I attended the protest rally against the Phillips 66 rail spur project on Saturday, July 9. The mayor of Mosier, Ore., Arlene Burns, spoke about the derailment of an oil train in her small town in June.Â
According to the Associated Press, federal investigators blamed Union Pacific Railroad, saying the company failed to properly maintain its track. As she told the crowd on Saturday, it’s not if there will be another derailment, it’s when.
This project has many glaring health and safety issues and a long list of organizations that oppose it based on these issues. From increased air and noise pollution to the very real possibility of a catastrophic derailment and explosion, this project is designed to benefit a few and could harm thousands of our citizens. The oil processed in Nipomo will be exported to Asian markets!
I ask our elected officials to protect us from this dangerous project. Please do what is right for San Luis Obispo County and all of the other California communities along the project’s tracks and vote no on the Phillips 66 rail spur project.
— Madeline Palaszewski – Los Osos
This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2016.
