Friday, April 22, 2016
Thursday, April 21, 2016
An interesting evening at City Hall last night By Craig Snider
An interesting evening at City Hall last night
By Craig Snider, April 19, 2016It was an interesting evening at City Hall last night. http://beniciaindependent.com/craig-snider-an-interesting-evening-at-city-hall-last-night/According to Valero, and the “City’s” Valero-funded contract attorney; the City of Benicia has no right to deny the project, because Valero is a “shipper” and when a shipper uses a train to ship their goods, under federal law, nobody can stop them. That’s it in a nutshell.
In other words, if Valero wanted to ship nuclear waste to their refinery and store it there, the City can do nothing to stop them. End of discussion.
Someone needs to tell the citizens of Oakland to stop wasting their time fighting the Utah coal proposal since that city is apparently powerless to prevent a coal exporter from setting up shop and shipping coal out of the Port of Oakland.
Fortunately, our Attorney General and many other knowledgeable attorneys have informed the Council that this interpretation is wrong. A shipper’s rights do not trump State, County, or City zoning laws.
Unfortunately (for those of us that are tired of this issue), three City Council members agreed to postpone the decision until an “opinion” can be obtained from the Federal Surface Transportation Board which may or may not choose to offer their opinion regarding our situation.
Their opinion, if they offer it, is just that. And the City Council will still have to weigh the merits of the various arguments on either side of this issue and choose.
And in either case, a suit will likely follow.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
pending buffer zone changes
The planning commission used the term "Recreation" for areas along canals to stop development and help with drainage. They also decided to use this "Recreation" land use designation for the Valero Energy buffer zone to lower residential, commercial, and industrial future development. The Comprehensive Plan adopted the definition of buffer zone as a landscaped area. And, Valero Energy planted a row of trees to comply.
For the Valero buffer zone:
Recreation land use adjacent to the Valero Refinery in order to lower
the amount of development – including residential, commercial and /or
industrial- that may occur there in the future.
http://www.stbernardparishcompplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/StBPCP-Comments-Final.pdfNow Valero seeks changes which are very disruptive to an entire neighborhood.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0brISkNUPw2bUhjMmRaMmIzaUU&usp=sharing
The item is advertised for another planning commission public hearing on April 26 2016 at 4pm in council chambers
Link to St Bernard Parish land use and comprehensive plan
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
ground water concerns
Valero Energy Meraux refinery ground water contamination concerns in a former solid waste unit and also in near by utility service boxes.
Valero's former solid waste unit was an in-ground unit; since closed, continued monitoring for ground water contamination is performed semiannually.
Valero's former solid waste unit was an in-ground unit; since closed, continued monitoring for ground water contamination is performed semiannually.
February
2016 monitoring detected indicator parameters of concern; with results believed
to be anomalous due to error in laboratory analysis; therefore, verification re-sampling
conducted.
LDEQ EDMS 101279379
Results showed detections of phenol at 0.0076 milligrams per
liter and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) aromatics > C16-C21 at 0.161
mg/l. The practical quantitation limits
for phenol and TPH aromatics >C16-C21 are 0.001 mg/l and 0.15 mg/l,
respectively.
In another area of the Valero Energy Meraux, Louisiana plant, recurring
seepage of oil into an ATT service box has prompted investigation to identify the
source and potential areas of concern for ground water contamination. Valero Energy seeks appropriate permits and
letters of no objection for soil boring --
20 (twenty) 10-foot deep soil borings to be drilled near the Mississippi
River Levee.
LDEQ EDMS 1014407 and 10088035
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
need for full disclosure and effect on local community
Valero Energy receives a lot of tax breaks.
Remember: Louisiana has spent the past several years slashing its operating budget. For example, since 2008, the higher education budget has been gutted by $673 million. With a $1.6 billion budget gap projected for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, yet more cuts are expected for higher ed, not to mention other critical budget priorities.
But none of that has curbed the state's business incentive programs.
A large number of Louisiana's incentives are handed out through the Industrial Tax Exemption Program. It waives property taxes for 10 years when a manufacturer makes a capital investment.
State records show, since 2008, Valero Energy has received $315,514,865 in those exemptions, ExxonMobil $263,647,394, and Cleco $180,603,508.
http://www.fox8live.com/story/28037527/zurik-11-billion-later-louisianas-incentives-fail-to-deliver
AND Valero Energy receives tax breaks in Houston
http://airalliancehouston.org/news/houston-gives-valero-yet-another-tax-break/
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