIDENTS IF DERAILMENTS OR SPILLS DO NOT OCCUR ON THEIR PROPERTIES

• The only stretch over shoreline tracks P66 is responsible for:  one mile.

FACT:  RAILROAD COMPANIES GO BELLY UP WHEN THEIR INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER ALL THE CLEANUP COSTS

• The rail line that ran through Lac-Megantic went bankrupt when clean-up costs exceed the $20 million liability coverage. Lac-Megantic was stuck with a $180 million clean-up tab.

Is it any wonder that the cities of Berkeley, Richmond and San Jose and many cities in Southern California passed resolutions against these crude oils traveling through their cities by rail?

http://beniciaindependent.com/wp/east-bay-express-richmond-and-berkeley-oppose-oil-by-rail/

        Can Contra Costa County afford something of that magnitude?