20220330-2B JSC Backup Documents_ Austin Jet Fuel Tank Farm — original pdf

Backup

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 RESOLUTION NO. WHEREAS, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was signed into law on January 1, 1970, and requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions; WHEREAS, NEPA guarantees that the relevant information concerning environmental impacts will be made available to the larger audience, including the general public, that may also play a role in both the decision-making process and the implementation of that decision; WHEREAS, under NEPA, all federal agencies are to prepare detailed statements assessing the environmental impact of and alternatives to major federal actions significantly affecting the environment, and these statements are commonly referred to as Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental Assessments (EA), with the possibility of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI); WHEREAS, an EA for the “Fuel Farm Improvements” at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) was published in March 2020, and a FONSI was signed on April 6, 2020; WHEREAS, the ABIA Fuel Farm EA was not posted for public notice and comment, nor did the preparers of the Fuel Farm EA seek out or receive any public comments before preparing the Fuel Farm EA, nor did they make available to the public a draft of the EA before finalizing and publishing; WHEREAS, the ABIA Fuel Farm EA considered only the No Action alternative and the Proposed Action alternative; Page 1 of 6  25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 WHEREAS, the ABIA Fuel Farm EA’s Proposed Action is in two phases: (1) an expansion within the footprint of the existing fuel farm involving an additional interim fuel delivery truck offload rack and a new ground service equipment fuel service station, consisting of two, separate 10,000-gallon above ground tanks, one for diesel and one for gasoline, and (2) development of the fuel farm in on the west side of the existing runway, consisting of two 1.5-million- gallon fuel storage tanks, new offload racks, and supporting infrastructure and equipment; WHEREAS, the ABIA Fuel Tank EA’s Proposed Action specifically states that “[t]he existing fuel tanks will remain in operation until airfield improvements require them to be removed”; WHEREAS, on October 30, 2018, during a regular Council work session meeting, City Council was presented with an Airport Layout Plan graphic, but not a draft of the 2040 Master Plan guidebook, which includes a discussion of alternatives analyzed, among other topics; WHEREAS, the Airport Master Plan was published in December 2018; WHEREAS, the Airport Master Plan included an alternatives analysis that considered only one scenario to plan for aircraft fueling: expansion of the existing fuel farm area that will provide capacity for the next 20 years; beyond the 20-year time horizon, to relocate the fuel facility to the west side of the airport; WHEREAS, the Airport Master Plan considered that the existing fuel farm will only need to be relocated when the third parallel Runway 17C-35C is constructed in the future, and the latest Airport projects underway do not yet include design or construction of the third runway; Page 2 of 6  49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 WHEREAS, the Airport Master Plan states in the alternatives analysis that “this environmental evaluation is intended to support the master planning process and does not assess potential environmental impacts at the NEPA level;” WHEREAS, neither the Airport Master Plan nor the ABIA Fuel Farm EA considered any other alternative locations to which to relocate the fuel facility other than the west side of the airport; WHEREAS, the Airport Master Plan acknowledges that the community closest to the proposed fuel farm is considered an Environmental Justice (EJ) community and that future studies would be required to determine the potential impacts of airport development activities on EJ communities per Executive Order 12898, which requires all federal agencies to consider whether their programs, policies, and activities would have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and low-income populations; WHEREAS, the EA failed to conduct the EJ analysis required by Executive Order 12898, and instead summarily concluded that environmental justice impacts are not anticipated because the fuel farm relocation project will be contained primarily on airport property; WHEREAS, EPA guidance documents recognize the need for meaningful engagement with the affected community, particularly where those communities are EJ communities, before decisions are made regarding a development that may affect those communities; WHEREAS, “meaningful engagement” with the affected community generally includes early and consistent engagement with the affected community Page 3 of 6  73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 and ensures that: (1) the potentially affected populations have an appropriate opportunity to participate in decisions about a proposed activity that may affect their environment and/or health, (2) the population’s contribution can influence the proposed decisions, and (3) the concerns of all participants involved will be considered in the decision-making process; WHEREAS, the affected community was not meaningfully engaged before the EA was prepared for the proposed relocation of the fuel farm; WHEREAS, the Airport is currently subject to ABIA Development Ordinance 20120628-014, which grants specific variances to City code related to development within the Critical Water Quality Zone and Water Quality Transition Zones; WHEREAS, in October 2013, City Council approved a new Watershed Protection Ordinance with the intention of improving creek and floodplain protection and simplifying development regulations by minimizing the impact on the ability to develop land within the City of Austin; WHEREAS, the current ABIA Development Ordinance took effect July 9, 2012, meaning the Airport is not subject to the 2013 Watershed Protection Ordinance; WHEREAS, the ABIA Development Ordinance requires administrative review and approval at least every ten years, and the Airport Master Plan recommended that prior to significant construction of projects identified within the first phase of implementing the Master Plan, ABIA modifies the current development ordinance to take into account the latest Watershed Protection Ordinance and other relevant provisions in City Code; Page 4 of 6  97 98 99 WHEREAS, it is essential that we understand the legacy of environmental injustice and racism associated with historical major oil company gasoline tank farm locations in East and Southeast Austin; and 100 WHEREAS, the City of Austin and AUS are desirous of providing 101 information to the residents of Southeast Austin related to the Jet-A fuel storage 102 project, to support the City's commitment to preserving environmental altruism; 103 and 104 WHEREAS, communities of color disproportionately experience the 105 impacts of environmental injustices leading to health risks; and 106 WHEREAS, the Strategic Direction 2023's Mobility Strategy supports the 107 need to "ensure our transportation network optimizes community safety, including 108 street safety, emergency response, flood risk, disaster resiliency, and public 109 health"; and 110 WHEREAS, the Strategic Direction 2023's Health & Environment Strategy 111 supports the need to "promote healthy living and well-being with a particular focus 112 on areas and communities with high rates of chronic disease and high-risk 113 behaviors who lack access to services"; NOW, THEREFORE, 114 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: 115 The City Manager is directed to instruct the Department of Aviation to 116 execute and oversee the following: (1) Strike authorization from the 2020 ABIA Fuel Farm EA to relocate the fuel facility to the west side of the Airport and until further authorization, limit all expansion of fuel storage to the current 117 118 119 120 footprint only; Page 5 of 6 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 (2) Identify at least three possible alternative locations to where the fuel facility could be relocated in phase two of the implementation, not including the west side location identified as the Proposed Action in the 2020 ABIA Fuel Farm EA; (3) Prepare a preliminary draft Environmental Assessment considering these possible alternative fuel facility locations for purposes of receiving public input; (4) Include in the EA a robust environmental justice analysis with the contribution from the City of Austin’s Equity Office and local Environmental Justice experts; (5) Provide for robust City of Austin-led public participation, including meaningful engagement with the affected communities, on the preliminary draft EA, and (6) Bring back to this Council for approval, the Proposed Action alternative, prior to publishing the EA for notice and comment pursuant to NEPA. ADOPTED: , 2022 ATTEST: Myrna Rios City Clerk Page 6 of 6 Wednesday, 03/09/2022 Page .A09 Wednesday, 03/09/2022 Page .A01 Copyright (c) 2022 Austin American-Statesman, Edition 3/9/202 Copyright (c) 2022 Austin American-Statesman, Edition 3/9/202 Wednesday, 03/09/2022 Page .A01 Wednesday, 03/09/2022 Page .A09 Copyright (c) 2022 Austin American-Statesman, Edition 3/9/202 Copyright (c) 2022 Austin American-Statesman, Edition 3/9/202 Wednesday, 03/09/2022 Page .A09 Copyright (c) 2022 Austin American-Statesman, Edition 3/9/202 DID YOU KNOW? City of Austin Aviation Department is proposing to build a Jet Fuel Tank Farm on the Hwy 183 South property line within 500 ft. from neighborhoods. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?  6 Million gallons of fuel will be stored in this tank farm  64 fuel trucks per day will enter and exit storage facility at 183 and Metropolis Drive (80-100 trucks per day during peak travel season)  Neighborhoods impacted are between Metropolis Drive, McCall Lane and McKinney Falls Parkway. (McCall & Seeling Drive neighborhood/ Colorado Crossing Subdivision and adjacent neighborhoods, 1600+ residential properties)  Pushback from the community prompted City Council to order public meetings with residents and requested an analysis whether facility could leak toxic fumes. Public Meetings held on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 /Community Meeting held Mar. 7, 2022.  Residents are concerned for their health and safety  Property values may be decreased if tank farm is built on this site so close to neighborhoods WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?  Council Member Fuentes bringing forward Resolution opposing proposed site.  April 5, 2022 9:00a.m. Worksession of Austin City Council –discussion  April 7, 2022 - Austin City Council Meeting – action on CM Fuentes’ resolution WHAT CAN YOU DO?  Persons may submit comments and questions related to this project through the Speak Up Austin page (English or Spanish): www.speakupaustin.org Click on Sign Up + Speak Up  Send your comments via Email to the Austin City Council using the following link: https://www.austintexas.gov/email/all-council-members  Contact your City Council Members by phone requesting the tank farm be located away from neighborhoods (to east boundary of airport property) Airport plan to store jet fuel within 500 feet of homes faces pushback KUT 90.5 | By Nathan Bernier Published January 13, 2022 at 5:01 AM CST McCall Lane is located just west of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Some residents are concerned about plans to store up to 6 million gallons of jet fuel a few hundred feet from homes. James Christenson/KUT Lee esta historia en español. Plans to store millions of gallons of jet fuel a few hundred feet from homes on McCall Lane is facing resistance from neighbors worried about their safety. Officials with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have said storing up to 6 million gallons of jet fuel poses virtually no risk to nearby residents, but the pushback prompted the City Council to order a fresh round of meetings with residents and an analysis of whether the facility could leak toxic fumes.  This illustration of the jet fuel tank farm shows two 1.5 million gallon storage tanks, but the site is being constructed to accomodate up to four such tanks. Burns & McDonnell/City Of Austin "We definitely want to be a good partner with our community and work with them," said ABIA CEO Jacqueline Yaft, who's among four finalists to lead Orlando International Airport and will be publicly interviewed next week. "We're happy to answer any other questions or concerns." Amanda Carrillo is trying to raise awareness among her neighbors about a plan for a jet fuel tank farm at the airport. But some airport neighbors say they feel as if their concerns have been ignored and that getting certain information about the project has been difficult. Patricia Lim/KUT "Many of my neighbors are not aware of anything," said Amanda Carrillo, a resident of McCall Lane who has been trying to raise awareness about the facility. "I feel like they're taking advantage of us because they know that we're minorities. We're Spanish-speaking, and [my neighbors] don't understand." "What if it does explode? They say that it doesn't. But what if it does?" she said. Airport says more fuel storage is critical The tank farm would initially have a pair of specialized 1.5 million gallon jet fuel storage tanks with room for two more 1.5 million gallon tanks. The tanks would be filled by trucks that drive in jet fuel from a facility in Smithville. The fuel would be piped underground from the tank farm to a facility where trucks that refuel planes are replenished. Burns And McDonnell/City Of Austin The original design for the tank farm was modified to include a fence that would partially obscure a view of the facility. The change was made with the intention of accommodating neighbors, an airport spokesperson said. Long-term plans call for lines to go from the new facility directly to the Barbara Jordan Terminal, where each gate would be equipped with a hydrant to fuel planes. The jet fuel tank farm is one of more than 60 projects that encompass a sweeping, multiyear expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport based on a long-range plan approved by the Austin City Council. Airport officials say the project is sorely needed. After an initial slump in air travel brought about by the pandemic, passenger growth has rebounded past 2019 levels. The airport recorded its busiest and second- busiest days ever last year. Officials expect the number of passengers and flights to double in 20 years. "Most airports have five to seven days of fuel [stored]," Yaft said. "We have one to two." Airlines are concerned about the amount of fuel stored at ABIA, she said, especially given the airport's growth trajectory. On busy days last year, at least three flights had to be diverted to refuel. Airport staff provided a list of the storage facility's safety features, including:  24/7 staffing and monitoring of the site  a spill-containment structure around the tanks with a corrosion detection system to alert operators to leaks in real time fire-suppression systems inside each tank inspections every three months by firefighters stationed at the airport tanks that withstand outdoor heat and keep the fuel temperature-controlled    The project includes an $800,000 renovation of the intersection at U.S. 183 and Metropolis Drive where trucks would access the facility. Right now, 75 to 80 tanker trucks deliver fuel to the airport daily, with operations running almost around the clock. City Of Austin Department Of Aviation This map by airport officials illustrates where the fuel facility would be located. The map is rotated so that north is to the left and south is to the right. The tank farm project has already obtained federal, state and local approvals including a finding from the Federal Aviation Administration that the project would have no significant impact on air quality or pose health and safety risks. However, the FAA said in a statement that the agency has no regulations or guidance on how far a fuel farm should be from properties outside the airport's perimeter. Fewer than 500 feet away Neighbors have been urging officials to consider locating the facility to another part of the airport's 6.6-square- mile property. The tank farthest south in the site plan would be fewer than 500 feet from the nearest residence, according to an analysis conducted by the local land-planning company Thrower Design. An airport spokesperson confirmed the distance was accurate.  Thrower Design/ Land planning company Thrower Design, hired by Howard Yancy, produced a site plan analysis showing the containment zone of the southern most storage tank would be about 417 feet from the nearest residential property. Thrower Design was hired by Howard Yancy, president of Zydeco Development, which owns the 550-acre MetCenter business park on Metropolis Drive. A yet-to-be developed tract of the business park is located directly across the highway from the proposed tank farm site. "We can't build office on the site, because you can't lease office space where somebody's overlooking a jet fuel tank farm," Yancy said. "There have been problems with fuel tank farms. It may not be a high likelihood, but it's still a significant risk." "Common sense tells you that when the Department of Aviation says there is no other place to put this jet fuel tank farm on a 7-square-mile piece of property, that just can't be correct," Yancy said. Airport officials say they chose the site because it doesn't conflict with future airport development and is ideal for installing underground transmission lines. But residents who will sleep a few hundred feet from the tank farm are not comforted by the airport's development plans. "I really don't want it to be there," Carrillo said. "This is not good." City Council slows things down In response to the outcry from neighbors, the Austin City Council in December ordered the city's aviation department to conduct a fresh round of community meetings. The council also wants aviation staff to provide more information about potential air pollution the tank farm could generate. "What is the risk exposure? What is being done to mitigate those risks? And should more be considered in having this fuel storage facility in that area?" said Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, whose district includes the airport and surrounding neighborhoods. In compliance with the City Council's resolution, airport officials have scheduled three community meetings on the tank farm for a single day at the end of the month. The meetings are not a discussion of whether the project could be changed; they're intended as informational meetings to answer resident questions. Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by calling 311 or emailing AirportEngagement@AustinTexas.gov. Two in-person gatherings are planned on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon. A virtual/call-in meeting is set for 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Each meeting will have the same information, and Spanish interpretations will be provided. Airport officials have until Feb. 7 to report back to the city council about how the community meetings went. A study on the air quality effects of the fuel storage is due by March 9. Patricia Lim/KUT A view of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport from McCall Lane Nathan Bernier Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan. See stories by Nathan Bernier