The time for action against oil trains is now, and on Saturday at 12 noon, the SoCal 350 Climate Action Coalition and regional partners will rally at Union Station, downtown Los Angeles, to call for an end to bringing exploding bomb trains loaded with tar sands and other volatile crude oils into our communities.
It is time to put an end to the oil industry’s pipeline on wheels
As Los Angeles endeavors to improve the quality of life for its citizens, making the city safer, more livable, healthier, happier, with a more positive and optimistic vision of our future, danger rides the rails into our city.
We will call for the Los Angeles City Council to protect our communities and the Los Angeles River by opposing the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery crude by-rail expansion that will increase oil train traffic through our neighborhoods.
Why Rally?
Oil trains, carrying crude by rail, including volatile and toxic tar sands crude from Alberta, Canada, will be rolling into Southern California, down tracks that cross the San Fernando Valley, following their Los Angeles River adjacent route on their way to the refineries in Wilmington.
These trains have become known as “bomb trains” due to their explosive and destructive track record.
We don’t need to add volatile oil to the mix, given regular accidents between freight rail and our own Metrolink trains (2008 in Chatsworth).
As a city pursuing its clean energy, renewably-powered future, the city of Los Angeles must take a stand against putting its citizens, communities, businesses and infrastructure at unnecessary risk in order to aid in the continued production of some of the most climate-damaging fossil fuels. The Mar Vista Community Council last month approved a resolution calling for the city to act.
Standing in Solidarity
Despite dozens of fiery disasters, the oil industry continues to dramatically expand oil train transport in California and into Los Angeles. At hand is the second anniversary of the tragic Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when an unattended 74-car freight train carrying volatile fracked oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota rolled downhill and derailed.
This resulted in multiple-car-explosions and a fire that killed 47 people and destroyed more than 30 buildings in the town center. All but three of the 39 buildings in the downtown had to be demolished due to petroleum contamination. Join us as we stand with residents in Lac-Mégantic and communities across North America to say no to oil trains.
Why Union Station?
The iconic home and symbol of trains in Los Angeles since 1939, Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. Instantly recognized locally and around the world, it is ideal for our oil trains action, providing the perfect backdrop for electronic and social media visuals. Even though oil trains won’t be coming directly to Union Station, they will be coming through the heart of Los Angeles. Delivering our message at this legendary location draws maximum attention focused on Los Angeles trains.
The added value is Union Station’s role as transportation hub allowing all participants the opportunity to use public transportation to get to and from the event, with all Los Angeles area light rail and Metro rail, as well as bus lines with routes and service to the downtown train station.
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