A public hearing regarding the Phillips 66 Rail Spur Project in San Luis Obispo County is scheduled for early February.
The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) is complete for the controversial proposal to increase crude oil rail shipments to the Santa Maria Refinery near Nipomo.
The project would involve unloading up to 400 tank cars from five trains each week, with a maximum of 250 trains per year, or 20-thousand tank cars.
Phillips has said the rail shipments are important to the future operation of the refinery. The Mesa Refinery Watch Group has said the risks associated with moving crude oil by train are too high.
A growing number of municipalities along the Union Pacific corridor from the Bay Area to Southern California have sent letters of concern to San Luis Obispo County leaders.
The Planning Commission expects heavy public turnout for its two day session on February 4 and 5 in the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor Chambers.
Speaker sign-up will begin at eight in the morning each day.