Central California

San Jose Councilman Opposes Oil-By-Rail Idea

Crude oil whizzing through the Bay Area on trains is opposed.

The need for fossil fuels continues unabated throughout the world.

But there's no need for the Bay Area to enable this, a San Jose City Councilman says.

The Oakland Tribune reports that Councilman Ash Kalra is putting on the record his opposition to a plan that would see as many as 250 trains with 80 oil cars each chug through the Bay Area every year on their way to a refinery in Central California.

The mile-long oil trains would use the tracks near the Bay that currently carry commuter trains through residential areas.

Environmentalists as well as politicians oppose the idea of allowing crude oil trains to bring crude to the Phillips 66 Santa Maria refinery because of the risk of fire as well as pollution.

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