UPDATE: AUS Jet-A Fuel Storage Facility
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2022 2:32 pm
Colleagues,
I’m bringing forward a resolution to the April 7 Council Agenda to direct Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to relocate the proposed site for the Jet-A fuel storage facility and to require an environmental justice analysis to be performed along with robust community engagement.
With one of the fastest-growing airports in the nation, AUS is forecasted to have 17.2 million travelers in 2022. It will require expanded facilities to meet this year’s demand and beyond.
An important aspect of this growth is to make sure it is equitable for all of the residents who reside in Austin. At the current location, once the tanks are fully built out the proximity to homes in the adjacent neighborhood will be 488 feet away.
Our city has a history of environmental injustice and racism associated with major oil company gasoline tank farm locations in East and Southeast Austin. The cleanup of the East Austin farm tanks was only recently completed in 2008. The lives damaged and lost from this preventable decision can never be repaired. You can learn more about the history of this project here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0d ... 05f4e21822.
Although the selection of the site underwent the required permitting through federal, state, and local processes, I have serious concerns about how they took place. Specifically, the initial environmental assessment for the proposed site was selected without public input. The draft was not available to the public before finalizing and publishing and the assessment failed to conduct a substantive Environmental Justice analysis that took into account the surrounding residents.
Additionally, EPA guidance documents recognize the need for meaningful engagement with the affected community, particularly where those communities are Environmental Justice communities before decisions are made regarding a development that may affect those communities. This generally includes early and consistent engagement with those impacted.
There needs to be corrective action and new expectations for the public engagement process. We are at a pivotal point.
Yesterday afternoon we received a memo from the Aviation Department that I’d also like to draw your attention to: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 142959.pdf. I requested a briefing to Council for Tuesday, April 5 during the Work Session. It requires an update on the recommended site for the Jet-A fuel storage facility, including the governmental compliance and environmental impact review process and the potential air quality impacts from the proposed site.
I look forward to our robust discussion and the next steps to follow.
The resolution is available for review here: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 142253.pdf
Yours in Community,
Vanessa
I’m bringing forward a resolution to the April 7 Council Agenda to direct Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to relocate the proposed site for the Jet-A fuel storage facility and to require an environmental justice analysis to be performed along with robust community engagement.
With one of the fastest-growing airports in the nation, AUS is forecasted to have 17.2 million travelers in 2022. It will require expanded facilities to meet this year’s demand and beyond.
An important aspect of this growth is to make sure it is equitable for all of the residents who reside in Austin. At the current location, once the tanks are fully built out the proximity to homes in the adjacent neighborhood will be 488 feet away.
Our city has a history of environmental injustice and racism associated with major oil company gasoline tank farm locations in East and Southeast Austin. The cleanup of the East Austin farm tanks was only recently completed in 2008. The lives damaged and lost from this preventable decision can never be repaired. You can learn more about the history of this project here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0d ... 05f4e21822.
Although the selection of the site underwent the required permitting through federal, state, and local processes, I have serious concerns about how they took place. Specifically, the initial environmental assessment for the proposed site was selected without public input. The draft was not available to the public before finalizing and publishing and the assessment failed to conduct a substantive Environmental Justice analysis that took into account the surrounding residents.
Additionally, EPA guidance documents recognize the need for meaningful engagement with the affected community, particularly where those communities are Environmental Justice communities before decisions are made regarding a development that may affect those communities. This generally includes early and consistent engagement with those impacted.
There needs to be corrective action and new expectations for the public engagement process. We are at a pivotal point.
Yesterday afternoon we received a memo from the Aviation Department that I’d also like to draw your attention to: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 142959.pdf. I requested a briefing to Council for Tuesday, April 5 during the Work Session. It requires an update on the recommended site for the Jet-A fuel storage facility, including the governmental compliance and environmental impact review process and the potential air quality impacts from the proposed site.
I look forward to our robust discussion and the next steps to follow.
The resolution is available for review here: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 142253.pdf
Yours in Community,
Vanessa