California's Crude by Rail Preparations Trigger Demonstrations

The Bay Area port city of Pittsburg is considering an application to rebuild and upgrade an existing oil terminal that would receive the explosive crude-by-rail from North Dakota, and residents are making their opposition heard.

2 minute read

February 20, 2014, 10:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


The radio report by KQED's Molly Samuel begins with a demonstration against the oil terminal proposal located in an industrial area that includes a power plant in this port city on the Sacramento River Delta about 20 miles east of Oakland.

"WesPac Energy–Pittsburg LLC (WesPac) proposes to modernize and reactivate the existing marine terminal, oil storage and transfer facilities..." according to the project description. Opponents charge that it is "near the heart of downtown Pittsburg (and) would be right next to homes, parks, churches, and school". A 2012 Contra Costa Times article states, "According to the draft environmental report..., the proposed facility would be located on 125 acres of land within the GenOn power plant property, close to homes."

The facility is ideally located to serve nearby refineries. While the terminal would receive the crude by rail as well as ship and pipeline, it would then "be shipped by pipelines to serve the Shell and Tesoro Golden Eagle refineries in Martinez, the Conoco Phillips refinery in Rodeo and the Valero refinery in Benicia," writes Eve Mitchell of the Contra Costa Times.

Samuel writes that crude-by-rail (CBR) shipments to California are on the rise. While CBR "accounts for a little less than two percent of all the oil California uses now, that may be changing. WesPac is one of six crude-by-rail projects being considered in the state. If they all get approved, rail could provide a quarter or more of California’s oil, according to the California Energy Commission."

According to the Calif. Energy Commission Energy Almanac, 62% of the state's oil was imported from abroad and Alaska in 2011. Switching to Bakken crude would reduce costs as it is traded on the West Texas Intermediate benchmark.

Monday, February 17, 2014 in KQED Science

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight