Burbank : Council to Vote on Proposed Oil Pipeline

The Burbank City Council will vote tonight on whether to adopt a resolution opposing the proposed Pacific Pipeline, a project that would transport crude oil from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to Los Angeles-area refineries.

The pipeline, proposed by Pacific Pipelines Inc., would follow a route along the Southern Pacific Railroad through Burbank.

The resolution opposing the project was proposed by the Burbank city staff and stems from the Jan. 17 Northridge earthquake, which caused two breaks along a 35-mile span of the Four Corners Pipeline.

One break spilled oil into the Santa Clara River in Santa Clarita, killing vegetation and wildlife. The other, in a residential neighborhood in Mission Hills, resulted in a fire that injured one man, destroyed one home, damaged three others and burned 17 vehicles and numerous trees.

Burbank city officials said they are concerned about the likelihood of another break with the proposed pipeline.

The city also has other concerns about the pipeline. Fire Chief Mike Davis, who prepared the resolution for the city, said that once crude oil begins to spill, it is very difficult to stop. He said he would prefer that the company find other ways to transport the oil, such as by ship.

“We are going to have environmental catastrophes,” said Davis, “but we need to figure out ways to make them small ones. If the crude oil was transported by ship or ground tanker, the danger would not be so high.”

Another problem, according to Davis, is that pipelines designed to transport crude oil sometimes transport other materials. On Dec. 1, 1980, he said, a pipeline in Long Beach exploded. The cause was found to be naphtha, a flammable liquid the pipeline was carrying. Davis said he fears something similar might occur in Burbank should the pipeline be built.

The city of Los Angeles already has passed a resolution opposing the project and the city of Glendale is considering a similar action.

The final decision on the project will be made by the state Public Utilities Commission.