“It’s time to put an END to the oil industry’s PIPELINE ON WHEELS!”

As Los Angeles tries 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.

On Saturday, July 11^th at 12pm, SoCal 350 Climate Action and Tar Sands Action Southern California, along with other other environmental/community organizations, will be holding an event at the iconic Union Station to call attention to the dangers of oil trains exploding across North America.

We will call for the LA City Council to protect our communities and the LA River by opposing the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery crude by rail expansion that will increase oil train traffic through our neighborhoods. Come say #NoBombTrains and Yes to #CleanEnergy. The LAST thing Los Angeles needs is an oil train derailment or, worse, an explosion which will put tens of thousands at risk.

EVENT DETAILS:

** WHEN: Saturday, July 11th at 12pm
** WHERE: Union Station, Los Angeles and then Olvera Street, Father Serra Park
** SCHEDULE:
- - 12:00 pm: gather in front of Union Station for photo and rally (we will first gather in the outside quad south of the front of the building)
- - 12:30 pm: Walk over to Olvera Street, Father Serra Park for Teach-In, Speakers, and Entertainment
** BRING: water bottle, sunscreen, blanket, picnic food or snacks
** WHAT: Rally, Teach-In, Speakers, and Entertainment, 
** SIGN & SHARE PETITION: http://bit.ly/1GUZkCy
** WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/1LfwK1h

We Stand in Solidarity: Despite dozens of fiery disasters, the oil industry continues to dramatically expand oil train transport in California and into Los Angeles. Next month is the second anniversary of the tragic Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when an unattended 74-car freight train carrying oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota rolled downhill and derailed, resulting in multiple-car-explosions and a fire that that killed 47 people and destroyed more than 30 buildings in the town center, and 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 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 L.A. 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 opposes 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.

What? As Los Angeles’ participation in the Stop Oil Trains Week of Action,the event will offer Los Angeles Councilmember José Huizar the opportunity to be the featured player in a colorful, attention-getting, media-friendly public action and press conference focused on oil trains threat to communities in Los Angeles. This will initiate a week in which we offer the public more information on the oil trains and the risks that they pose, the proposed opposition motion, and other ways the community and its leaders can work together to help stop the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery crude by rail expansion.

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 L.A. 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.