UPDATE: AUS Jet-A Fuel Storage Facility

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Vanessa Fuentes
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:02 am

UPDATE: AUS Jet-A Fuel Storage Facility

Post by Vanessa Fuentes »

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
Council Member, District 2
Kathie Tovo
Posts: 128
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:18 am

Re: UPDATE: AUS Jet-A Fuel Storage Facility

Post by Kathie Tovo »

Council Member Fuentes,
Thank you for your leadership on this important issue. I would like to co-sponsor your upcoming resolution.

Best,
Kathie Tovo
Council District 9
Jose Chito Vela
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:16 am

Re: UPDATE: AUS Jet-A Fuel Storage Facility

Post by Jose Chito Vela »

Council Member Fuentes,

I appreciate your comments and understand your concerns. Environmental racism has a long history in Austin and there is lingering trauma and resentment from the many fights to right those wrongs. As you note, the cleanup of the East Austin oil tank farm was completed in just 2008. The tank farms are not ancient history; many of the people who fought to close the tank farms in the mid-1990’s are still actively involved in politics and community activism today. News of the plan to relocate the jet fuel storage tanks to the edge of the airport’s property, close to homes and businesses, has reopened old wounds.

Based on the memo from the Aviation Department, the jet fuel storage tanks on airport property appear to be quite different than the much larger and more dangerous petroleum tank farm that was closed. However, that is a very fine and difficult point to explain to a community concerned about their health and welfare. The echoes of the 1990’s tank farm fight make the discussion very sensitive and difficult. I do not want to put the community through a divisive and difficult fight over the jet fuel storage tanks. I want to heal the scars of environmental racism and build trust. In that spirit, I agree that we should limit fuel tank expansion only to the current footprint for now.

Sincerely,

Chito Vela
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