I am a San Luis Obispo native and I have a great love for our land, water and air. I have been a small business owner in Downtown San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles over the past 14 years. I consider the people of our community my friends and care about them greatly.
When I think of the Phillips 66 rail spur project and its potential to affect our area I am fearful. Just think of these mile long trains passing right through the middle of Downtown Paso Robles and our surrounding communities every day loaded with hazardous materials.
They will be rolling right though our towns and have the potential to change everything with just one derailment or explosion. Just think of how this could affect what we hold so precious.
As a citizen of this county I believe we should have a say in activity that has such potential to harm our community. Phillips 66’s request to build a rail spur and bring oil by rail to Nipomo brings along with it 11, Class-1 impacts according to the newly released environmental impact report or EIR. These 11 impacts include significant and unavoidable affects on air quality, water, emergency response, agriculture, wildlife and wetlands, and cultural impacts.
Mile long oil trains rolling through our towns, countryside, and backyards is a threat to our land, water and air. They create a potential for derailment and explosions and contamination to our water supply. The trains’ diesel engines running through our communities will affect our air quality and in turn our health, especially our children’s health.
With an approval of this rail spur we will be opening up our community to all these threats. Trains will be bringing 2 million barrels per day of oil from as far away as Canada to be refined here. When I think of San Luis Obispo County, I think of beautiful mountains and countryside, and some of the prettiest beaches in the world.
I think of small towns and local business thriving and creating great things. People travel from all over the world to see the place we call home. Let’s protect our community, our home, our friends and family, our children, and our future.
Write a letter to your County Supervisor, come to the Planning Commission hearings Feb. 4 and 5 and let the people that will be making this decision know what you want. If you don’t speak up and this is approved the fault lies on you.
Ask yourself, “Do we really want or need big oil companies playing cards with our community’s health and homes?”
Our land is precious and irreplaceable. We need to make choices now that will help the future not make it harder.
How is a place that pioneered “no drive thru restaurants” and the ban on plastic bags OK with this?
Natalie Risner, San Luis Obispo
