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Oil Trains In Niles Canyon Alert

 

Stop Oil Trains and Toxic Freight Tankers from Using Niles Canyon

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission is proposing to dramatically increase freight trains through Niles and Niles Canyon as part of an expansion of the existing Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) rail service between Stockton and San Jose. An Environmental Impact Report is being prepared for creating a connection between existing freight rail lines at Niles Junction, either by building a new rail bridge across Alameda Creek at Mission Blvd or connecting tracks at the Niles Junction. In addition to increasing commuter train traffic, the project would allow freight rail from the Port of Oakland to utilize other rail lines used by Amtrak and ACE trains.

What does this mean for Alameda Creek and the Niles neighborhood? Union Pacific is proposing re-routing up to 26 freight trains per day through Niles and Niles Canyon - a dramatic increase from the 2-4 freight trains per day currently. These freight trains could include oil tankers, diesel, and other combustible and toxic materials. The potential for a disastrous derailment in Niles Canyon will go way up. There are significant concerns about safety, noise, air quality, and risk of a major toxic spill into Alameda Creek.

Read the Alameda Creek Alliance scoping letter on the project

The draft Environmental Impact Report is here. Comments are due by July 31, 2017.

Read the Alameda Creek Alliance's July 13, 2017 comments on the draft EIR for the project

More information about the project on the ACE website