A public hearing on a controversial proposal to allow expansion of a Central Coast oil refinery to handle massive oil trains began Monday.
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors is reviewing the Phillips 66 plan to allow a 1.3 mile long new rail spur at the company’s Nipomo refinery, as well as other related facilities.
The company wants to bring in three 80 car trains a week, with each train carrying 2.2 million gallons of oil. The County Planning Commission rejected the plan, and Phillips appealed the decision to County Supervisors.
The proposal has created a firestorm of controversy over the safety of oil trains. Some people from throughout the state testified they are worried about the potential for an accident involving a train passing through their communities. Project supporters say the trains are a proven, safe way to move oil.
The hearing is expected to continue for much of this week before County Supervisors make a final decision on the proposal.
