Deadline looms for Phillips 66 to appeal oil-by-rail denial

Phillips 66 has until April 14 to appeal San Luis Obispo County’s rejection of a proposed oil-by-rail project to the California Coastal Commission.

The county issued a notice of final county action last week, announcing that Phillips 66 had exhausted its appeals at the county level and can now appeal the matter to the Coastal Commission, triggering a 10-business-day countdown to the filing deadline.

The company has not announced whether it will appeal to the commission.

The proposed project would connect the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery on the Nipomo Mesa to North American oil fields with the construction of five parallel tracks and an unloading rack.

The semi-refined product would be shipped to the Rodeo Refinery in Contra Costa County via pipeline.

On Oct. 5, the county Planning Commission denied the multinational energy company’s application to allow a 6,915-foot-long rail spur, unloading facility, onsite pipelines, and the construction of tracks that would allow three trains per week to deliver heavy crude oil.

The Board of Supervisors upheld that decision following a public hearing March 14 and signed a resolution that outlines the findings for denial.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Deadline looms for Phillips 66 to appeal oil-by-rail denial."