Jun 16, 2021 Environmental Commission

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:08]

THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON JUNE 16TH, 2021 AT 6:02 PM.

VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING.

I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL NOW.

COMMISSIONER CREEL QUILTS HERE.

YES, I'M HERE.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, COMMISSIONER POINT, NO COMMISSIONER VERMONT.

OKAY.

MR. BRISTOL HERE.

COMMISSIONER RAINBIRD COMMISSIONER GUERRERO, PRESENT COMMISSIONER BRIMER HERE AND COMMISSIONER BEDFORD HERE.

OKAY.

I HAVE SEVEN.

EXCELLENT.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF, UH, SHIFT THE MEETING A LITTLE BIT PROBABLY RIGHT NOW.

OR BIXLER HAS ARRIVED.

OH, COMMISSIONER BIXLER IS HERE.

HI.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I WAS HAVING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES.

TOTALLY GET IT.

OKAY.

THANKS.

LET'S SEE.

OKAY.

SO THIS EVENING WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE FORMAT AND I'M GOING TO MOVE SOME AGENDA ITEMS UP.

BUT FIRST WE HAVE SOMEONE

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

THAT'S I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA AND HAS THREE MINUTES.

IS THAT PERSON READY TO SPEAK NOW TO US, JOSEPH? UM, HAVE THREE MINUTES.

YOU MAY BEGIN IN HERE WHEN YOU'RE READY.

THANK YOU.

MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS I'M AS AN OVERVIEW.

JOSEPH, MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS REMAINING TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE, THE ORANGE LINE NORTH OF US, 180 3 NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER TO TECH RICH PARKING RIDERS IN TECH DOTS RIGHT AWAY.

AND THE AREA THAT'S ON THE BLUE LINE, THE RIVERSIDE AREA WAS REZONED OCTOBER 17TH, 2019.

I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

UM, THERE WAS SOME INNOVATIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WAS PROPOSED NINE MONTHS LATER AT TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, WHICH DISPLACED THE LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND WAS GOING TO HAVE A SET ASIDE OF ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THOSE UNITS FOR PEOPLE WHO EARN $54,700 AND ABOVE, I DID PROVIDE YOU WITH THE LINK AND I HOPE YOU HAVE MAMA MATERIALS.

IT'S A PRETTY LENGTHY DOCUMENT, BUT I WANTED YOU TO HAVE THE DETAILS IF NEEDED.

I ALSO PROVIDED YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE CHAIRMAN WAYNE COOPER DID ACKNOWLEDGE DISPARATE IMPACTS BACK ON JANUARY 28TH, 2019.

AND HE RECOGNIZED THAT THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY HAD SOME DISADVANTAGES, BUT THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR FOR 7 0 2 0.1 B ACTUALLY REQUIRES THEM TO REANALYZE AND IMPLEMENT THE LEAST DISCRIMINATORY ALTERNATIVE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE.

SO IF YOU SCROLL THROUGH THE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE WHERE I INCLUDED THE INFORMATION ABOUT RENTERS BEARING THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING PROJECT CONNECT.

THAT'S AN AUGUST 7TH, 2020 RESOLUTION.

HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC IN ANY OF THE LITERATURE OF THE PROPAGANDA.

I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE TUNNEL BILL FAILED.

I KNOW LAST MEETING, YOU ACTUALLY HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE PALM SCHOOL AND HOW IT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE RED, THE GOLD AND THE GREEN LINE AND ALL OF THE LINES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT A PAUSE IN THAT PLAN AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THEM TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY HAD PASSED THAT BILL, UH, FOR THE 99 YEARS, THE SURFACE PARK SPACE OVER AT REPUBLIC SQUARE IN BREAST SQUARE, ACROSS FROM CONVENTION CENTER, THEN THE STATE WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLICIT IN THE DISCRIMINATION OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THEY MAY HAVE LOST OUR EVENT, UH, JEOPARDIZE THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION IS TODAY THAT I ACTUALLY TESTIFIED BEFORE THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU TOOK, UM, THAT THE STAFF HAS ACTUALLY REMOVED YOUR COMMITTEES.

AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE IT IS SO INTRICATELY WOVEN WITH THE TRANSIT.

UM, AND THE LAST THING THAT I'LL CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THAT, UM, I GAVE YOU THE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE METRO RAPID, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE.

IT WAS ELIMINATED, BUT IT DID SCORE HIGHER THAN THE SOUTHWEST, UH, BUS LINES THAT ARE IN PROJECT CONNECT.

AND I GAVE YOU THE DATA SO THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE

[00:05:02]

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, UM, HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT AREA AND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, THAT AREA CONTINUES TO RECEIVE SERVICE EVEN THOUGH CONVICT HILL ONLY HAS 2.9 BOARDINGS AN HOUR.

AND, UH, ON THAT NOTE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP.

BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS.

IT'S SIX MINUTES SOUTH OF US, 180 3, WHICH MEANS THEY WAIT 10 TIMES LONGER, UH, ON, IN THE, THAN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, SOUTH, UM, WEST AND CENTRAL.

SO, UH, THAT'S, UH, DISPARATE IMPACT BY DESIGN IT'S DISTURBING.

AND IT ALSO LINES WITH, UH, THE, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU PASSED AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S MY TIME.

AND IF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU, YOUR INFORMATION CAME IN AT FIVE 30 AND IT CHANGED TO THREE OF US.

AND I BET KAYLA'S GOING TO SEND OUT YOUR PACKET TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REVIEW YOUR INFORMATION BECAUSE THIS IS .

WE DON'T TAKE QUESTIONS.

UM, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD THIS EVENING WITH YOUR INFORMATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YES, MADAM CHAIR.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE ONLY THREE EMAIL ADDRESSES ONLINE, SO MAYBE STAFF CAN GET ALL OF IT INTO THE FUTURE.

I CAN GLADLY SEND IT TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO DO

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]

ANY, WE HAVE A MOTION.

SECOND MOTION BY BRISTOL.

AND SECOND BY THOMPSON.

ANY CHANGES OR EDITS PRIOR TO A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.

AYE.

AYE, AYE.

CHAIR.

THIS IS RAMBERT.

I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN SINCE I WASN'T AT THE MEETING.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE, UM, ONE ABSTENTION AND SEVEN EYES ON THAT VOTE FOR ITEM ONE A OKAY.

NOW GOING TO MOVE TO, FOR

[4.a. Name: 3800 Island Way, SP-2021-0021D]

AND THIS IS IN DISTRICT 10, PRESENTING WITH THE APPLICANT MS. SMITH, I BELIEVE, OR WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM STAFF ON THE SAME IN STAFF FIRST.

VERY GOOD.

ERIC, YOU MAY UNMUTE AND PROCEED.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO.

YES.

GOOD EVENING COMPRESSORS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIME.

UH, THIS IS IN REGARDS TO 3,800 ISLAND WAY.

UH, THEY REQUEST TO VARY FROM LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 DASH 8, 2 81, SUBSECTION CTB TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 150 FEET OF A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.

IT IS IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY ROYAL CLASSIFICATION, AND THERE ARE TWO, UH, RIMROCK CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON SITE.

AND MADAM COMMISSIONER, AS YOU MENTIONED IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, ONE SECOND PRESENTATION.

SORRY.

NO, THAT'S IT'S ALL GOOD.

I'VE TRIED TO SHARE, BUT IT WAS BLOCKED OUT.

SO, ALL RIGHT, THERE WE ARE.

NEXT SLIDE TAKING ME A MINUTE.

PEERS HAVING ISSUES.

[00:10:06]

ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO HERE'S THE OVERALL LOCATION OF THE SITE IS OVER THE AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE ON LAKE AUSTIN.

NEXT SITE, AS I MENTIONED, IT IS IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED, UH, WATER SUPPLY, RURAL CLASSIFICATION.

UH, THERE ARE TWO REMARKED CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SITE, ONE WETLAND ONSITE, AND IT IS LOCATED WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.

NEXT SLIDE HERE IS THE OVERALL, UH, SITE LOCATION.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND HERE IS THE SITE WITH THE ARIEL.

YOU CAN SEE THE RUM RACKS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.

NEXT SLIDE.

WELL, THIS IS A BOAT DOCK ON THE LAKE, NEAR THE RIM ROCK.

UH, THEY PLAN ON BRINGING AN EXISTING NONCOMPLIANT, UH, DOCK INTO CLOSER TO CURRENT CODE BY REDUCING THE AREA TO 659 SQUARE FEET FROM 674, WHICH USING THE WET FROM 23 FEET TO 22, UH, REDUCING THE DOCK EXTENSION INTO LAKE AUSTIN FROM 38 FEET, SEVEN INCHES TO 30 FEET.

REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SLIPS FROM THREE TO TWO, AND THE PROPERTY LINE OFFSET FROM FOUR FEET, TWO INCHES TO SIX FEET, SEVEN INCHES.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND THE CODE REFERENCE WANTING TO BE VARIED, AS I MENTIONED IS 25, 8 TO 81, SUBSECTION C TWO B.

NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THE W ONE TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 150 FOOT OF THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE WITHIN THE BUFFER.

NEXT SLIDE.

OKAY, HERE IS THE PICTURE OF THE TWO RIM ROCK CES AND THIS SLIDE AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL.

NEXT SLIDE, UH, STEPH BELIEVES THAT THE FINDINGS OF FACTS HAVE BEEN MET AND THEY SHOULD BE APPROVED, UH, BASED ON THE CONDITION THAT CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOAT DOCK BE COMPLETED BY BARGE.

NEXT SLIDE.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.

OH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYONE ELSE COMING FORWARD RIGHT NOW.

MADAM CHAIR, WE ALSO HAVE THE APPLICANT ONLINE AND SHE CAN SPEAK IF SHE WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO JANICE, WERE YOU WANTING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION OR JUST ANSWER A QUESTION? JUST, YEAH, JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SO I'M JANICE SMITH.

I'M THE ENGINEER FOR RECORD FOR 3,800 ISLAND WAY.

I'M REPRESENTING THE PROPERTY OWNER, CHRIS HESTER AND ERIC'S PRESENTATION WAS VERY THOROUGH, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE.

I'LL ASK AGAIN BEFORE I ASK MINE, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

UM, SO STEP FOUR, JACK MS. SMITH, WHICHEVER ONE WANTS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

UM, SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE TWO, TWO VARIANCES FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THIS CHANGE, NO, IT'S JUST ONE VARIANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION WITHIN A CEF SETBACK.

AND WHAT'S THE HEIGHT, WHAT'S THE HEIGHT OF THE SECOND STORY? HOW HIGH IS THAT GOING TO GO? IT'S WELL, SO THE BOAT DOCK IS 120 FEET GIVE OR TAKE FROM THE RIM ROCK.

UM, THE RIM ROCK ABUTS, THE HOUSE.

AND SO THEN THE, THE BOAT DOCK IS ON THE LAKE SHORE.

THE SECOND STORY IS AN UNCOVERED SECOND STORY, SO I CAN LOOK AT IT.

I THINK IT'S, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO 21 FEET, MAYBE TOP OF RIGHT HOME.

IT'S AN UNCOVERED UNCOVERED.

SECOND STORY.

DO YOU KNOW THE PURPOSE FOR THAT?

[00:15:01]

IT'S ON A REALLY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED PART OF THE LAKE.

SO IT MAKES IT HARD AND DANGEROUS TO GET INTO BOATS WHEN THE DOCKS ARE ORIENTED PARALLEL TO THE SHORELINE.

SO THEY WANT TO TURN THE BOAT DOCK AROUND SO THAT IT'S PERPENDICULAR TO THE SHORELINE, LIKE BOATS ARE BUILT TODAY AND IT'S A TWO FOOT BOAT DOCK.

SO REALLY EXCITING THAT JOEL ARE ALMOST BRINGING IT INTO COMPLIANCE.

AND WHY CAN'T WE GET TOTAL COMPLIANCE ON THIS? WHY, SINCE IT'S JUST A FEW FEET HERE AND THERE, WE CAN'T GET INTO TOTAL COMPLIANCE.

WELL, I'M HELD TO THE GRANDFATHER FOOTPRINT.

THIS IS A GRANDFATHER PROJECT.

SO I'M HELD TO THE GRANDFATHER FOOTPRINT AND OTHER THAN IT'S THINGS COMING IN ON A BOARD, WHICH IS EXCELLENT AND PREFERABLE PREFERABLE, WHAT, UM, WAS THERE ANY MITIGATION FOR THE WETLANDS WE PLANTED? WE REPLACED THE WETLAND PLANTS.

YEAH.

THERE'S TOTAL MITIGATION FOR THE WETLAND.

AND ACTUALLY THE WETLAND IS A, UM, IT'S A LANDSCAPE BAD THAT THEY PLANTED, BUT WE'RE REPLACING ALL THOSE PLANTS.

IT MAY OR MAY NOT GET DAMAGED.

IT'S, IT'S KIND OF IN AN IFFY PART THAT WE'RE ONLY GONNA, UM, WORK ON THE ACCESS IF IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.

AND SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF PREEMPTIVELY REPLACING THE WETLANDS THAT'S UNDERNEATH THE STAIRS.

SO THE WETLANDS WILL BE COMPLETELY MITIGATED.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR STAFF? UM, I NEED A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC TUTORING SECOND, PLEASE.

TIMER ALL IN FAVOR.

SAY AYE.

AYE.

OKAY.

THIS LOOKS LIKE IT CARRIES A, OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOW WE HAVE ALREADY FOR A MOTION TO PROCEED.

MADAM CHAIR.

THIS IS .

THANK YOU.

UM, ON AGENDA ITEM A, UH, THE SUBJECT THING, 3,800 ISLAND WAY S P 2021 DASH 0 0 2 1 D.

UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE, UH, FROM LDC 20 DASH EIGHT DASH 2 8 1 SENIOR TO BE, TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 150 FEET OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL.

I STARTED WITH CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, NAMELY A RIMROCK.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH ONE CONDITION, HAD DETERMINED THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET.

THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING STAFF DECISION.

ONE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION BE COMPLETED BY BARGE POTENTIALLY WAS GOING TO ADD A MIMI TO THAT BEFORE WE, BEFORE THE SECOND, HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT THE EMERGENCY ADDRESS BE POSTED IN A HIGHLY VISIBLE WAY ON THE BOTOX.

DID YOU HEAR CREOLE? I KIND OF HEARD HIM A LITTLE BIT.

YOU DON'T HEAR ME OKAY.

YEAH.

CAN YOU PICK IT UP? I WAS, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ADD A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO DISPLAY THE EMERGENCY DRESS IN A HIGHLY VISIBLE WAY ON THE BOAT OFFICE.

ISN'T THAT UNDER CODE ALREADY? MS. SMITH? OR IS IT DON'T? Y'ALL HAVE TO IT'S PART OF THE CODE.

OKAY.

BUT THANK YOU.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

WE FINALLY GOT THAT INTO CODE.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.

UM, I'LL DO A QUICK ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER KRILL? YES.

COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

YES.

COMMISSIONER BIXLER.

YES.

MR. BRISTOL.

YES.

COMMISSIONER HAMBURG.

YES.

MR. GUERRERO.

YES.

COMMISSIONER BRIMER.

YEAH.

COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.

YES.

CARRIES EIGHT.

OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. SMITH FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

YOU TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

[00:20:01]

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM

[2.a. Watershed Protection Department staffing updates (15 minutes)]

GOOD EVENING.

COMMISSIONERS CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.

SO I THINK AS YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS MY LAST ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, COMMISSION MEETING AND IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO HAVE SUPPORTED YOU AND SERVED YOU AND WORKED WITH YOU IN SERVICE TO THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

SO AS I, AS I HAD A PART, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE.

I GET PAID FOR THIS, BUT YOU DO NOT.

AND SO, UH, THAT SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS CITY AND TO PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, IS WHY I'M HERE.

IT'S PART OF WHY I DO THIS JOB IS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

SO FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE KNOWN YOU.

SOME OF YOU.

I WISH I GOT TO ACTUALLY KNOW, UM, BETTER.

OUR TIME HAS BEEN ALL TOO SHORT.

OTHERS OF YOU, UH, INCLUDING YOU MADAM CHAIR, I REMEMBER VERY WELL, UM, FROM YOUR DAYS OF SERVICE ON OTHER COMMISSIONS AND INTERACTING WITH YOU, UM, THERE I LAND YOU IN THE EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT HANDS.

WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD TEAM WITH LIZ JOHNSON AND KAYLA CHAMPLIN AND EIGHT, THE PHILLIPS.

AND SO I CAN EASILY DEPART, UM, AFTER 25 YEARS HERE AT THE CITY, KNOWING THAT, UH, YOUR, YOUR NEEDS, UM, WILL CLEARLY BE MET IN A STELLAR WAY, SUCH A SOLID TEAM.

UM, AND THAT REALLY MAKES, MAKES IT EASY, EASIER FOR ME TO LEAVE.

SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE.

THEY HAVE BEEN AMAZING IN MY TIME AS ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND, UH, AVA WAS HUGELY INSTRUMENTAL IN ME BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM MORE OF OUR SCIENCE WING, INTO OUR REGULATORY WING.

AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT HER.

AND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO SUPPORT YOU WITHOUT THE WORK THAT KAYLA HAS DONE.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF HER AND THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR THE, FOR THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT THAT YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON TONIGHT.

AND OF COURSE, LIZ TAKING OVER SUCH ALIGNED SHARE THE DUTIES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.

I'M NOT FULLY COMPENSATED, BUT AT LEAST WE GOT A DEPUTY TITLE FOR HER.

UM, SO THAT, UH, ME AND MY SUCCESSOR COULD FOCUS ON SOME OF THE LARGER SHARE OF ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES THAT I'VE HAD TO TAKE ON AS PART OF OUR DEPARTMENTAL REORGANIZATION, WHICH YOU'LL BE HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IN JULY, BUT AS I LEAVE IN THE TRADITION OF MY PREDECESSORS, I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW PARTING WORDS.

UM, YOU HAVE A VOICE AND YOU'RE EMPOWERED BY CODE TO ADVISE MARIN COUNCIL AND ADVISE DEPARTMENTS AND TO HOLD THE DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNTABLE, TO ENSURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES OF OUR WONDERFUL CITY ARE IMPLEMENTED.

SO USE IT PLEASE NEVER, UM, NEVER QUIT ON HOLDING STAFF ACCOUNTABLE.

UM, THE, THE APPLICANTS THAT BRING CASES BEFORE YOU ENSURING THAT THEY'RE BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU AS WELL, AND THEN CONTINUE, AND YOUR SERVICE OF KEEPING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL INFORMED OF THOSE IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, THE THINGS THAT YOU BELIEVE THE CITY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSING.

THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLEX COMPETING POLICY PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW THAT OUR CITY IS GRAPPLING WITH, AS WE TRY TO BRING EQUITY INTO OUR WORK, AS WE TRY TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, AS THOSE EFFECTS CONTINUE TO BE REVEALED TO US, AS WE TRY TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY AND OUR HOUSING CRISES AND OUR MOBILITY CRISES, AND SO MUCH CHANGE IS HAPPENING AND THEY'RE DEALING WITH SO MUCH, BUT WE CAN'T LET THE ENVIRONMENT SUFFER BECAUSE IT REALLY MUST TAKE THAT LONG THAT, OR THE LONG VISION TO ENSURE THAT WHAT HAS MADE THIS PLACE SO WONDERFUL FOR US TO LIVE IN AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED IN IT BEFORE US CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE AND IS IN FACT EVEN MORE AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT WILL LIVE HERE TOMORROW AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AND IT IS PROTECTED AND PRESERVED AND THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT IS SUSTAINABLE.

SO PLEASE USE THAT, THINK ABOUT THOSE BIGGER PICTURE ISSUES ISSUES.

UM, AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE NEED TO PROTECT OUR SOURCE WATER AND THE SOURCE OF OUR DRINKING WATER, DON'T FEEL BOUND BY THE TRADITIONS OF THE PAST.

REALLY PLEASE OPEN YOUR MINDS, LOOK WITH THAT BIG PICTURE, UM, TO START TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYTHING ON THE TABLE THAT WE SHOULD BE CLAIMING.

UM, THERE'S SO MUCH WORK TO DO.

THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS YOUR HELP IN PRIORITIZING THAT AND HELPING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU COMING BACK AT LEAST PHYSICALLY HERE TO CITY HALL.

UM, AND THEN BEING THAT CONDUIT FOR THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, TO MARIN COUNCIL, TO, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT JUST IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE AS I'VE TRACKED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, FROM MY

[00:25:01]

SO I'M LEAVING.

UM, JULY 2ND WILL ACTUALLY BE MY LAST DAY.

UM, DIRECTOR MIRALIS WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT KIND OF, UH, INTERIM PLANS, UH, SOON.

AND SO YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL NOT, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE FULLY SUPPORTED IN THE WAY THAT YOU DESERVE, UH, KIMBERLY HORN.

DESKY MY FIANCE AND I ARE MOVING TO FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.

I'M TAKING ON THE ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES THERE.

UH, AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE LIVING IN A NEW PLACE AND MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND FACING NEW CHALLENGES, UM, AND CONTINUING THIS WONDERFUL TRADITION OF SERVICE THAT, UH, I HAVE LEARNED FROM MANY, MANY AMAZING PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE CITY AND FROM YOU.

SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND I'LL BE QUIET.

THANKS, CHRIS.

YOU KNOW, BE MISSED.

UH, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO KEEP AT IT AND WE HAVE TO BE TENACIOUS.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE SEEPING INTO EVERY ASPECT NOW THAT COMES FORWARD IN AUSTIN, AND WE REALLY HAVE TO HOLD EVERYONE'S FEET TO THE FIRE.

IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER, OH, CUDDLE, LET JANICE GET AWAY WITH THAT VOTE VERY QUICKLY TONIGHT.

LIKE WE HAVE TO CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THAT WE ARE ENSURING EVERY POSSIBLE ASPECT FOR ON THAT ENVIRONMENT.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.

MR. THOMPSON HAS SOME WORDS.

WELL, I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, LIKE THROUGH TWO SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTORS CHECK AND YOU, SO IF WE WERE MEETING IN PERSON, YOU WOULD GET A CACTUS TO TAKE WITH YOU, BUT MAYBE WE CAN SEND IT YOUR WAY.

YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO REMEMBER TEXAS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

AND IT WAS, IT REALLY WAS WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YOU'LL HEAR ME.

OKAY.

YES.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

UH, YOUR, YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR ABILITY TO JUGGLE PREROGATIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY THAT RAZOR'S EDGE IS A BREAKFAST.

UM, IT'S CERTAINLY ADD MOBILE AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE WELL-MIXED BY THIS PERMISSION.

THANK YOU.

WELL, GOOD LUCK ALWAYS, CHRIS.

I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING RUN REAL QUICK TO, UM, CHRIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OF COURSE, THE CITY WILL BE BETTER, UM, IS BETTER FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND, UM, I TOO HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED IN HOW YOU'VE LISTENED AND WANTED TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY TO THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY.

UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, REALLY TRYING TO EXPLAIN THOSE FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND NICE HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH.

SO PLEASE, UH, WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND DON'T STRANGER, UM, CACTUS OR NOT, UM, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO SEE YOU AROUND HERE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WHEN WE'RE BACK IN PURPOSE IN PERSON.

SO BEST OF LUCK.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS ADRIA.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL.

I KNOW I'M, UM, PRETTY NEW ON THE COMMISSION, BUT, UM, I WAS FROM THE FIRST TIME WE SPOKE, I WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CODE AND ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEAD AND THAT YOU ANSWERED SO QUICKLY WITHOUT EVEN KIND OF HAVING TO THINK TWICE ABOUT IT.

SO, UM, YOU ARE, YES, YOU'VE GOT YOU'RE, YOU'RE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND ESPECIALLY, UM, WITH THIS CITY.

SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE.

UM, THE TIMES I'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU, YOU, UM, YOU JUST ANSWERED THE PHONE AND STARTED TALKING TO ME ABOUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, UM, FROM THE LITTLE TIME THAT, THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR TRYING TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH EVERYONE.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

YUP.

THANKS, CHRIS.

AND I KNOW COUNCIL REALLY, REALLY LINKED ON TO, FOR A LOT

[00:30:01]

HE WAS JUST SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE TO ALL OF US, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROBABLY LEAN ON YOU IF NEEDED.

SO EXPECT THAT, AND I GUESS WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT UP BY SOUTHWEST OR AUSTIN CITY LIMITS OF MANHATTAN.

IF THEY LET ME GO, I'LL COME BACK.

I PROMISE.

GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, GUYS, LET'S MOVE ON.

UH, ITEM TWO ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER UPDATE THAT SEE NUMBER THREE.

OKAY.

STAFF BRIEFINGS

[3.a. Update on 2020 State of Our Environment Report—Kaela Champlin, Environmental Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department (45 minutes)]

MS. CHAMPLIN.

I'D LIKE TO JUST INTRODUCE THIS AGAIN.

UM, CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, UH, KAYLA DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB ON THIS AND I'M SO PROUD OF IT.

SHE AND I HAVE BEEN CONSPIRING FOR A LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD DO MORE, TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY IN THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT REPORT AND THINKING ABOUT THE LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO MODIFY AND EVOLVE THE REPORT FROM ITS ORIGINAL STATE, AS WE INHERITED IT AS A PAPER DOCUMENT AND DO THIS ONLINE VERSION, AND THEN BRANCHING IN TO WHAT WE'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER TODAY THAT WE HAD AMAZING, AMAZING HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS AT ATX IN, IN PRODUCING THIS VIDEO.

BUT THIS IS, UH, A STORY WE DON'T WANT TO BE FORGOTTEN.

UM, AND IT SOMETIMES GETS DISPLACED IN THE CURRENT, UH, UH, IN OUR CURRENT CONSCIOUSNESS BY OTHER EVENTS, UM, THAT WE'D TALK MORE FREQUENTLY ABOUT THE ALL-NIGHT COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE BARTON CREEK PUD.

BUT, UH, I'LL LET KAYLA GO AHEAD AND, UM, INTRODUCE THE, THE REPORT AND THEN SHOW YOU THE VIDEO.

IF IT, WE CAN MAKE IT WORK TECHNICALLY, BUT THIS WAS, UH, SUCH A LABOR OF LOVE.

AND SO MANY HOURS WENT INTO IT AND WE DID IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT AS WE MOVE BACK INTO A MORE NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR WORK AND REACHING OUT TO SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONSIDER THE IMPACTS OF THESE DECISIONS THAT THE CITY HAVE MADE THAT HAVE HAD LITERALLY DEADLY IMPACTS ON OUR RESIDENTS.

OKAY.

WE'LL TAKE IT AWAY.

ONE MOMENT WHILE WE WORK OUT SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, SURE ALL THE COLON USERS I'M YOU DIDN'T KAYLA IS I'M MUTED.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON WHILE WE WORK OUT, UM, WITH KAYLA.

UH, LET'S SEE, CAN WE SHOW THE WEBSITE AGAIN? YEAH.

CHRIS, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.

MY APOLOGIES.

I'VE GOT, UH, SOME, UH, SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THIS EVENING.

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

UM, OKAY.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, CAN YOU SEE MY SCREEN? YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ON THE WEBPAGE.

CAN YOU SEE THAT? NO.

OKAY.

THIS IS THE AB TECH.

I JUST GAVE YOU A PRESENTER BEVERAGES.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY IT AGAIN.

THERE YOU GO.

OKAY.

CAN YOU SEE IT NOW? OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

UM, FOR, UH, THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING.

UM, MY NAME IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN.

I WORK IN THE POLICY AND PLANNING DIVISION AND THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

AND TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SHARE THE 2020 STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT REPORT WITH YOU.

UM, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT THIS WEBPAGE, YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO WWW DOT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV BACKSLASH ENVIRONMENT, 2020 TO GET TO THIS PAGE THAT I'M SHOWING YOU NOW.

SO THE REPORT HAS TWO MAIN COMPONENTS.

IT HAS A FEATURE STORY FOCUSING ON AN IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL TOPIC OR ISSUE IMPACTING RESIDENTS EACH YEAR.

AND THE SECOND PART IS A METRICS DASHBOARD.

UM, THE METRICS DASHBOARD, UM, SHOWS TRACKS AUSTIN'S AIR, LAND, WATER, AND URBAN FOREST, AND IT PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT HOW AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING OVER TIME.

AND, UH, SO YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL

[00:35:01]

I'M JUST GOING TO SHOW YOU ONE OF THEM, OUR LAKES DASHBOARD PAGE.

UM, SO HERE, THIS CONTAINS DATA ON THE CONDITIONS OF AUSTIN'S RESERVOIRS OVER TIME, AS WELL AS ZEBRA MUSCLE DENSITY AND HOW THAT IS CHANGING AND AUSTIN'S, UM, AND LAKE AUSTIN AND LADY BIRD LAKE OVER TIME.

UM, SO I HOPE YOU WILL GO AND CHECK OUT THOSE INDIVIDUAL PAGES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM, UM, AND, AND SEE HOW THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS ARE SHOWING ARE CHANGING OVER TIME.

UM, AND AS CHRIS STARTED TO MENTION, UH, WE HAVE A STORY FOR THIS YEAR.

UM, IT IS CALLED TANK FARM ORGANIZING FOR JUSTICE FOR THIS YEAR IS, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S REPORT, OUR DEPARTMENT AND COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM PODESTA AND GABA.

UM, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA JUST GO OVER TO THIS PAGE SO YOU CAN SEE IT START TO SCROLL DOWN SO YOU CAN SEE THIS PAGE.

UM, SO AGAIN, SO AS I WAS SAYING, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S REPORT, WE COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM PORT AIR AND GABA TO SHARE THE HISTORY OF THE WORK DONE BY THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY TO SHUT DOWN THE 52 ACRE PETROLEUM TANK FARM NEAR AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND SPRINGDALE ROAD IN 1993.

UM, THIS, WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU RIGHT NOW IS THE INTER INTERACTIVE STORY THAT WE CREATED.

IT CONTAINS A VIDEO, UH, OF WRITTEN TIMELINE AND HISTORIC PHOTOS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY'S WORK, AS WELL AS, AND, UM, THE STORY IS TOLD THROUGH THE VIDEO, UM, IT CONTAINS THEIR REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE TANK FARM AND HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THESE LEGACY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES INTO THE CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING TODAY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, BEFORE WE SHOW YOU THE VIDEO, I WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY RECOGNIZE AND THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THE STORY.

UM, SUSANA ALMANZA WITH PODESTA, CARMEN, YAMA, PULIDO WITH GABA, UM, GILBERTO AND JANE RIVERA, RENEE RENT, HURRIA NEIL CARMEN, AND RON DAVIS.

UM, WE HAVE DEDICATED, UM, THIS WORK TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE LOST TO THE LEGACY OF THE TANK FARM.

AND WE ALSO WANTED TO DO A SPECIAL DEDICATION TO RUN DAVIS, WHO IS THE EAST FOUNDER AND TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UM, WHO WORKED SO TIRELESSLY FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ON THIS TANK FARM ISSUE.

UM, HE PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY.

UM, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO CITY HALL SO THEY CAN PLAY THE VIDEO FOR YOU.

AND THEN AFTER THERE'LL BE SOME TIME FOR DISCUSSION.

AND WE ALSO HAVE ON A GIRA HERE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

UM, AND SO CITY HALL, COULD YOU GO AHEAD AND STOP SHARING MY SCREEN AND SHARE THE VIDEO? THANK YOU, DEDICATION TO RUN THE, THIS WAS THE FOUNDER AND TRAVIS PACKAGE.

OTHER, WE WORKED TIRELESSLY TANK FIVE IS A 52 ACRE TANK FARM SITE WHERE WE HAD SIX OF THE LARGEST, UH, OIL COMPANIES, UH, THAT WAS STORING THE PETROLEUM BYPRODUCTS HERE SPECIFICALLY IN EAST AUSTIN ON DECEMBER THE 18, UH, DR.

SYLVIA ODETTA WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE CAST OF FIVES AND SHE SAW THAT MOBILE WAS WANTING TO EXPAND THE TANK FARM.

AND SO IT WAS SEEKING A PERMIT AND WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT THE RESEARCH AND WE SAW IN THAT RESEARCH THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAD WRITTEN A LETTER SAYING WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT EXPANDING THE MOBILE FACILITY BECAUSE OF ALL THE ADMISSIONS AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE RESIDENTS LIVING SURROUNDING THE AREA.

UH, BUT ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS WHEN THEY RECEIVED THEIR PERMIT.

AND WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THEIR ADMISSION RATES, IT WAS LOOKED AT AS IF IT WAS ONLY ONE CORPORATION HERE.

WHEN IN ESSENCE, YOU HAD SIX CORPORATIONS HERE ALTOGETHER.

SO THEY WERE NOT LOOKING AT THE CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS, UM, THE 52 ACRE SITE.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE BENZENE AND MISSION, WE SAW THAT BENZENE WAS BEING ADMITTED IN THIS AREA 720 TIMES OVER THE ALLOWABLE RATE.

BENZINE IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN IS KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER.

AND ALSO A LOT OF THE TIME THEIR VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM

[00:40:01]

AND SO THEIR MISSIONS WERE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY FULL BLOWN, AND THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT REALLY AWARE OF JUST HOW MUCH EXPOSURE WAS HAPPENING, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE FEELING THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF THE EXPOSURE OF LIVING NEXT DOOR AROUND THE CORNER TO THIS TANK FARM, THE TANK FARM WAS ONE OF THE MOST INSIDIOUS THINGS THAT THE CITY ALLOWED IN EAST AUSTIN, RIGHT ON TOP OF NEIGHBORHOODS, PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO HAVE SAID, WELL, PEOPLE KNEW THAT THE TANKS WERE THERE.

WHY DID THEY MOVE THERE? WELL, THE HOUSES WERE THERE BEFORE THE TANK FARM, THE HOUSES WERE THERE BEFORE THE POWER PLANT.

AND SO AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND WE BEGAN TO SAY, HERE ARE, HERE ARE THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE BEING ADMITTED IN THIS AREA.

AND HERE ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS PARTICULAR EXPOSURE.

UH, FROM THEN WE WENT ON TO DEVELOP A HEALTH SURVEY LOOKING AT IF YOU'RE EXPOSED TO CERTAIN CHEMICALS, WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACTS OF THESE CHEMICALS, REAL BAD HEADACHES FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW, MY HAIR'S FALLING OUT.

UM, MY, EVERYTHING IN MY HOUSE SHAKES FROM THE VIBRATION, FROM THE TANKS AND THE TREES ARE DYING BACK THERE.

THEY'RE ALL ALMOST ALL DEAD BACK THERE.

I LIVE RIGHT IN BACK OF IT.

THE OTHER PEOPLE HAD GARDENS BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD SURVIVE BECAUSE FOOD IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE.

SO THEY, THEY PLANTED AND WERE EATING VEGETABLES THAT THEY HAD PLANTED IN POLLUTED LAND.

SO THE KIDS THAT EVERYBODY WAS GETTING SICK, ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND OUT WAS JUST ABOUT EVERYONE'S HOUSEHOLD HAD THESE BIG BOTTLE OF ASPIRINS, UH, AND IT'S SEEMS LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WAS EXPERIENCES HEADACHES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

WE ALSO FOUND A LOT OF THE CHILDREN WHO WERE HAVING NOSEBLEEDS FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND RASHES.

AND WE FOUND A LOT OF CANCERS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA TO, UH, WHICH WAS NOT NORMAL.

AND SO THAT BEGAN THE PROCESS OF HAVING WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE RESIDENTS TO FIND OUT JUST HOW THEY WERE BEING IMPACTED, WHAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED AND SO FORTH.

WHEN THEY TESTED MY MOM, THE DOCTORS WERE, WERE AMAZED THAT, UM, SHE WAS SO ILL AND THEY CAME AND ASKED US SHE WAS A HOUSEWIFE ALL HER LIFE, EXCEPT WHEN WE WERE MIGRANT WORKERS.

UM, THEY, THEY ASKED HER, HAD SHE EVER BEEN A COAL MINER? THEY FOUND THAT HER LUNGS WERE AS BADLY AFFECTED AS THE COAL MINERS, BECAUSE OF ALL THE TOXINS THAT SHE HAD BEEN BREATHING ALL HER LIFE.

AND THEY LIVED THERE FOR 40, SOME ODD YEARS.

AND, UH, A FEW YEARS LATER, SHE PASSED AWAY.

THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT HERE, OBVIOUSLY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AFTER THAT WHOLE ORGANIZING IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY THE 10TH, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER THE FIRST TOXIC TOUR AND THAT TOXIC TOUR WE GOT, UH, COUNCILMAN GARCIA WAS ABLE TO GET A CAPITAL METRO BUS FOR US.

AND AT THE OAK SPRINGS LIBRARY, WE LOADED UP THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, SOME OF THE PRINCIPALS FROM THE SCHOOL, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND WE ACTUALLY CAME OUT HERE TO THE TANK FARM.

ONE OF THE FIRST HOUSES WE STOPPED OUT WAS MISSED BY THE HOUSE ON OWL.

AND SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW HER CHILDREN AND HER FAMILY WERE, YOU KNOW, FEELING THESE IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, DIZZINESS, HEADACHES, RASHES, BUT WHEN THEY LEFT AND GO OUT TO VISIT THEIR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN LOCKHART OR BASS DROP, THEY FELT JUST, WELL, AND THEN THEY'D COME BACK AND THEY'D REALLY FEEL AGAIN, THE IMPACT AND HAVING THAT TOXIC TOUR WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE EVER DID BECAUSE WE HAD STATE REPRESENTATIVE, GONZALO, BODY ANKLES WITH US AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE GLEN MAXI.

AND THEY THEN ADVISE THE AIR CONTROL BOARD TO COME OUT AND DO THE TESTING.

AND THEN THEY ASKED THE WATER COMMISSION TO COME OUT AND DO THE TESTING ON THE RUNOFF THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITIES.

AND WE ALSO INVITED OF COURSE THE MEDIA.

SO OF COURSE THE MEDIA WAS, WAS DOCUMENTING ALL OF THIS TAKING PICTURES AND THEY FOLLOWED UP ON THE, THE WATER TESTING AND, AND THE AIR TESTING IN THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY.

WE'RE NOW GOING DOWN, UH, SAUCEDO STREET AND HERE AT THE END OF STREET IS WHERE THEY HAD ONE OF THE BIG, UH, PETROLEUM TANKS.

THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT WAS TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY

[00:45:01]

UH, AND SO THEY WOULD CREATE PUDDLES HERE.

AND THE KIDS, OF COURSE, BEING KIDS, THEY PLAYED IN THE WATER, UH, NOT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WATER WAS CONTAMINATED.

SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, SEE PIPELINE SINCE WE HAVE THE TOXIC TOUR AND ALL OF THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES.

OUR NEXT STEP WAS HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS THAT WE WROTE TO THE AGENCIES OF TOXIC DCS AND REGISTRY THE FEDERAL ONE AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS HAPPENING HERE IN EAST AUSTIN.

YOU NEED TO COME AND CHECK IT OUT.

WHAT THEY DID WAS IN, THEY CALLED THE TEXAS HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SAID, LOOK, WE'VE GOT THIS COMPLAINT.

YOU NEED TO GO CHECK IT OUT TOO, TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOW, BEFORE.

YEAH, IT'S TOO LATE.

WE ALSO WENT TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND WE TOOK A COMMUNITY PEOPLE THERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE HERE.

PRETTY MUCH IT FELL, IT FELL ON DEAF EARS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

THERE REALLY DIDN'T LISTEN TO US.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED IS WE WENT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND IT WAS JUDGE IN COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARCUS, DELYON THAT APPROPRIATED $350,000 TO DO A CIVIL AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION ON THE TANK FARM.

THE COMMISSIONERS AT THE TIME WERE WILLING TO TAKE A RISK AND FUND SOME OF THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT I NEEDED TO DO IN ORDER TO HAVE A CREDIBLE THREAT POTENTIAL AGAINST THE OIL COMPANIES.

YOU DON'T FIGHT SIX OF THE BIGGEST CORPORATIONS IN THE WORLD.

IF YOU CAN'T PUT TOGETHER EXPERT TESTIMONY AND THEY COST MONEY.

AND THAT WAS, I THINK, SORT OF LIKE THE REALLY BOOST THAT WE NEEDED TO REALLY BE ABLE TO SAY, THERE'S A BIG ISSUE.

AND THE PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AT THE SAME TIME, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN DECIDED THAT IT WOULD ALSO DO A HEALTH SURVEY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THEY HIRED PEOPLE ALSO TO BE DOOR KNOCKING AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING HERE.

AND I THINK THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I WANT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WAS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER THE CITIZENS MONITORING COMMITTEE.

AND THE WAY WE ESTABLISHED THAT COMMITTEE IS THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS AT THE TABLE AND STATE AND CITY AND COUNTY WAS IN THE AUDIENCE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME UP AND THEN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OF THE COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT WAS A VERY, UH, POWERFUL ORGANIZING TOOL IN FLIPPING THE USUAL MODEL OF, YOU KNOW, YOU COME TO US AND WE CONTROL THE AGENDA VERSUS THE COMMUNITY CONTROLS THE AGENDA.

AND YOU, YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THERE WAS A MASS ORGANIZING MASS ORGANIZING HAPPENING OUT HERE, THE TANK FARM, UH, NOT ONLY GAINED LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE, IT GOT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE ALSO.

UH, AND THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE WERE SORTA AT THE BEGINNING PHASE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM MOVEMENT THAT WAS HAPPENING, UH, NATIONWIDE WITH, UM, LOW-INCOME AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES BEING THE FRONT LINE COMMUNITIES BEING EXPOSED TO ALL THESE PARTICULAR EMISSIONS.

AND SO IT WAS LIKE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO REALLY BE EXPOSING WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE, UH, AT THE TANK FARM AND IN PARTICULAR HERE IN, IN EAST OAKLAND, THE TANK FARM BECAME A RALLYING CRY FOR EVERYBODY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT WAS A VERY ONE OF THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT WHITE ENVIRONMENTALIST HAD ACTUALLY COME OUT AND SUPPORT ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EAST AUSTIN.

WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO SPEAK FOR US.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE WERE THE SPOKESPERSONS AND NOT THE MAINSTREAM GROUPS AND THAT YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR FAMILIES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF YOUR FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES.

AND YOU'RE SETTING A VERY GOOD MODEL.

AND HEY, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THERE.

MY AUNT WAS THERE.

MY GREAT GRANDMA, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S TAKING THAT STAND.

AND THAT WAS THE YOUNG.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT WAS LIKE 90% WOMEN INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND ABOUT 10% MALE.

SO WOMEN WERE REALLY OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THEY WERE HAVING TO TEND TO THEIR CHILDREN BEING SICK TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS.

THOSE THAT HAVE CANCER, THEY SELECTED

[00:50:01]

SHE SPOKE ABSOLUTELY NO ENGLISH.

AND WE HAD A BIG AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HERE.

THERE WERE SPANISH SPEAKERS.

ACTUALLY.

SHE WENT TO THE TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD TO TESTIFY, AND SHE TESTIFIED IN SPANISH.

I THINK WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED ABOUT WAS THAT WE WERE SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IN A WHOLE YEAR, AND THAT FOLLOWING YEAR, THE TANK FARM CLOSE, WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE SCIENTISTS AND BIOLOGISTS FOUND, UH, KEN ODIN WAS ABLE TO USE THAT LEVERAGE TO SIGN OF AGREEMENT, TO RELOCATE, UH, THEIR FACILITY, JOHN HENRY FAULT HAD SAID, THE PROBLEM WITH ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CORPORATIONS IS UNLIKE HUMANS.

THEY ARE FICTITIOUS PEOPLE AND THEY DON'T HAVE A HEART TO FEEL OR TO KICK.

SO ARGUING PRINCIPLES IS NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL AND YOU CAN'T INCARCERATE A CORPORATE PERSON.

SO ACCOUNTABILITY HAS TO COME ECONOMICALLY.

AND WHEN WE STARTED THAT NEGOTIATIONS REALLY, THEY WANTED 10 YEARS TO RELOCATE.

AND WE WORKED IT DOWN TO THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE KNEW THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER SITE.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET THEIR PERMITS, BUT WE SAID 10 YEARS IS TOO LONG.

WE WOULD AGREE WITH THREE YEARS OF THEM DOING IT.

AND SO ONE BY ONE, THEY BEGAN TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT TO RELOCATE.

UH, BUT IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL VICTORY, SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL VICTORY THAT HAPPENED IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

UH, BUT IT TOOK A MASS ORGANIZING TO DO IT.

IT TALK ABOUT RAISING THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF PEOPLE ABOUT ADDRESSING HUMANITY, ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WERE BEING EXPOSED.

UM, BUT IT, IT, IT ALL CAME, YOU KNOW, GETTING ALL THEM TO AGREE TO, TO RELOCATE WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS WAS THEN, UH, LOOKING AT THE ZONING ISSUE.

WE KNEW THAT ZONING WAS THE BOTTOM LINE WHEN WE WERE ORGANIZING.

WE SAID, OKAY, WHAT IS IT THAT HAS ALLOWED 90% OF ALL THE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES TO BE IN EAST AUSTIN? AND IT WAS ZONING ZONING HAD ALLOWED TOXIC CORPORATIONS TO BE ADJACENT TO HOMES AND SCHOOLS.

AND SO WE KNEW THAT OUR NEXT STEP WAS EMBARKING ON CHANGING A LOT OF THE ZONING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND CHANGING THE ZONING HERE AT THE TANK FARM SO THAT WE WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE ANY POLLUTING FACILITY BE ABLE TO BUILD HERE ON THE 52 ACRE, UH, TANK FARM SITE.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE TAX APPRAISAL T CAT HAD REDUCED THE VALUES IN HIS HOMES BY 50% BECAUSE THE, OF THE, ALL THE CONTAMINATION, AND OF COURSE, THEN WE HAD TO WORK ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.

THEN THE LAWYERS CAME IN AND DECIDED THEY WOULD DO A COURT CASE, UH, TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE IMPACT AND THE TOXIC EMISSIONS FROM THE CORPORATIONS.

AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER, UH, KIND OF ORGANIZING TOOL THAT HAD TO HAPPEN.