T.G.O. #21—6.5.2015

The Goodland Outlook,
Edition 21, June 5, 2015

Goleta’s City Council’s June 9, 6 p.m. meeting will include an item that could prevent disastrous impacts on the health, safety and economy of Goleta. Below are details as well as how you can make a difference:

BEWARE OF HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE OIL TRAINS IN GOLETA

We’ve recently witnessed the Refugio Oil Spill that has despoiled our beautiful coast and beaches and destroyed marine wildlife and habitat.  As tragic as this incident has been, a far worse fate awaits us if we don’t get the Goleta City Council to take action on Tuesday evening at their June 9, 2015 6PM meeting.

Phillips 66 has proposed a project in San Luis Obispo County that would allow five oil trains per week, each one mile long, using the Union Pacific Railroad tracks running right through Goleta’s main residential, business and transportation corridors.

Why We Care
  • This development would pose a much greater threat than the current oil cargo rolling through Goleta.
  • These new trains will carry a far more dangerous, volatile cargo than the trains currently going through Goleta. It is the most volatile crude oil currently produced in this country and Canada. From explosions of similar cargo elsewhere, we know that the blast zone would encompass most of Goleta, our beaches, 101 freeway, virtually up to the foothills.
  • The number of trips and number of cars in each trip would be much greater than the relatively small amount of oil currently traveling through Goleta by rail.
  • Fires from such oil cargo can’t be put out. First responders can only watch the fire burn, property is destroyed and rivers are polluted.
  • In a disaster encompassing highway 101 and Hollister, evacuation would be virtually impossible.
  • The recent derailment in the Northeast and the most recent oil spill here illustrate that their are no absolute guarantees or safeguards. Incidents DO happen. And the likelihood of a derailment is even greater in this earthquake prone area. Earthquakes here have derailed rail cars here previously.
WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please tell the Goleta City Council to send a letter to the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission opposing the Phillips 66 project for the reasons stated above.  Come in person to the meeting or email the council members at the email addresses below.

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CONTACT INFORMATION: To email Goleta’s Mayor, City Council members and City Manager click or copy the addresses below in the TO: section of an email.

To email Goleta’s City Council Members, Planning Commission Members, City Manager, Director of Planning and Planning Manager, click on the addresses below: Michael Bennett; Paula Perotte; Roger Aceves; Tony Vallejo; Jim Farr.   B. Daniels; T.Dressler; G. Jenkins; J. Solomon; E. Onnen; M. West; M. GreenD. Singer; J. Carmen.


 

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