Vote on Phillips 66 oil-by-rail proposal could come by month’s end

Public comment on Phillips 66 Co.’s proposal to upgrade its Nipomo Mesa refinery to receive crude oil by rail will continue in San Luis Obispo on Feb. 25.

It’s possible — but not guaranteed — that the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will make a decision on the project that day. But first, the commission will take more public comment and then ask questions of staff and the applicant before making a decision — or continuing the hearing to another date.

The hearing will start at 9 a.m. in the county Board of Supervisors’ chambers at 1055 Monterey St. Speaker sign-ups will be available starting at 8 a.m. outside the board chambers; overflow conference rooms will also be available for people to watch the hearing.

A two-day hearing Feb. 4 and 5 drew hundreds of people to San Luis Obispo, with many urging county planning commissioners to reject the rail spur extension project. Planning staff has recommended denial of the project, which would add a 1.3-mile spur with five parallel tracks from the main rail line to the Nipomo Mesa refinery, an unloading facility at the refinery and on-site pipelines.

The project as originally proposed allows for five trains a week for a maximum of 250 trains per year. During the hearing, representatives from Phillips 66 urged the commissioners to approve an alternate plan to allow three trains a week instead of five, or a maximum of 150 trains a year.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Vote on Phillips 66 oil-by-rail proposal could come by month’s end."