SAN DIEGO – a State panel on Friday approved the Chevron Corp. 's request for 30 years to renew its lease for a Terminal outside the Los Angeles County coast where tankers deliver oil sjökabel tubes to a refinery on the Beach marina.
2-1 Vote by the California State Lands Commission came despite objections from oil spills and environmental activists concerned about the threat of whales hit by tankers in Santa Monica Bay to reach the Terminal outside the city of El Segundo. Some urged the shorter term of 10 years.
Supporters of long-term lease renewal judgment the refinery key role in petrol and diesel fuel to Southern California and to near Los Angeles International Airport, as well as its importance for the economy.
Haken will be charged a base rent of approximately 1.3 million dollars per year with annual adjustments on the basis of the consumer price index.
Refinery and offshore operation date to 1911. Tankers are a common site in South Bay, drag to the mooring places approximately 1 1/2 mile offshore where hoses from the ocean floor to ease oil by Underwater lines to storage tanks outside the beach.
During a public comment period before the vote up opponents memory of this year's Gulf spill after the explosion of a Rig drilling a deep sea good for BP PLC. They also pointed out that the Terminal in a few years will be the last such plant on the California coast.
Some advocates of oil supplies, rerouted through the port of Los Angeles, an idea which is hampered by the lack of pipeline capacity to transfer oil from the Harbour to the refinery.
Chris Thomason, Chairman of the Association El Segundo firefighters took note when he told the Panel that for more than 30 years of previous operations has never been a drill or training exercise between El Segundo Fire Department, Chevron Refinery fire department or mutual-aid agencies on marine terminal. He said his title is not even a boat to reach the area terminal and fire-fighters had no training in boarding ships or how to safely extinguish engine room fires on ships.
Chevron counteracted plans and coordination with the local fire brigade and other organs, and it is argued that any deficiencies involving the role of the local Department would be resolved quickly.
The Panel also heard the shipboard fire-fighting at sea should not be handled by the local fire brigade.
Panel, which also approved an environmental impact report by vote, was also strong support for the lease of 30 years from representatives of the company, a regional sportfishing association and some marine biology interests including a small local Aquarium which receives funds from Chevron.
El Segundo Mayor Eric Busch said Chevrons environmental record at the terminal was exemplary.
"All of the oil that has gone through this Terminal during recent decades, Chevron had only two spills," he said.
Busch said spills with 2 400 BARRELS in 1980 and 200 BARRELS in 1991 and purge operations began immediately.
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