[CALL TO ORDER]
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UH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I CALL IT TO ORDER AT SIX OH THREE.
WE'RE UP AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE, AND, UM, LET'S DO ROLL CALL.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE EVERYBODY HERE.
SCOTT, YOU GOT A YO FROM SCOTT? BEDFORD.
WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE ONE, UH, PENDING NEW COMMISSIONER THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE IN ATTENDANCE.
I DIDN'T EXPECT HER TO COME, BUT I'VE MADE HER A NAME TAG JUST IN CASE.
SHE SAID I'D EXPECT HER AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS THE BOLLYWOOD DANCING AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE DONE AT SIX.
SO IT'S PAST SIX, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE DONE IN MINUTES SIX CENTRAL TIME OR NEW DELHI TIME.
UM, WELL, LET'S TRY TO, LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT ROLLING.
UM, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
YES.OH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE GOT ONE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UM, WHO DO WE GOT, PERRY? UH, WE HAVE ANNA GIRE ON THE TELEPHONE.
ANNA, ARE YOU THERE? ANNA? IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE, UH, SPEAKING, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU YET, BUT I, I CAN SEE THE PHONE ICON.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING.
I'M THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM IN THE DISTRICT TO RESIDENT.
I'M SPEAKING WITH YOU TODAY REGARDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WE HAVE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
A FEW MINUTES AGO, I SHARED WITH YOU A LETTER, THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL LAST YEAR WHEN COUNCILWOMAN FUENTES PRESENTED A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE FUEL TANKS AT A B I AT THE TIME, THE CONTACT TEAM SUPPORTED AND WAS VERY GRATEFUL OF COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES RESOLUTION IN ADVOCACY FOR DISTRICT TWO.
WE ALSO THANKED THE CO-SPONSORS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR LETTER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OUTLINED IN DETAIL WHAT WE EXPERIENCED SPECIFIC TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
DUE TO US NOT BEING FULLY INFORMED OF THE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO THIS PROJECT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MAY HAVE BEEN DONE ACCORDING TO FAA GUIDELINES, BUT THIS WAS DONE WITHOUT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE AREAS IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE OF THE A B I A BOUNDARY, ALTHOUGH THE MINIMAL STANDARDS MAY HAVE BEEN MET.
I EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS OFTEN AND WE SHOULD EXCEED THESE STANDARDS.
WE ALSO ATTEMPT TO DO THIS WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
OUR HISTORY DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR AREA IN SOUTHEAST AUSTINSON HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY AND CONTINUES, CONTINUES TO BE MARGINALIZED.
ANY ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS MADE BY AB BY A B I A HAS AN IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS AT WORKERS IN SOUTHEAST AUSTINSON AND BELLE VALLEY.
WE ASK THAT THE COMMISSION TAKE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS INTO CONSIDERATION IN MORE URGENT MATTERS.
YOU WILL SEE IN OUR LETTER, WE ALSO HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FIRE SAFETY PATROL.
OUR CON, UM, FIRE SAFETY PROTECTIONS.
UM, NO FIRE STATION IN OUR AREA IS, UH, EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO THE AIRPORT.
WE ASK THAT A B I A ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED PEOPLE IN OUR AREA AND ASK THAT THEY SINCERELY TAKE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS INTO CONSIDERATION BY PROVIDING US WITH TRANSPARENCY.
WE INVITE A B I A TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US AND BECOME A, BECOME GOOD NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU EX-COM COMMISSIONER AGUIAR, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR COMMENTS.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU AND WE'LL SEE YOU, UH, NEXT MONTH.
YOU LIKE, LIKE WE HAVE THE LAST TWO MEETINGS.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on April 5, 2023]
OKAY, MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UM, ELIZABETH HAS DISSEMINATED THE
[00:05:01]
MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR ADDITIONS OR REVISIONS THAT ANYONE HAS? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SECOND BY SCOTT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[2. Thank Commissioner Thompson for her eight years of service to the Environmental Commission]
OKAY, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, UM, WHICH IS A THANK TO COMMISSIONER THOMPSON FOR HER EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.I THINK, LIZ, YOU WERE GONNA SAY A COUPLE WORDS.
THIS IS LIZ JOHNSTON, UH, DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND, UH, KATIE COIN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER DOES, UH, GIVE HER REGRETS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND.
SHE WAS AT THE CAPITOL ALL DAY REPRESENTING, UM, AND DID A GREAT JOB.
BUT, UH, SO YEAH, PAM, UH, WE, I THINK WANTED TO SLIP AWAY QUIETLY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET HER ENTIRELY DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT OF EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE, UM, WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHICH IS, UM, REALLY SOMETHING TO BE COMMENDED.
SHE WAS ACTIVE IN A TON OF COMMITTEES OVER THE YEARS, CHAIRING THE URBAN GROWTH POLICY, URBAN GROWTH POLICY AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION COMMITTEE, PROTECTION BUDGET COMMITTEE, AIR QUALITY COMMITTEE, URBAN GROWTH POLICY AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION COMMITTEE CHAIR, URBAN FORESTRY AND JOINT ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, PAM SHOWED UP TO, TO ALMOST ALL OF THE MEETINGS.
SHE ASKED A LOT OF DETAILED QUESTIONS.
SHE WAS VERY POLITICALLY SAVVY AND I THINK WE WILL ALL MISS HER, UH, PRESENCE ON THE BOARD COMMISSION.
YEAH, I WILL, I'LL SECOND THAT.
UM, ALL OF THOSE WANTING TO, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SERVE ON THAT MANY COMMITTEES, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FURTHER DOWN IN THE AGENDA TODAY.
SO, UH, UM, BUT YEAH, PAM DID A, UH, SHE WAS, UH, ALWAYS DOING HER WORK AHEAD OF TIME AND ALWAYS HAD DETAIL QUESTIONS, AND I THINK SHE PUSHED A LOT OF THE DIALOGUE, UH, ON THE DIAS WHILE I'VE BEEN HERE, UM, TO A PRODUCTIVE PROCESS.
UM, SO PAM, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE WATCHING THIS OVER AND OVER, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO SLIP AWAY QUIETLY AND WE'RE NOT LETTING YOU.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL, A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE WILL WALK AWAY, BUT ALSO A LOT OF, UH, POSITIVE ENERGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WHILE WALK AWAY AS WELL, SO SHE WILL BE MISSED.
UM, AND WE WILL TRY TO CARRY THAT TIP TORCH FORWARD.
WE'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND THANK YOU IN PERSON AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
WITH YOUR, UH, WITH A GIFT FROM WATERSHED, UM, WHEN WE CAN SEE HER IN PERSON.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT ANYTHING, SAY ANYTHING? I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT, UH, KEVIN AND, UH, LIZ HAVE SAID ABOUT PAM.
I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH HER AND SHE'S MADE A GREAT DEAL OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND I HAVE PERIODICALLY SPOKEN WITH HER AND SHE'S OFFERED A LOT OF SAY'S ADVICE AND WISDOM ON SPECIFIC TOPICS AND, UH, HELPED EDUCATE ME ON THE, UH, LITTLE DETAILS ABOUT THE WAY THE CITY WORKS AND THE COMMISSIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HER INSIGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE, SO SHE'LL BE MISSED.
I THINK COMMISSIONER THOMPSON TAUGHT US NOT TO JUST BE LIVING RUBBER STAMPS, BUT TO ACTUALLY ASK PEOPLE THE HARD QUESTIONS.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD ALL TRY AND CARRY THAT SPIRIT ON.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, UH, AGREE WITH WHAT EVERYONE HAS ELSE HAS JUST SAID.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL.
UM, PAM ALWAYS, WELL, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON ALWAYS HAD LIKE GREAT QUESTIONS AND SHE DID THE RESEARCH AND DID THE WORK, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, SO THANK YOU.
[3. Staff briefing regarding AUS West Jet Fuel Storage Facility Overview]
MOVING FORWARD TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE, UM, AUSTIN AIRPORT, WEST JET FUEL STORAGE FACILITY.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS KANE CARPENTER.
I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER OF THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
I AM A LONG-TERM CITY EMPLOYEE.
I'VE WORKED FOR THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT FOR, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, SO, UH, WITH AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF EMPLOYEES TO RUN AND OPERATE YOUR AIRPORT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, UH, HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FACILITY.
UM, I DID PUT A LOT OF MATERIAL INTO THE PRESENTATION.
[00:10:01]
PLAN ON HITTING ALL THAT IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK.I JUST WANTED THAT TO KIND OF BE ON THE RECORD, IF THAT'S OKAY.
BUT I AM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSON, SO I AM NOT FORMAL.
SO IF YOU WANNA STOP POINT, ASK QUESTIONS, DO ANYTHING, I WILL TRY TO DO MY BEST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, YOU GUYS, I'M HERE TO, TO SUPPORT THIS REQUEST.
SO, JUST THIS ONE IS JUST KIND OF JUST TO ORIENT EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE A LARGE FACILITY, UM, WITH A LOT OF HISTORY AND, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR AIRPORT, 4,200 ACRES, SO A LOT GOING ON, UM, WE HAVE TONS OF RAMP, TONS OF AIRFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT IS TO OPERATE YOUR FACILITY, UM, OR OUR FACILITY.
UM, THE CITY STAFF ARE REALLY THE MINORITY STAFF, MEANING IN NUMBERS.
UM, WE'RE ONLY ABOUT 10% OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT IT TAKES FOR YOU TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION AND COME BACK HOME SAFELY.
SO, UM, THERE'S ABOUT 500 OF US, SIX OR 7,000, UM, AIRPORT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE BULK OF THE WORK.
UM, SO WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS THE EXISTING TANK FARM.
IT'S BEEN IN OPERATIONS SINCE 1999 WHEN, UH, THE FACILITY OPENED.
UM, IT'S ABOUT A MILLION GALLONS OF FUEL.
NOT EVERYTHING AT THIS FACILITY IS BEING RELO ARE BEING TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE OTHER OTHER LOCATION.
THIS FACILITY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
THEY WILL BE CONNECTED AND HAVE SOME EXHIBITS TO SHOW YOU GUYS HOW THAT, HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE NEW FACILITY THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE TANKER TRUCKS WILL COME TO THIS FACILITY AND UNLOAD, BUT THE FUEL THAT GOES FROM THE TANKS TO THE AIRCRAFT, THAT IS STAYING AT THE OTHER LOCATION.
SO THAT OTHER HANDLING IS GONNA BE, UM, AT THE ORIGINAL SITE.
SO THIS IS JUST A, UM, HIGH OVERVIEW.
I'VE, I'VE, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF REQUESTS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO COME, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO HIT ALL THE THINGS THAT I WAS ASKED OVER THIS SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND WE CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL, BUT THINGS THAT KIND OF CAME OUT MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO, GOSH, SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY, BUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
UM, KIND OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MATERIALS, THE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS, UM, BUT MY REAL AREA IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA STRESS THAT.
SO CLEARLY STEEL TANKS GONNA BE CONSTRUCTED TO AMERICAN PRO PETROLEUM INSTITUTE STANDARDS, UM, VERY HIGH STANDARDS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THESE FACILITIES.
CATHARTIC PROTECTION IS GONNA BE USED, AND WE'RE MAINLY CONCERNED WITH CATHARTIC PROTECTION FOR UNDERGROUND FAC, PORTIONS OF THE FACILITY.
UM, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS DON'T CORRODE AND WE DON'T HAVE LEAKS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE, YOUR FACILITY TODAY DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF UNDERGROUND PIPING, SO IF WE HAD A RELEASE TODAY, WE CAN PRETTY MUCH SEE IT.
UM, BUT THOSE, THOSE ORANGE LINES THAT ARE CROSSING THE AIRFIELD OR WHAT, WHAT ARE CALLED TRANSFER LINES, AND THOSE ARE STILL PIPES THAT ARE GONNA CONNECT THE TWO FACILITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, CONCRETE RINGS UNDER THE TANKS, SYNTHETIC LINERS.
SO EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE LINED, UM, WITH THE MOST HIGH-TECH MATERIALS, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE TODAY.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE FUEL RESISTANT, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE DURABLE.
UM, THOSE ARE GONNA BE INSPECTED.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
BUT THAT'S JUST A KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE TWO FACILITIES AND HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED, UM, TODAY.
SO WITH THIS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ARE QUITE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, THE BERMS ARE GONNA BE CONCRETE WALLS AROUND THE FACILITY.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THE CONCRETE BURNS LOOK LIKE AT THE CURRENT FACILITY.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE LOTS OF VALVES AND CONTROLS AND LINERS AND, UM, THINGS TO WHERE IF WE DO HAVE A RELEASE, IT'S GONNA BE CONTAINED IN, IN THAT D**E SYSTEM.
SO, UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA OFFLOAD THE EF THE FUEL, THERE'LL BE SPILL TANKS.
SO THE, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT GOES HAND, YOU KNOW, THE MOST HIGH RISK ACTIVITY IS HANDLING THE FUEL.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WHEN WE'RE FUELING OUR CARS, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SOMETHING AN ACCIDENT DOES HAPPEN OR AN INCIDENT, WELL, ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS GONNA BE CONTAINED.
THEY'RE GONNA BE A DRAIN RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE WE'RE HAVING THIS ACTIVITY.
IT'S GONNA GO TO A, A, A PIPE SYSTEM THAT IS FUEL RESISTANT, AND THEN IT'S GONNA GO TO A, A CONCRETE TANK,
[00:15:01]
AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ISOLATE THAT QUICKLY AND RESPOND AND GET THAT STUFF OUT OF THERE.UM, ANYTIME WE EMPTY ANY OF THE STRUCTURES, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GETTING TOO TECHNICAL, BUT YOU GUYS ARE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL FOLKS.
SO I, I THINK NOT, UM, OIL WATER SEPARATORS OR LARGE VESSELS THAT WE CAN FLOW WATER THROUGH, IF THERE'S A SHEEN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S GONNA POLISH OFF ANYTHING.
UM, BUT MOST LIKELY NOTHING IS GONNA GO THROUGH THERE.
BUT CLEAN WATER, UM, IF WE HAD A SHEEN OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A VISUAL INSPECTION, WE WOULD REMOVE THAT BEFORE WE DID IT.
BUT IF SOMETHING WAS MISSED, THERE IS THIS ADDITIONAL CONTROL BEING THIS SEPARATOR.
THE SEPARATOR ALSO ADDS SOME CAPACITY, SO AT LEAST HALF OF THE SEPARATOR CAPACITY COULD HANDLE A FUEL SPILL.
SO WE GOT TWO 5,000 GALLON SYSTEMS ATTACHED TO THE BERM SYSTEM.
AND THEN THE SPILL TANK THAT I TALKED ABOUT, UM, WE, WE DID DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB, WE FEEL LIKE, OR, OR THE OPERATOR DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB, UM, DOING SOME INNOVATIVE CONTROL.
SO WE DO HAVE VEGETATIVE FILTER STRIPS, UH, AROUND THE FACILITY, UM, AND RAIN GARDENS, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE IN PLACE, UM, THAT WERE DONE DURING DESIGN.
SO THE TANKS ARE, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT THE VENTING, AND SO WE'RE JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THE TANKS DO JUST VENT.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY PRESSURE RELEASES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, IT'S GONNA HAVE A VERY LOW SETTING, UM, UM, VALVES ON EACH TANK.
WE HAVE TWO TANKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
UM, THEY'LL MOSTLY BE CLOSED, BUT WHEN, WHEN FUEL IS BEING TRANSFERRED THROUGH THE SYSTEM, THEY WILL OPEN UP AND THAT'S WHERE THE EMISSIONS WOULD OCCUR.
AND WE'VE CALCULATED THOSE AND, UH, I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A MINUTE.
UM, THE DISTANCES, WE'VE GOT SOME FIRE CODE SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS, THOSE ARE UP THERE.
UM, WE ARE 123 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
UM, THOSE ARE BACK TO SOME FIRE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SYSTEM IS GONNA HAVE A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS A FOAM SYSTEM, THIS IS VERY HIGH TECH.
UM, IT IS GOING TO, IF IT SOMETHING OCCURS AND TRIGGERS THIS FOAM, HIGH EXPANSION FOAM IS GONNA COME OUT OF THIS SYSTEM AND SUPPRESS EVERYTHING.
SO THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR FOAM THAT IF YOU HAD A PLANE CRASH, THEY'RE COMING IN TO RESCUE US, UM, AND PUT THAT FIRE OUT AS, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT IS A MAJOR THING THAT IS REQUIRED.
UM, THAT'S GONE THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THROUGH THE FIRE CODE, UH, UH, N F P A RULES HAVE BEEN MET.
THERE'S SOME OTHER F FAA REQUIREMENTS AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN MET AS WELL.
AND, UH, YOUR AIRPORT DOES HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT ON SITE, AND THAT'S, THAT'S AF D AND THEY ARE INSPECTING THIS SITE EVERY THREE MONTHS.
AND I'LL GO OVER THOSE A LITTLE MORE.
BUT, UM, THE, THE FACILITY IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
FIRE SAFETY, UM, UM, CONTROLS ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? I THINK SOMETHING GOT MIXED UP.
I JUST, YEAH, SO BACK TO, UM, THIS ARE JUST SOME MORE PICTURES.
SO THERE'S THAT LINER, IF YOU LOOK IN THAT RIGHT PICTURE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IS UNDER THE GRAVEL.
THAT IS AN HD P E LINER THAT'S AT THE EXISTING TANK FARM.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA KEEP, IF WE HAD A RELEASE THAT'S GONNA KEEP IT FROM GOING INTO THE ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE LOTS OF LEAK DETECTION AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTROLS, INVENTORY CONTROLS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE.
IF WE HAVE AN INVENTORY ISSUE, THEN THAT'S GONNA LEAD US TO AN INVESTIGATION MODE TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING IS NOT OCCURRING, UH, AND RELEASING MATERIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, BACK CATHARTIC PROTECTION, UM, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, VERY HIGH TECH SYSTEM.
AND THAT'LL BE INSPECTED, THAT'LL BE CERTIFIED.
UM, WE HAVE THIRD PARTY OVERSIGHT, MAKING SURE THAT IS BEING INSTALLED CORRECTLY.
UM, SO THE AIRPORT IS DOING THAT ON ITS OWN AS AN OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT.
UM, THE TRANSFER LINES ARE GONNA BE PRESSURE TESTED, SO THEY'RE GONNA PRESSURE UP THE LINES, UM, TWICE A YEAR INITIALLY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT A LEAK.
AND SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STANDARDS, BUT THOSE ARE BEING REQUIRED, UH, IN OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE OPERATOR.
UM, SPILL RESPONSE, I HEARD THAT THE CONCERNED, UM, CITIZEN, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
UM, WE DO FEEL LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF SPILL RESPONSE.
UM, THEY'LL HAVE CONTRACTORS UNDER CONTRACT TO DO THIS.
THEY WILL HAVE A FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
UM, AND THAT'LL BE REGISTERED WITH THE EPA WHEN YOU HAVE
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THIS MUCH, UH, MATERIAL STORED, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT IS A REQUIREMENT.WE HAVE AFD, WE HAVE AS HAZMAT, UM, LOTS OF SPILL CONTROLS ON SITE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD.
UM, I CAN SAY THAT, UM, THE OPERATOR'S DONE A GOOD JOB FOR THE LAST, GEEZ, 24 YEARS.
A LOT OF GRAY HAIRS ON MY HEAD OVER THAT, BUT, BUT OVER, UH, THE 24 YEARS, BUT THERE, THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
AND SO, UM, I CAN, I CAN ATTEST TO THAT AS, AS A CITY EMPLOYEE.
OH, SORRY, GO BACK TO THE, THOSE TWO SLIDES GOT MIXED UP.
SO I JUST WANNA STATE, UM, I, I TOLD THIS TO, TO THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION, AND I, I THINK I PRE PRESENTED TO SOME OF YOU GUYS OVER THE YEARS, UM, SUSTAINABILITY, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, GROUP, BUT LOTS OF PERMITS.
THEY'RE MAINTAINING ALL OF THEM.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THEY MAINTAIN THOSE FEDERAL PERMITS, STATE PERMITS, LOCAL PERMITS.
UH, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS ROOM ARE, ARE PART OF THOSE OVERSIGHTS, UM, OR MANAGE STAFF THAT, THAT WE WORK WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO HEAVILY REGULATED FACILITY.
UM, AND IF WE FOLLOW THE RULES, I, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD THAT THE FACILITY IS GONNA BE SAFE AND HAVE MINIMAL IMPACTS.
IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES, THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE.
BUT THAT IS NOT HOW WE OPERATE.
UM, THE FACILITY, UH, THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
SO NEXT SLIDE, JUST THIS ONE MAINLY FOR Y'ALL TO SEE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE MONTHLY INSPECTIONS, ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, QUARTERLY INSPECTIONS.
UM, THOSE WILL BE DONE BY AIRPORT STAFF.
WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.
I'M, I'M THE LEADER OF THAT GROUP.
IT'S EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, BUT, BUT JUST BE AWARE, IT'S NOT JUST ME.
THERE ARE OTHER DEDICATED ENVIRONMENTAL STAFFERS THAT, THAT ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FACILITY IS COMPLIANT.
UM, WE HAVE SOME GREAT STAFF AND THEY HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH, UH, WITH THE REGULATORS AND WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
BUT BETWEEN CITY STAFF WATERSHED, THE T CQ COULD COME OUT ANYTIME EPA COULD COME OUT.
UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING INSPECTIONS, AND THEN THE OPERATOR ON TOP OF THAT IS DOING NUMEROUS INSPECTIONS TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR SPILL RESPONSE PLANS.
UM, AND OTHER THINGS, OTHER, OTHER PROTOCOLS BASED ON THOSE REGULATIONS I LISTED ABOVE.
SO JUST I WANT TO CONVEY LOTS OF OVERSIGHT FOR THIS FACILITY.
I THINK LAST YEAR THERE WAS A PERSON WHO ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CITING OF THIS, OF THE FACILITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PERSON IS STILL ON THE, ON THIS COMMISSION, BUT I JUST WANNA SHOW YOU GUYS, UM, ANY FACILITY MODIFICATION PROJECT IN THIS HUGE OVERLAY AREA OF ALL THIS PURPLE CIRCLES AND, AND TRAPEZOIDAL AREAS AND, AND CONICAL SURFACES.
ALL THIS, IF YOU DO SOMETHING IN THOSE AREAS, WE HAVE TO GET FAA APPROVAL SO HEAVILY REGULATED TO MAKE SURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED AROUND AN AIRPORT DOESN'T HAVE A CONFLICT WITH AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.
UM, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVERSEES THIS, AND IT IS VERY RIGID.
IT'S LIKE DOING YOUR TAXES LIKE FILE.
THIS IS, THIS INFORMATION IS NEEDED, AND NO, YOU DIDN'T PROVIDE IT.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS WERE DONE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH PLANNING THE GROUPS AND, AND DEVELOPERS TO GET THEIR PROJECTS APPROVED.
UM, THE PLANNING GROUP AT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT OVERSEES US.
I OVERSAW IT FOR A PERIOD, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CONVEY THAT.
I THINK I HAD THAT QUESTION OR REQUEST LAST YEAR.
UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT NATURAL FEATURES AROUND THE FACILITY.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE BURLESON CREEK, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH A DRY CREEK MOST OF THE TIME.
AND THE OVERLAYS THAT YOU SEE, THE LIGHT, THE VARYING COLORS OF BLUE THERE, UM, THOSE ARE THE FLOODPLAINS, THOSE THAT'S NOT WATER ALL THE TIME.
BUT THAT'S PART OF, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHEN ATLAS 14, I DON'T, I GUESS THIS GROUP KNOWS ABOUT ATLAS 14, BUT 14 WAS, CAME INTO PLAY IN, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, REALLY CHANGED A LOT OF, UM, THE FLOODPLAINS AROUND OUR FACILITY.
SO, SO NOT NECESSARILY INDICATION OF WATER, BUT THAT THOSE ARE FLOODPLAINS AROUND THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, ONION CREEK IS A MAJOR WATERWAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND THEN I AM GONNA TALK ABOUT THE WETLAND.
UM, THAT WETLAND OCCURRED, UM, BACK PROBABLY WAS INITIATED BACK IN THE SIXTIES WHEN THE D O D DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UM, CREATED
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A LARGE DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE FOR THAT WEST RUNWAY.SO THE WEST RUNWAY HAS HAD THE QUEEN ON IT.
UM, I MEAN, UH, THE SPACE SHUTTLE, UM, YOU KNOW, NUKES, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT, THAT RUNWAY HAS BEEN PART OF THIS COUNTRY, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THERE'S A LARGE DRAINAGE DITCH IN THE, AND THE GROUNDWATER IS ABOUT 25 FEET DOWN, AND THE DITCH IS SO LARGE AND SO DEEP THAT SOME WATER COMES UP.
AND OVER THE 20, 20 YEARS, A WETLAND HAS DEVELOPED IN THAT AREA.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS.
AND IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
IT IS NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR A WETLAND, UM, DUE TO WILDLIFE CONCERNS.
SO I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT IS NOT, IS I AM FROM LOUISIANA.
IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE, UH, SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEE AROUND NEW ORLEANS.
IT IS, IT IS A, IT IS A BIG DITCH THAT WATER HAS SEEPED INTO OVER THE YEARS AND CREATED SOME FEATURES.
UH, GROUNDWATER IS ABOUT 25 TO 40 FEET THROUGHOUT THE AIRPORT.
WE HAVE VARIOUS LITTLE PERCH ZONES.
SO SOME OF THE GROUNDWATER, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT WE CAN, WE YOU COULD EXTRACT.
AND THEN OTHER AREAS YOU REALLY, YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET MUCH GROUNDWATER.
NO, UM, IT'S NOT USED FOR DRINKING WATER AROUND THE AIRPORT.
THERE IS AN OVERLAY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE AIRPORT HAVE ACCESS TO AUSTIN WATER, UTILITY WATER.
UM, AND SO, AND I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, UM, A FEW OTHER DATABASES THAT THE STATE MAINTAINS, AND I'VE NOT IDENTIFIED ANYBODY THAT COULD BE USING, UH, GROUNDWATER FOR DRINKING WATER AROUND THE AIRPORT.
SO THIS IS WHERE I THINK WE'RE GONNA, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST AND WE NORMALLY, UM, WOULD HIRE SOMEONE TO COME IN AND DO A, AN FACILITY AUDIT OF ANY FACILITY AT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT THAT WE FELT LIKE WE JUST NEEDED SOME CONFIRMATION ON THEIR COMPLIANCE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS A REQUIREMENT GOING FORWARD.
UM, AN ANNUAL REQUIREMENT OF THE, OF THE FUEL FARM, THE WEST, WEST FUEL FACILITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HIRE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT.
THERE ARE PROTOCOLS TO DO THIS.
THEY'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
THEY'RE GONNA GO OUT, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT ALL THEIR PERMITS, ALL THEIR INSPECTIONS, ALL THEIR RECORDS.
ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE, NUMBER ONE.
UM, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA DO A FACILITY INSPECTION TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RELEASE, EVIDENCE OF A RELEASE.
DO WE HAVE AN INVENTORY ISSUE? DO WE NEED TO DO MORE? DO WE NEED TO GO INTO INVESTIGATION MODE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THIS FACILITY, UM, HAS A PROBLEM? AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, THEN THERE'LL BE A PHASE TWO OF THAT GO INTO, YOU KNOW, DRILLING, SAMPLING, DETERMINING ARE THERE ANY IMPACTS? DO WE NEED TO DO MORE? BUT THE RESULTS OF THIS WILL BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM BEING DEVELOPED AT, AT YOUR AIRPORT.
UM, IT'S BEING A WHOLE DIFFERENT STRATEGY ON THAT.
AND SO THAT'S COMING AND THAT, UM, THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL DO.
THE PICTURE I HAVE ON THE RIGHT IS JUST, WE DID IT IN 2020.
UM, THAT'S THE LAST TIME WE, AND WE DID IT FOR THE EXISTING FUEL FARM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THE FACILITY HAD BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A LONG TIME.
WE'RE LIKE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE LINER IS STILL SECURE.
SO THEY LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE AN ANNUAL THING THAT'S GONNA OCCUR, AND THE COMMUNITY CAN REVIEW, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR TECHNICAL POKES LOOK AT IT.
AND, UH, THAT'S, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND THAT'S REALLY GONNA ADD SOME, UH, SECURITY AND COMFORT AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITY IS DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
THERE'S ANOTHER, UM, COMPONENT TO THIS.
UM, WE'VE HEARD THE CONCERNS OVER EMISSIONS.
UM, CURRENTLY THE EMISSIONS CALCULATIONS THROUGH EPA AND STATE PERMITTING PROTOCOLS ARE, ARE LOW AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE PERMITS.
BUT THERE ARE PROTOCOLS, AND THIS IS ONE WE'VE IDENTIFIED, EPA METHOD 3 25, WHICH IS BASICALLY A PASSIVE SAMPLER SYSTEM WHERE THEY'VE, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, EARLY THRESHOLDS, SO THEY'RE CALLED EFFECTS, SCREENING LIMITS AND OR LEVEL, EXCUSE ME, NOT LIMITS LEVELS.
AND THAT WOULD BE AHEAD OF ANY POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARD.
SO IF WE SAW THEY'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE, AND IF THESE, IF THE SAMPLING PROTOCOL, THE METHOD THAT WE'RE GONNA PROPOSE OR THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA DO THIS, UM, WE'RE WHERE TO SHOW
[00:30:01]
SOMETHING, THEN WE WOULD GO BACK.MAYBE THE AIR PERMITTING WASN'T CORRECT, MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER SOURCE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS NORMALLY AT REFINERIES.
SO WE'RE NOT REALLY A REFINERY.
WE, WE DO HAVE EMISSIONS, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HOUSTON OR, OR SOMEWHERE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HEATING UP FUEL AND CRACKING IT AND, YOU KNOW, HAS A LOT OF EMISSIONS.
UM, WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROTOCOL.
WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP.
THIS IS GONNA BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY AT THE END OF MAY OR EARLY JUNE.
SO THERE'S A MEETING BEING SCHEDULED TODAY.
UM, LET THEM ASK QUESTIONS, GO OVER THE PROCESS, AND WE PLAN TO DO BASELINE MONITORING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT MEETING.
SO, SO WE'RE GONNA ESTABLISH A BASELINE.
UM, WE PLAN TO DO IT TWICE THIS YEAR, TWO BASELINES, AND THEN IT'LL GO INTO, WE'LL, WE'LL ACTUALLY, WHEN THE FACILITY IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, WE'LL CONTINUE THIS ON.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD THING, UH, TO CONFIRM THE ASSUMPTIONS AND, UM, WHAT EVERYBODY IS ASSUMING THE EMISSIONS ARE.
WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL SOURCES, SO JUST, THERE'S A HIGHWAY AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A RUNWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE BASELINE TO SHOW WHAT IT IS TODAY.
SO WE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, THE DRILLING MUD RELEASE.
SO WHEN I SHOWED YOU THE TRANSFER LINE THAT WAS MOSTLY BOARD UNDER THE AIRFIELD, UM, WE DID DO SOME OPEN TRENCHING, BUT MOSTLY IT WAS, IT WAS BOARD.
AND SO WITH THAT, THEY USE A LUBRICANT, AND IT'S BASICALLY BENTONITE ANY SCIENCE FOLKS IN HERE, WHICH IS JUST CLAY.
UM, AND IT KIND OF SEALS UP THE BOREHOLE AND PROVIDES LUBRICANT TO PULL THE PIPE THROUGH.
UM, BACK TO THAT MANMADE DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, WHEN WE GOT UNDER THAT AREA, THE SATURATION ZONE COULDN'T HANDLE THE PRESSURE.
AND SO THE MUD, UH, CAME UP TO THE SURFACE.
IT'S NOT UN WELL, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, THE MUD RELEASE DID HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.
I HAVE MORE PICTURES TO SHOW YOU GUYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY NOT A HAZARDOUS COMPOUND.
UM, AND THEN WE PUT CONTROLS UP.
WE WORKED WITH OUR REGULATORY PARTNERS, WATERSHED, AND I HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE ON THIS, BUT, UM, THE FAA AND THE CORE OF ENGINEERS.
AND SO WE DIDN'T SEE, WE MONITORED THIS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT, UH, COMPLETELY RESTORED YET, WE MONITORED ANY RUNOFF OR ANY IMPACTS.
WE DID NOT SEE ANY, THE MUD JUST KIND OF CAME UP TO THE SURFACE AND SOLIDIFIED VERY QUICKLY.
UH, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE FALL.
UM, AND SO THE MUD KIND OF JUST CAME UP THROUGH THAT WETLAND HAD KIND OF BLOCKED OFF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE WATER FLOWING AND THAT CONVEYANCE.
SO NOW WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE WATER THERE THAN WE HAD BEFORE.
ONE THING THAT'S COMPLICATED, UM, ABOUT OUR AIRPORT IS THAT WE REALLY ARE A FEDERAL FACILITY.
UM, THE COMMUNITY IS ACCEPTED HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WITH THAT COMES SOME FEDERAL PROCESSES.
SO, UM, THIS PRO, THIS PROJECT WAS APPROVED THROUGH THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.
WE STATED IN OUR, OR THE, THE DEVELOPER STATED IN OUR, IN THE DEVELOP, EXCUSE ME, THE DEVELOPER STATED IN THE NEED FOR THE DOCUMENT THAT THEY WERE NOT GONNA IMPACT THIS WETLAND.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK TO FAA BECAUSE WE DID IMPACT IT.
UH, SO THE MUD RELEASE DID IMPACT THE WETLAND.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE NOW NEGOTIATING.
WE, WE'VE, WE'VE INFORMED WATERSHEDS, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE HAVE NOW THE F FAA IN FORT WORTH, AND THEN NOW WE HAVE THE CORE OF ENGINEERS IN FORT WORTH.
AND SO ALL OF THAT COORDINATION, UM, ALL I CAN SAY IS TOOK A MINUTE.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S TAKEN SO LONG, IS WE HAD TO GET THROUGH THAT FEDERAL PROCESS.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ON, I DON'T, DO I NEED A CORE OF ENGINEERS PERMIT AND WHAT TYPE OF PERMIT? AND DO I NEED APPROVAL FROM THEM BEFORE I DO ANYTHING? AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ON, UM, JUST GETTING IN THERE AND RESTORING IT, WHICH WATERSHED, UM, DID A GOOD JOB IN GUIDING US, UM, AND PROBABLY WOULD'VE LIKED US TO, TO DO IT QUICKER, AND WE WOULD'VE LIKED THAT AS WELL.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS OTHER PROCESS.
[00:35:01]
SO WE DID, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.UM, WE ARE, WE'VE REMOVED THE MATERIAL, UM, ACTUALLY LOOKED BETTER WITH THE MUD, BUT, UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS WE START RESTORATION.
UM, WE KIND OF DIDN'T WANT TO PLANT, UH, THE BIOLOGIST DIDN'T WANT TO PLANT DURING THE WINTER SEASON, AND WE'RE, RIGHT NOW, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GETTING THE PLANTINGS, UH, COMPLETED.
SO, UM, BACK TO THE, I THINK IT'LL BE COMPLETED THIS MONTH.
UM, EVERYBODY'S WANTING TO GET IT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT'S WHERE IT IS TODAY.
THIS IS THE CURRENT STATUS, UM, OF THAT AREA.
AND JUST THAT LAST RESTORATION TEAM.
LOTS OF LOTS OF FOLKS WORKING TO GET THIS THING COMPLETED.
UM, WE DID HAVE TO IDENTIFY A CORE OF ENGINEER'S PERMIT, UM, THAT WE COULD DO THIS, AND WE DID, AND THEN F FAA BOUGHT OFF ON IT, AND THEN WATERSHED IS ACTUALLY TAKEN THE LEAD AND, AND THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF, OF GIVING LOTS OF DIRECTION.
UH, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE WOULD'VE LIKED.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN IN, IN THE SLIDES, BUT ALSO THE PRESENTATION.
UM, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN HERE AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
HEY, UM, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YEAH, I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, YOU KNOW, MS. AGUIRE BROUGHT UP, UM, I WILL SAY COMMISSIONER FOR A SECOND, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE STILL ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
UM, SO HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE, LIKE A FIRE DEPART, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT AT THE AIRPORT, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE THEM TO GET TO THE FUEL FARM OR FEED THE FUEL TANKS? UM, IF A FIRE DOES OCCUR? WELL, THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO AN AIRCRAFT INCIDENT IN THREE MINUTES.
SO I'M GONNA SAY FIVE MINUTES TO GET TO THAT SITE.
AND THESE, THESE VEHICLES WOULD NOT USE THE ROADS.
SO THEY WOULD COME BASICALLY FROM THE AIR, FROM WHEREVER, I GUESS THEY'RE STATIONED AT THE AIRPORT TO THE, THE, I GUESS 71, 180 3 ISH AREA.
THEY ARE ON THE AIRPORT, SO THEY'RE IN THE CENTER OF THE AIRPORT.
SO THEY WOULD JUST, THEY WOULD USE THE, THE TAXIWAYS, UM, TO GET AROUND.
AND THEN IF, YOU KNOW, CROSSING THE RUNWAY MIGHT TAKE A SECOND WITH THAT SAFETY ISSUE, BUT AFTER THAT THEY WOULD BE THERE.
YEAH, I WAS JUST DOING, UH, SOME RESEARCH INTO LIKE, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS FUEL FIRES AT AIRPORTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, DFW I GUESS HAD A FUEL FIRE LAST YEAR AT A PUMP.
UH, MIAMI INTERNATIONAL HAD A FIRE ACTUALLY AS FUEL FARM IN 2011, WHERE A FUEL LEAK, UH, THAT OVERFLOWED THE CONTAINMENT AREA, UH, SORT OF SPREAD TO THE PUMPS.
AND I GUESS THEY HAVE THE, OR THE, THE FUEL TANKS, I GUESS.
AND I GUESS THEY HAVE THE FUEL TANKS ALL LIKE, KIND OF NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
UH, AND VALVE DIDN'T CLOSE PROPERLY, SO THEN IT WAS LIKE A HOLE ORDEAL OR WHATEVER.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THEY PROBABLY FELT THAT AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, UH, DOING, YOU KNOW, INSPECTIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS DO TEND TO HAPPEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I THINK, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE, UM, SOMEWHAT JUSTIFIED AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT IF A FIRE HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, HOW EXACTLY DOES THAT IMPACT PEOPLE? UM, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, THE BASELINE AIR PLAN, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT YOU, THAT YOU WERE GONNA PRESENT THAT TO, I GUESS, NEIGHBORS TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, SO I ASSUME THAT MEANS LIKE BASICALLY EVERYONE, LIKE AROUND THE FREEWAY OR LIKE WEST OF THE FREEWAY? UM, LIKE ANY, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE? I GUESS LIKE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT OR EAST OF THE AIRPORT? UM, TYPICALLY THERE'S A MAILING DISTRIBUTION LIST.
AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS MM-HMM.
I GUESS DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S, I MEAN, I THINK THOSE ARE THE, IN MY OPINION, YEAH, FOR SURE.
DO YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT THE RADIUS IS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, IT'S NORMALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THEY REACH OUT TO, UM, IT'LL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITES AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY AND, AND ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA, IT SEEMS TO GO OUT PRETTY QUICKLY.
BUT THERE'LL BE PHYSICAL MAILINGS, I'M SURE.
UM, I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
UM, BUT WHEN I DID THE, I OVERSAW, UM, I OVERSEEN THE NPA PROCESS, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, AND WE SENT OUT A HUGE MAILING, AND I MEAN, PROBABLY EIGHT MILES AROUND THE AIRPORT IS WHAT WE, WE GAVE THAT BECAUSE IT WAS AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS MM-HMM.
BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY THE RADIUS IS GONNA BE A, A MILE AT LEAST, AND, BUT THE INFORMATION IS GONNA BE MUCH MORE DISTRIBUTED.
[00:40:01]
ALL RIGHT.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, IS THIS WORKING? YES, MA'AM, I AM.
I'M KIND OF, UM, MY, MY FIRST, UH, UM, IN MY FIRST OF MY NINE LIVES, I, I WAS A JOURNALIST AND I SPECIALIZED, UM, BECAUSE IT'S MY NATURE IN DISASTERS.
UM, I THINK I, THAT'S THE REASONS FOR THAT ARE NOT IMPORTANT.
BUT, UM, SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT COULD HAPPEN AT A FACILITY SUCH AS THIS, THAT, UH, YOU COULD BREAK DOWN DISASTERS INTO MAYBE THREE CATEGORIES.
ONE WOULD BE SIMPLY NEGLIGENCE AND MM-HMM.
UM, AND, AND, UH, I'M IMPRESSED BY THE, THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN, UH, WITH, WITH THAT REGARD.
AND THEN, UM, THEN THERE'S TWO OTHER CATEGORIES OF RISK.
AND, UH, ONE WOULD BE NATURAL, UH, DISASTERS SUCH AS HURRICANES, UH, TORNADOES, UM, I DON'T KNOW, METEORS, I, I THINK THE METEOR RISK IS PROBABLY MINIMAL, BUT LET'S SAY THAT, THAT THERE COULD BE A, A TORNADO MM-HMM.
WHAT'S THE STRENGTH OF THIS STRUCTURE AND WHAT CAN IT WITHSTAND SHOULD THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OCCUR? I AM GONNA HAVE TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE STRUCTURAL TEAMS. I'M NOT THE BUILDING CODE.
I, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UM, THE, THE DEVELOPERS VERY ENGAGED, AND THEY HAVE, THEY DO THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO I CAN, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF A POSSIBLE HURRICANE, JUST AS IT TURNS OUT, NEW YORK CITY IS, UM,
WHAT A, WHAT A SURPRISE THAT WAS.
UM, AND THEN IN, OF COURSE, UH, IN, WE LIVE IN A TIME IN WHICH, UM, UH, I WON'T BE THE FIRST TO, UM, TO NOTICE THAT, THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ON OCCASION MM-HMM.
SO, UH, SO IT, IT'S, UM, NATURAL TO WONDER, UM, WHAT KIND OF RESPONSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR WORST CASE SCENARIOS.
AND I THINK, UM, FORMER COMMISSIONER ARI'S, UH, QUESTIONS, UM, BECOME VERY RELEVANT WHEN YOU CONSIDER, UM, THE NEED FOR POTENTIALLY EVACUATION OF, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, FOR, UM, UH, PROTECTION OF, UH, A NEW CREEK AND, AND, UH, THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, AND, UH, IN, IN POSSIBLY, UM, QUITE A BIT OF AUSTIN, IF THERE SHOULD BE A EXPLOSION, UM, OR AN ATTACK OF SOME SORT ON, ON A FACILITY OF THAT SIZE.
AND, UM, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY CONCEPT OF WHAT KIND OF A, UM, CONATION OF WHAT KIND OF, UH, A SCENARIO THAT WOULD PRESENT IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AND, AND WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE WOULD BE NECESSARY? WELL, HOMELAND SECURITY DOES DO THREAT ASSESSMENTS, UM, OF THE AIRPORT.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE FUEL FACILITY IS PART OF THAT.
UM, I WOULD'VE TO GO BACK AND IT'S, THEY HAVE RECORDS ON THIS, UM, PART OF THE THREAT ASSESSMENT AND WHAT, WHAT THE RISK WOULD BE, AND THEN HOW THEY, WHAT THE RESPONSE WOULD BE, WHAT, WHAT ACTIONS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT IT.
SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I'M NOT A ABLE TO ANSWER THAT AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERSON, BUT, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT.
SO I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND I, I'M GOING TO GET BACK WITH, YOU KNOW, THE THREAT ASSESSMENT.
I THINK THE HURRICANE IS KIND OF FITS INTO THE STRUCTURAL.
AND THEN, UM, THE FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN THAT I MENTIONED WITH THE, UM, THAT WE'LL HAVE WITH THE REGISTERED, WITH THE EPA THAT TALKS ABOUT THREATS AND, AND RESPONSES AND, UM, EVACUATIONS AND NOTICES, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THAT FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN.
SO IT, I THINK IN THE, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE, UM, MAKES ME WONDER WHETHER, UM, WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD KNOW, WE SHOULD KNOW THOSE THINGS, UH, NUMBER ONE.
AND SECONDLY, UM, IF THIS, UH, FACILITY, UH, IS, IS TO GO FORWARD, WHICH IT SEEMS, UH, THAT THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD, A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD THAT THAT'S, UH, UH, THE PLAN AND THE INTENT, UM, SHOULD, UH, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS BE,
[00:45:01]
UH, BETTER EQUIPPED AND PREPARED IN THE, IN THE EVENT OF A, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US EXPECTS A FIRE IN OUR HOMES, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.WELL, NONE OF US EXPECTS, UM, UM, FUEL TANKS TO EXPLODE EITHER.
SO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, UM, I'M WONDERING WHAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE CASE OF SUCH A SCENARIO BECAUSE, UM, RIGHT NOW, I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE TO GUESS BASED ON, UH, UM, WHAT, UH, MS. GUI SAID THAT WE, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE KIND OF CAPACITY WE WOULD, WE WOULD REALLY WANT TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO, UH, IN, IN, IN THE, THE NEED TO SAVE, UH, AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE AND TO PREVENT, UH, AS MUCH, UH, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND, UH, DESTRUCTION OF THE, UH, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ASPECTS, THE RIVER AND SO FORTH AS POSSIBLE OF THE FROG SEEMS TO BE LIVING IN MY THROAT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
UM, I WAS KIND OF WONDERING IF, UH, IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY VAPOR RECOVERY UNITS ATTACHED TO THE TANKS OR LIKE, UM, LIKE LIQUID RECOVERY? UM, HOPEFULLY LIQUID RECOVERY IS, WE WANT TO STAY IN ALL THE PLACES THAT, THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
AND SO WE HAVE ALL THE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO, IF THAT GETS OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE HAVE CONTAINMENT AREAS, WE'RE DOING INSPECTIONS, ALL THIS VAPOR RECOVERY AS I KIND OF, UM, HIT ON THERE IS NOT, SO IT'S, UM, IT'S A, IT'S NOT GASOLINE, RIGHT? SO IT'S BASICALLY, IT'S KEROSENE, THAT'S WHAT IT'S, IT'S KEROSENE.
UM, AND SO IT DOESN'T REALLY EVAPORATE VERY MUCH.
UM, SO IT DOES HAVE SOME EMISSIONS WHENEVER THEY'RE PUSHING FLUID THROUGH THE TANKS.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
I'M HOPING THAT THE MONITORING ALONG THE FENCE LINE, RIGHT ADJACENT TO IT SHOWS THAT THE ACTUAL METHODOLOGY FOR CALCULATING THE EMISSIONS IS, IS VALIDATED WITH THIS EXTRA, EXTRA SAMPLING AND MONITORING ALONG THE FENCE LINE.
SO WITH THE MON UH, MONITORING, WOULD IT BE LIKE CONTINUOUS MONITORING OR IS IT GONNA, UH, LIKE QUARTER, WE'RE GONNA DO IT FOR A MONTH.
FOR THE BASELINE BASELINE, WE'RE GONNA DO 2 1 1 MONTH EVENTS.
UM, SO WE WILL HAVE A CONTINUOUS MONITOR.
THERE'LL BE WHAT'S CALLED A, A PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTOR, WHICH WILL PICK UP VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS.
AND THEN THE PASSIVE MONITORS ARE BASICALLY, UM, ARE DESIGNED TO CAPTURE SPECIFIC CONSTITUENTS THAT COULD BE RELEASED FROM THE TANKS.
AND SO WE, WE SAMPLED THE JET FUEL, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE MAJOR COMPONENTS ARE, AND SO WE'RE GONNA SAMPLE FOR THOSE AND THOSE, SO THE PASSIVE MONITOR WILL BE PUT OUT, UH, FOR 14 DAYS, AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE CAPPED, AND WE'RE GONNA SEND IT TO THE LAB, AND WE'RE GONNA KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT CAPTURED IN THE 14 DAYS.
BUT, BUT WE'LL ALSO HAVE THIS OTHER MONITOR THAT IF TO SEE A SPIKE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WEIRD.
I MEAN, WHAT IF WE HAD A FUEL SPILL DURING THE MONITORING ON 180 3? RIGHT, RIGHT THERE IN FRONT, WE, WE WOULD POSSIBLY SEE THAT.
SO, AND, UH, SOMETHING ELSE I WAS WONDERING ABOUT IF THERE WOULD BE LIKE A PORTABLE, UM, THERMAL OXIDIZER OR SOMETHING IN CASE LIKE TO BURN OFF THE FUEL IN CASE THERE'S A SPILL OR EVA TO, UM, STILL, FORTUNATELY IT'S NOT GASOLINE, BUT I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING, AND I'VE OPERATED THOSE MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT WAS MORE FOR GASOLINE.
BUT, UM, OUR GOAL WOULD BE, IF THERE IS A RELEASE, IS TO CLEAN IT UP VERY QUICKLY AND, UM, THAT WOULD BE CONTAINED AND REMOVED FROM THE SITE.
UM, AND IF IT, IF THERE IS LIKE, LET'S JUST SAY A TANKER TRUCK WERE TO HAVE A RELEASE WHILE THEY'RE LOADING, UH, THE FUEL TANKS, WE WOULD, UH, THAT WOULD GO TO THE SPILL TANK.
THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTOR IS GONNA BE THERE, WE'RE GONNA PUMP THAT OUT, WE'RE GONNA CLEAN IT, WE'RE GONNA GET IT OUTTA THERE.
SO I DON'T, THAT'S VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, AT THIS POINT, NO, NO OXIDIZER OR ANYTHING THAT, OKAY.
AND I JUST HAD ONE MORE THING.
I WAS, UM, WONDERING WHERE THE MUD GOES WHEN YOU SAID LIKE YOU TAKE IT OFFSITE, IS THERE A DESIGNATED SITE? YEAH, I JUST PROBABLY WENT TO TDS LANDFILL.
AND THAT WAS, I MEAN, MY NEXT QUESTION, YEAH, LIKE IF IT WAS GOOD FOR AN ENVIRONMENT OR IF IT'S, UM, WE, WE TRUCKED IT, YOU KNOW, IT WENT INTO A DUMP TRUCK AND WE HAD A, WE HAD A, UM, APPROVAL FROM TDS TO TAKE IT.
[00:50:01]
WENT TO TDS.I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT PROBABLY WENT.
I AM CURIOUS IF AIRPORT GROUND PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR ANY SORT OF PROTECTIVE, UM, MASKS AROUND THE JET FUEL CONTAINERS? UM, WE, WE HAVE NOT, THAT WOULD BE THE OPERATOR AT THAT FACILITY.
THAT WOULD BE AN OSHA REQUIREMENT, SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD EVALUATE, AND IF IT WERE NEEDED, THEY WOULD DO THAT.
WE DO GO INSIDE THE TANK ONCE ABOUT, UM, EVERY FIVE YEARS THAT HAS THE WHOLE CBA, LIKE THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, SCUBA DIVER SET UP.
AND SO THAT, BUT THOSE FOLKS, WHEN I VISIT AND INSPECT THEM, UM, OVER THE YEARS, THEY'RE NOT WEARING ANY KIND OF, UH, RESPIRATOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT, I'M JUST LOOKING AT JOURNALS ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE DANGERS ARE OF, OF BREATHING IN JET FUEL.
UM, AND I JUST, ICU, I JUST DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT YEAH.
AND SO I'M WONDERING, IS IT ALSO, IS IT THE PROBLEM OF THE EMISSIONS FROM THE JET FUEL STORAGE TANK? OR IS IT, OR DO THE NEIGHBORS ALSO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT JUST THE INCREASE OF BURNING JET FUEL FROM AIRPLANES? WELL, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE CALCULATED THOSE, NOT VERY HIGH, BUT, BUT YOU CAN CALCULATE THEM MEETS THE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
NOW ONCE YOU COMBUST IT IN THE ENGINE, THAT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT EMISSION SOURCE.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO GET TECHNICAL, BUT THAT WOULD BE, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WOULD BE REGULATED AT THE ENGINE ENGINE MANUFACTURER LEVEL.
SO WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT REGULATING AIRCRAFT EMISSIONS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
SO THE EPA REGULATES THE MANUFACTURER SETS NEW STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOUR CAR GETS CLEANER MM-HMM.
SO THE ENGINES, THE NEWER AIRCRAFT, SOME OF THE REALLY FANCY ONES THAT ARE COMING TO YOUR AIRPORT, KIND OF CRAZY HOW, HOW NICE THEY ARE.
BUT, UM, AND SO AN OLDER AIRCRAFT THAT OPERATES AT, AT THE AIRPORT WOULD HAVE MORE EMISSIONS.
SO, UM, I THINK THE NAVY HAS PROBABLY DONE THE MOST IN YOUR, IF YOU LOOK AT JOURNAL RESEARCH, THE NAVY HAS LOOKED AT A LOT OF, UM, EXPOSURE FOR, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE MILITARY.
AND I THINK A LOT OF IT'S ON THOSE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS WHEN THEY'RE RIGHT THERE WITH THOSE EMISSIONS.
BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE BACK ON THE OPERATOR.
UM, FOR US CITY STAFF, OTHER FOLKS WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT EXPOSED CONSTANTLY TO, TO ANY EMISSIONS.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THAT KIND OF YEAH, I MEAN, IT DOES.
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK FROM THE NEIGHBOR PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN, WHEN THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH JET FUEL EMISSIONS? IS IT THE STORAGE TANK OR IS IT, OR IS IT THE AIRPLANES? WELL, WE HAVE 180 3, SO THE BASELINE IS REALLY GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KNOW, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA USE THIS, THIS METHOD THAT I SHOWED, AND IT'S IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO FIGURE OUT ARE WE CLOSE THESE, THESE ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE NUMBERS.
SO IF THERE'S A REGULATORY LIMIT HERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SCREENING LEVEL IS GONNA BE WAY BELOW THAT.
SO IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS AT THE SCREENING LEVEL, THEN WE HAVE A, WE POTENTIALLY HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT ARE CLEARLY THREE SOURCE MAJOR SOURCES RIGHT THERE.
I THINK 50,000 CARS GO UP 180 3 EVERY DAY.
SO, AND IT'S GETTING, YOU KNOW, AFTER COVID, I, YOU GET SPOILED WITH COVID A LITTLE BIT, BUT AS YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, THEY'RE BACK ON THE ROAD, SO EVERYBODY'S BACK ON THE ROAD.
I THINK I WOULD JUST BE INTERESTED IN, IN ACTUALLY, UM, THE MEASUREMENTS FROM THE AIRPLANES THEMSELVES.
UM, WE HAVE CALCULATED THOSE IN MODELS AND WE DID THAT IN THE, UM, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT DOCUMENT TO EXPAND OUR AIRPORT.
SO THOSE CALCULATIONS ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, WE HAVE CALCULATED WHAT THEY WERE IN 2019 WAS THE BASE YEAR, AND THEN WE'VE CALCULATED, UH, FIVE YEARS OUT, UM, FROM 2027.
[00:55:01]
SO WE DID 2027 AND WE DID FIVE YEARS OUT TILL 2032.SO WE, WE KNOW THAT'S AVAILABLE.
THAT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE TODAY.
DO YOU ALSO HAVE A BASELINE EMISSION TESTING FOR THE CURRENT STORAGE FACILITY STORAGE TANK? UM, WE KNOW WE, THEY HAVE AIR PERMITS, AND SO WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
WE HAVE NOT DONE A BASELINE THERE, SO WE'RE FOCUSING, UM, REALLY FOCUSING ON, ON, ON THE FENCE LINE TODAY.
SO, UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER FACILITIES ABOUT 2,500 FEET, I THINK MAYBE CLOSE TO 3000 FEET FROM THE FENCE LINE.
WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO, AT THE MOMENT, WE DO KNOW WHAT THE EMISSIONS ARE BASED ON THEIR AIR PERMIT.
UM, YEAH, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT COMMISSIONER BEDFORD WAS ASKING ABOUT THE AIR MONITORING.
UM, YOU'RE USING THE PASSIVE, UH, DIFFUSION SAMPLERS MM-HMM.
UM, WILL YOU TAKE ONE OUT AND REPLACE IT IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER? MM-HMM.
AND IS THAT GONNA BE A LONG-TERM ONE MONTH SAMPLING? THE BASELINE IS TWO 14 DAY PERIODS, SO WE'LL DO IT FOR ONE MONTH FOR THE BASELINE, THE FIRST BASELINE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT CONTINUOUS ONGOING BASELINE TELLS YOU WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE YOU OPEN UP THE FACILITY? RIGHT, RIGHT.
SO WHAT ABOUT ONGOING? WELL, WE WOULD DO THE SAME ONCE WE START OPERATING THE FACILITY, WE WOULD START, UM, WE WOULD DO THE SAME METHOD THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE BASELINE AND TAKE THAT DATA, AND THEN FROM THERE, UH, DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO GO FORWARD.
IS IT, DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO THE THRESHOLD OR IS IT WAY FAR AWAY? WAS THERE A SEASONAL ISSUE? WAS IT SUMMER VERSUS WINTER? THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, AND SO THAT'LL, THAT'LL, THAT'LL DEVELOP AS WE GO FORWARD INTO 2024.
AND IS THIS WRITTEN IN A PLAN? UH, THE BASELINE PLAN IS COMPLETE.
BUT THE ONGOING SAMPLING THAT YOU WOULD BE DOING, AGAIN, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND RIGHT, RIGHT.
UM, AND ALSO WITH THE PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTOR, WHERE WOULD THAT BE PLACED? ON THE FENCE LINE? AT THE, ON YOUR MAP, YOU SHOW TWO LOCATIONS NORTH AND SOUTH.
SOME OF 'EM HAVE WHICH ADJACENT TO THE TANKS.
SO IT'LL BE ON THE FENCE LINE AS WELL.
IT'LL BE AT ONE OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE THE PASSIVE SAMPLER WOULD BE RIGHT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD USE IN THE LONG TERM ALSO, OR ONLY DURING THE ONE MONTH BASELINE TESTING? NO, THAT'LL BE IN THE LONG TERM.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE TO DE DEVELOP THE FREQUENCY ONCE IT GOES INTO OPERATIONS.
MEAN, IS IT, IS IT, DO WE DO A, YOU KNOW, TWO IN THE SPRING, TWO IN THE, IN THE FALL? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT EVERY MONTH.
WE NEED TO START GATHERING THE DATA.
WELL, THE POINT ABOUT WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE PIT, YOU COULD DO THAT CONTINUOUSLY AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD HOLD ONTO THE DATA AND SOMEBODY COULD ANALYZE IT.
THE, WITH THE PASSIVE TO SAMPLERS, YOU'RE JUST GONNA GET ONE SAMPLE EVERY TWO WEEKS.
UH, SO IT REALLY WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, UH, WITH DATA, BUT WITH THE PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTOR, THAT'S CONTINUOUS, AND YOU COULD PICK UP SPIKES THAT HAPPEN.
THERE'S TWO ESLS, THERE'S A LONG TERM ESL AND A SHORT TERM ESL.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO BE PROTECTIVE OF THAT, YOU WOULD USE THE PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTOR.
WELL, THE LONG TERM AND THE SHORT TERM, I MEAN, WE CAN STILL USE THE PASSIVES, BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE P I D I MEAN THAT IS, THAT'S PART OF IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA REPLICATE AND GO RIGHT INTO AFTER OPERATIONS START.
WHEN THE OPERATIONS START, THE BASELINE WILL BE IN, WILL BE REPLICATING, SO WE CAN HAVE DATA TO COMPARE.
NOW ABOUT THE DATA, WILL YOU MAKE THE DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? YES.
UM, ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE ROOF VENTS.
UM, UH, IT'S AT THE TANK IS ATMOSPHERIC.
UM, ONE ISSUE WITH ROOF FENCE IS THAT WHEN WIND BLOWS OVER THE ROOFTOP OF ROOFS, IT CAN DRAW GAS OUT OF THE TANK.
UM, ARE THE TANKS SEALED THOUGH? AND THEY'RE ONLY OPEN WHEN, UH, THEIR TANKS ARE BEING SERVICED? WELL, UM, ON THE TOP THERE'S GONNA BE A VENT, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A VALVE.
IT'S GONNA HAVE A VERY LOW PRESSURE SETTING, UM, TO PROTECT THE TANK.
SO, UM, I GUESS STRONG WIND COULD MAYBE CHANGE THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, UM, WHENEVER THE PRESSURE CHANGES IN THE TANK, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH PUSHING FUEL THROUGH IT OR COMING OUT OF TAKING FUEL OUT OF IT, UM, WE ANTICIPATE, OR THAT'S WHEN IT'S GONNA OPEN UP.
SO, SO THERE IS THAT THE VENT IS GONNA OPEN UP.
AND THOSE ARE THE EMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN A CALCULATED,
[01:00:01]
UH, PER THE PERMITS, THE AIR PERMITS THE, THROUGH THE TC Q MM-HMM.RIGHT? WELL, IT, WELL, IT IS THE CASE THAT IN SOME ABOVE GROUND STORAGE TANKS, OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S LOW PRESSURE IS CREATED OVER THE ROOF OF THE TANK AS THE WIND BLOWS OVER THE ROOF OF THE TANK, AND THAT CAN DRAW VAPOR OUT OF THE TANK.
BUT MODERN DESIGN FOR VALVES PREVENTS THAT.
THE COMPANY ECM, DO THEY HAVE LOCAL PEOPLE HERE OR ARE THERE, ARE THEY, DO THEY JUST DROP IN TO DO AUDITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? THEY'LL BE A LOCAL FIRM.
IT PROBABLY WON'T BE ECM AGAIN.
UM, WE'LL BE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH CITY CONTRACTING.
SO, SO IT'LL, THAT WAS, LIKE I SAID, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE ONGOING FOR THE PROJECT, AND SO THAT REPORT WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE AIR EMISSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, I'M PROBABLY THE ONE WHO REQUESTS YOU TO COME OVER AND, UH, WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE THE OTHER DAY.
UH, THE ORIGINAL REASON I ASKED YOU TO COME OVER WAS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE MUD SPILL.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT WAS, AND YOU ANSWERED MOST OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD REGARDING THAT.
UH, HOW LONG WILL YOU BE MONITORING THAT? MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, REMEDIATION TAKES HOLD, YOU KNOW, THE PLANT OF GRASS AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF? I MEAN, IT WILL BE A PERIOD OF WEEKS OR MONTHS OR, YEAH.
HOPEFULLY THE PLANNINGS ARE, HOPE I DIDN'T, I'VE BEEN SO BUSY THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY IT'S ALREADY OCCURRED.
THAT PICTURE WAS FROM LAST WEEK OR WHENEVER ELIZABETH NEEDED THE, IT WAS LIKE THE DAY BEFORE I TOOK, I WANTED Y'ALL TO SEE A CURRENT, JUST TO SHOW YOU.
I HATE TO SHOW YOU THAT GRUBBY LOOKING, YOU KNOW, SHOT, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
SO I SHOWED YOU, UM, BUT HOPEFULLY THE PLANNINGS ARE, HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED OR OCCURRING NOW.
UM, AND WATERSHED IS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
THEY'RE THE REGULATORY ENTITY THAT IS MAKING SURE THIS GETS DONE PROPERLY.
UM, AND, AND THEN THE DEVELOPER IS WORKING WITH THE AIRPORT AND US.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT US, THE AIRPORT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
SO I THINK HOPEFULLY IT'S OCCURRING SOON.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME FRUSTRATIONS ON THAT.
UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A CONTRACTOR AND CON CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED ALL OF THE PLANTS AS DESCRIBED IN THE RESTORATION PLAN.
AND, UM, ONGOING SEATING EFFORTS HAVE, UM, BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND I'VE BEEN GOING OUT THERE ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORS TO, UM, ASSESS THE CONDITION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLANTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, GO TO FIELD SITE VISITS TO CONFIRM THAT THE VEGETATION IS PROGRESSING IN A WAY THAT WILL MEET THE, UM, THE NEEDS OF THE WETLAND TO RESTORE ITS, UH, FUNCTION.
UH, I FORGOT TO MENTION ONE THING.
UH, FAA UH, ADVISORY CIRCULAR, UH, OH, WHAT IS IT? UH, SHOOT, I FORGET.
THERE'S AN ADVISORY CIRCULAR, UH, UH, ONE 50 SLASH 5,200 DASH 31 C SECTION.
SEVEN DASH FOUR DASH 21 ADDRESSES SOME OF THE, UH, TORNADO CONCERNS THAT COMMISSIONER SCOTT, UH, QUESTIONED ABOUT.
THOSE ARE MOST OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE RATHER THAN, UH, ENGINEERING THING.
SO IF YOU WANNA LOOK UP THAT, UH, THERE'S A VERY LONG EXPLANATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES THAT ARE INVOLVED THERE.
BUT MY NEXT QUESTION GETS BACK TO THE, UH, MUD, UH, THING.
UH, THC DIRECTIONAL DRILLING, UH, ATTACHED AN ANALYSIS FROM BEAR ENGINEERING TO THE END OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMEDIATION OF THE, UH, MUD, UH, THING.
WHY DID THEY DO THAT? UH, I MEAN, IT SEEMED TO BE INDEPENDENT.
THE BAY ENGINEERING ANALYSIS DONE IT LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, AND IT HAD TO DO WITH THE WAY THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THE, UH, HANDLING OF THE WETLAND AREA.
AND THERE WERE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MADE.
ONE WAS TO GET RID OF THE, UH, WETLAND.
AND THERE WERE TWO OTHER AREAS.
ONE WAS I THINK, UH, TWO AND THREE WERE BASICALLY TO, YOU KNOW, HANDHOLD IT A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL PLANTINGS AND, AND A LITTLE BIT OF MOWING AND STUFF.
WHICH ONE DID YOU FINALLY GO WITH OF THOSE OTHER TWO? VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR RESEARCH.
SO, UM, THAT WAS INITIATED BY AIRPORT STAFF BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THAT WETLAND BEING ADJACENT TO THE AIRFIELD, MEANING IT'S A WILDLIFE ATTRACTANT.
SO WE HAVE, IT'S BEEN ON OUR RADAR FOR YEARS.
WE HIRED THAT FIRM, AS, YOU KNOW, TO AUDIT IT, TO TELL US WHAT IS THE REGULATORY STATUS OF IT.
[01:05:01]
DOCUMENT WAS USED BY THE DEVELOPER, UM, TO, TO, TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH F AA FOR THE APPROVAL OF THEIR FACILITY.WE ULTIMATELY, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE ULTIMATELY WENT WITH MINIMAL IMPACTS AT THIS POINT.
UM, MEANING WE GO IN, WE, WE EAT, WE MOW, YOU KNOW, WITH HAND EQUIPMENT TO LIMIT THE IMPACTS TO IT.
SO WE'RE NOT, BUT WE DID NOT SELECT THE OPTION TO, TO MITIGATE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A BIGGER, THAT'S A BIGGER EFFORT.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WENT WITH OPTION THREE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
I, I DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE OPTIONS LISTED HERE ON MY NOTES, BUT I, THAT SOUNDS LIKE OPTION THREE.
UM, NOW, UH, MOVING ON, I DIDN'T REALLY WANT, MY GOAL IN ALL THIS IS KIND OF AS FOLLOWS AND, AND, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE FUEL FARM AND OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE BROADEST SENSE, UH, AT THE AIRPORT IS I'D LIKE TO S ESTABLISH PERHAPS A INFORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, THE YOU FOLKS AT THE AIRPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD COMMISSION, WHATEVER, UH, SO THAT WE CAN WORK A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SOME EXPERTISE MM-HMM.
AND SO THAT WHEN THINGS RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT SHOW UP IN YOUR PLANS, THAT YOU MIGHT BE WILLING TO ASK OUR ADVICE AND INPUT.
AND IT'S NOT OUR INTENT TO TRY TO HONE IN ON YOUR EXCITEMENT OVER THERE OR, YOU KNOW, GIVE DIRECTIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT JUST GET YOU TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON THIS? AND THEN YOU'RE FREE TO MOVE FORWARD AS YOU SEE FIT AS AN ORGANIZATION CUZ WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE AIRPORT BUSINESS AND THE THINGS THAT DRIVE YOU TO MAKE FINAL DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THINGS FROM WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND THEY WANT TO BUILD AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO, BUT TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE A UNIQUE UNDERSTANDING OF CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO ESTABLISH KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, A, YOU KNOW, A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME, UH, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
I TOOK SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS LIKE THAT CIRCULAR THAT I JUST MENTIONED, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS, UH, ONE 50 SLASH 50 50 DASH FOUR A ONE 50 SLASH 52 43, OR 52 30 DASH FOUR A ONE 50 SLASH 52 DASH 31 C FAA ORDERS ONE, UH, 10 50 DA, UH, 10 50.1 F, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, THAT ARE ALL APPLICABLE TO THIS, INCLUDING VARIOUS T C Q ABSOLUTELY.
REGULATIONS THAT I'VE MANAGED TO FIND WANDERING ROUND AND NEPA 40, CFR 1550.
SO I'VE READ SOME OF THESE, THESE THINGS, SO I HAVE SOME MINOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN ORDER TO GET ALL THIS PERMITTED OUT.
AND I DON'T CLAIM TO BE AN EXPERT ON IT, I JUST HAD SOME FREE TIME.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I, I DON'T WANNA REHASH THE, THE FUEL TANK THING.
I DO SINCE COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN BROUGHT IT UP, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE AIR TESTING, UH, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT OFFER THAT.
UH, I'M A PILOT, BY THE WAY, A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, SO I HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY WITH HOW ALL THIS STUFF GOES.
UH, I NOTICE THAT YOU'RE TESTING ONLY ON THE NORTH SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAYS.
UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, ALMOST EVERY TIME I'VE TAKEN OFF LAND AT THE AIRPORT, YOU HAVE CROSSWINDS, BUT YOU'RE NOT TESTING, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT RUNWAY AND YOU'RE NOT TESTING OVER AT THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO IT.
SOME OF 'EM ARE ONLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE 700 FEET.
I FORGET EXACTLY THE DISTANCE FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, I MIGHT RECOMMEND TESTING OVER IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE TAKEN OFF AND LANDED IN 20 KNOT CROSSWINDS AT 30 DEGREES.
SO IT DOESN'T UNREASONABLE SUSPECT THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE CROSSWINDS ON THOSE RUNWAYS THAT ARE GOING TO BLOW STUFF OVER IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND SO IT'S NOT AN UNREASONABLE SUSPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE POLLUTANTS OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO CHARACTERIZE IT, MIGHT MIGHT GO OVER THERE.
AND I ALSO SHARE THE CONCERN WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN THAT, YOU KNOW, PERIODIC TESTING MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE RELEASES OF STUFF THAT AREN'T ON THE DAY OR THE WEEK THAT YOU'RE TESTING, AND THAT AT CONTINUOUS TESTING MIGHT BE A MORE SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IF
[01:10:01]
FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN IT, UH, SATISFIES THE CURIOSITY OF THE NEIGHBORS TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE BEING LOOKED AFTER BETTER.IT'S LACK OF BETTER TERM, IT'S BETTER PR THAN, YOU KNOW, DOING IT AT OTHER TIMES.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, AND I I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, BURIED, UH, BURIED, UH, CA OR NOT CABLES, PIPES.
WHAT'S THE LIFESPAN OF THOSE? OH, 50 PLUS YEARS.
SO I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE WHEN YOU REPLACE THEM.
WELL, ANYWAY, UH, SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE TORN UP AND REPLACED AT SOME POINT, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE.
IF THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT YOU ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED IN THE NEAR NO NEAR TERM, THEY HAVE A LONG LIFESPAN AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND, UH, THEY'LL BE INSPECTED.
THEY HAVE THE CATHODIC PROTECTION TO, TO PREVENT CORROSION.
UM, THE PRESSURE TESTING IS GONNA BE A RECURRING THING TO WHERE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT LEAKING.
UH, SO LOTS OF, LOTS OF ACTIONS WILL BE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES BEYOND 50 YEARS, I'M SURE.
SO NOW I UNDERSTAND SOMEONE BROUGHT UP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I, I KNOW THERE'S ONE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FIELD, A STATIONED THERE, BUT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HAVING ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS WITH, UH, SPECIAL SKILLS MOVED OVER THERE.
THEY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, PEOPLE WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE, SPECIAL SKILLS ARE, HAS, I WAS JUST LISTING THAT AFD, THE HAZMAT TEAM, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE AN ANOTHER RESOURCE.
YOU KNOW, AFD DOES HAZ HAVE A HAZMAT TEAM, BUT THE, THE RF FACILITIES, WHICH YOU KNOW ABOUT, UM, AND THAT'S, UM, UH, AIRCRAFT FIRE AND RESCUE, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WELL STAFFED.
SO, UM, WITH APPARATUS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE FIVE, YOU KNOW, TRUCKS THAT CAN GO OUT AND SPRAY FOAM TODAY.
SO, SO THOSE FOLKS, I GUESS IS WHAT I WAS REALLY, THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
BUT YOU, YOU'RE NOT PLANNING ON BRINGING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL WITH SPECIAL EXPERTISE OVER THERE.
THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE.
OH, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR.
THE, THE FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN AND THEIR, THE, THE OWNER OF THE FACILITY WOULD ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, YOU KNOW, TO COME.
I'D BE MORE ON THE CLEANUP SIDE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WITH THE PHONE SYSTEM, THE FIREFIGHTING ONSITE, OTHER RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT WOULD BE RESOLVED QUICKLY.
WE HAD A APPLICANT COME BEFORE US, I DON'T, I WANNA SAY SIX MONTHS AGO, WHO WANTED TO BUILD A FUEL STORAGE TANK ADJACENT TO, UH, LAKE AUSTIN.
AND ONE OF THE DEFICIENCIES THEY HAD IN THEIR PLAN WAS THEY HAD NO METHOD OF, UH, NOTIFYING THE PEOPLE DOWNSTREAM OF THE LAKE.
AND THE ISSUE THERE WAS THAT THEY, THAT THERE'S A MUD RIGHT THERE, AND THEY WERE TAKING WATER OUT OF THE LAKE WITH THE INTENT OF DRINKING IT.
AND SO IF THERE WAS A SPILL OR SOMETHING AT THE LAKE, THERE'S NO WAY OF NOTIFYING THE RESIDENTS THAT MAYBE YOU OUGHTA SHUT OFF YOUR WATER AND NOT DRINKING IT.
NOW, I, I WON'T SAY I READ LINE FOR LINE WORD FOR WORD, THE, UH, WHATEVER IT IS, THE SPILL CONTROL AND COUNTERMEASURES PLAN.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY PLAN FOR NOTIFICA.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT YOU NOTIFY IN THERE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY STRATEGY FOR NOTIFYING THE NEIGHBORS.
DID I MISS THAT OR, WELL, I THINK LOOK AT THE FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN REGULATIONS.
YOU MENTIONED IT IN YOUR, IT WAS UP ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS.
THE SPILL RESPONSE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH REQUIRED FOR ANY KIND OF FUEL STORAGE, YOU KNOW, LIKE 1500 GALLONS IS GONNA TRIGGER THAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S LIMITS THAT IN THE FEDERAL REGULATION FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN, WHICH IS THE EPA ONE, RIGHT.
THAT THAT PLAN TALKS ABOUT SCENARIOS AND NOTIFICATIONS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT I DIDN'T, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE NOTIFYING, SAY, THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD I SAW WHERE LIKE, YOU'RE GONNA CALL THE FAA AND THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AND NOTIFIED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THAT.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE WHERE YOU'RE NOTIFYING, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT WHO LIVE ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT.
IS THAT JUST NOT PART OF THE PLAN OR, I THINK THE PLAN, THE SPILL, THE FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN WOULD HAVE THAT, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT PLAN.
I, I MAY, I MAY NOT HAVE CAUGHT UP WITH THAT DOCUMENT.
THAT THAT'S THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT SCENARIOS AND, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA RESPOND? THE SPILL RESPONSE CONTROL AND COUNTERMEASURES PLAN, THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[01:15:01]
CONTAINMENT, SPILL, SPILL KITS, INSPECTIONS, MAKING SURE THIS STUFF AN ENGINEER HAS TO CERTIFY THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M A GEOLOGIST, I CAN'T DO IT.AND, OH, THE OTHER THING I LIKED ABOUT WHEN, WHEN YOU DID THIS WHOLE THING THAT, UH, YOU ALL LOOKED AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS FOR THE TANKS.
I THINK YOU LOOKED AT 12 A TOTAL FIRE.
I FORGET THE COUNT, BUT YOUR ORIGINAL PRESENTATION, YOU EXAMINED 12 POSSIBLE SITES FOR THE TANKS.
I, I FORGET IT WAS 11 OR 12 OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T YOU IN THE ROYAL SENSE, BUT NOT PERSONALLY.
BUT, UH, IT WAS GOOD THAT YOU DID EXAMINE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DECIDED WELL, THEY DIDN'T WORK FOR WHATEVER THE REASON WAS, AND THEN YOU MOVED ON TO THIS ONE.
SO IT IS GOOD THAT YOU LOOKED AT ALTERNATIVES.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE MONITORING.
I, IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT WHEN THIS WAS FIRST BE BUBBLING UP AS AN ISSUE THAT, UM, I TOOK A LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE ARE A FEW CITY FACILITIES JUST TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND I HAD SUGGESTED MONITORING THERE, THERE FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S AN AUSTIN ENERGY SUBSTATION ON MACAU LANE, UM, WHICH WOULD CATCH THOSE CROSSWINDS THAT MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED.
UM, SO THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLACING THESE PASSIVE MONITORS IF, UH, IF THERE WERE THE BUDGET FOR IT OR A NUDGE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I, I TH WE'RE GONNA PRESENT, I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD, THE BASELINE, AND THEN THAT'LL BE CARRIED INTO OPERATIONS.
I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, BRINGING THAT UP.
WE, THAT, THAT WILL BE CARRIED INTO OPERATIONS, AND IF THE BASELINE NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED IN THE FUTURE AS IT THEN, THOSE ARE GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND PRESENTING.
UM, AND FIELDING OUR QUESTIONS.
UH, I, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
UM, BASED ON, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION, I WENT TO THIS PUBLIC INPUT.COM, O O FUEL, THE KIND OF PUBLIC INFORMATION PAGE MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FORMAT, AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTINUE TO USE THIS, UM, WHEN YOU'RE PUSHING OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN, UM, AND THE BASELINE AIR QUALITY DATA AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
OR IF THERE IS AN AIR QUALITY PLAN THAT COMES OUT, JUST, I, I THINK THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY LOOKING, BUT TO CONTINUE TO USE THIS FOR THE UPDATES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEAH, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY LOOKING.
UM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UH, YOU MADE REFERENCE, UM, DURING, UH, COMMISSIONER SHEERA'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE EXPANSION EA THE, THE AIRPORT EXPANSION EA YES.
YOU WOULDN'T MIND, OR ELIZABETH, IF YOU COULD TAKE POINT, JUST GETTING, GETTING A COPY OF THAT AND THEN DISSEMINATING IT TO THE COMMISSION SO WE, SO WE COULD SEE THAT AND JUST HAVE IT ON FILE RATHER THAN US ALL INDEPENDENTLY TRYING TO HUNT IT DOWN.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO HOW FREQUENT ARE THESE? IT SEEMS LIKE THE FILLING EVENTS OR, OR KIND OF THE, THE HIGHEST RISK OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR A DISCHARGE.
HOW, HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? IS THAT ONCE A DAY? IS THAT ONCE A WEEK? IS THAT ONCE AN HOUR? OH, YES.
UM, NO, ON THE END OF YOUR COMMENTS THERE.
SO, UM, TODAY ALL THE FUEL IS, UH, TRUCKED TO OUR AIRPORT.
SO, UM, THE AIRPORT IS VERY BUSY, AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF TRUCKS, SO, OKAY.
SO, SO NIGHTTIME, NO, MOST LIKELY MOSTLY DAY OPERATIONS, BUT, BUT YES.
UM, THAT'S WHEN, AND THE CALCULATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO PROVE UP WITH THE, WITH THE MONITORING ARE STILL VERY LOW ON, ON THE AMOUNT THAT'S PASSING THROUGH DUE TO THIS PARTICULAR COMPOUND, NOT BEING VERY VOLATILE.
UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT GROUNDWATER AT A DEPTH, I'M, I'M IN MY NOTES HERE.
I'VE GOT 25 TO 40 FEET, BUT PRETTY SHALLOW ISH KIND OF IN CONTEXT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THE, THE TANK STATION AND THE PIPING TO THE OTHER FACILITY ARE ALL DESIGNED IN A WAY TO WHERE THEY'RE NOT GETTING DOWN AND INTERACTING WITH GROUNDWATER.
UM, MOSTLY THE, THE TRANSFER LINES ABOVE GROUNDWATER, WE DIDN'T HEAR THAT, BUT WE DID SEE SOME GROUNDWATER ON SOME OF THE DEEP EX EXCAVATIONS.
SO, SO, I MEAN, TO BE HONEST, YEAH.
THERE'S, THERE'S LITTLE PERCH ZONES THAT CAN HOLD GROUNDWATER, AND THAT'S WHAT, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S THE SOURCE OF THE WATER FOR THE WETLAND.
[01:20:01]
FOR THE ADJACENT ONE.SO, NO, WE DID, THERE IS SHALLOW GROUNDWATER PERCH ZONES AT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
YOU VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE BRIEFING.
HEY, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND CHAT WITH YOU GUYS.
I HOPE, I HOPE, HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF YOU'D REPORT BACK ON THAT AND, UH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO FEEL, UM, SECURE IN THAT SOMEBODY COULDN'T EASILY TARGET AND, YOU KNOW, BLOW UP A, I, I HATE TO EVEN SAY IT, BUT YEAH.
I MEAN, THESE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE TIMES WE LIVE IN.
SETH ELIZABETH, DO YOU HAVE THOSE NOTES OR AM I, I NEED TO E ELIZABETH CAN GET THOSE NOTES TOO.
YEAH, YOU CAN BRING MY, UM, AND I, I HAVE ONE MORE TINY MINUTIAE THING JUST AS REGARDING THE WEBSITE.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATES JUST KIND OF BURIED.
SO IT WAS HARD TO FIND THE MUD UPDATES.
IT'D BE NICE JUST TO HAVE THAT CLOSED LOOP.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST A BUTTON SOMEWHERE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE NAVIGABLE.
SO YOU'RE NOT, WE WOULD, FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOLKS, WE, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE HIGHER UP OFTEN
I JUST WANTED TO THANK WATERSHED STAFF ALSO FOR WORKING ON THE MUD RELEASE.
UM, WE TRIED TO, WE TRIED TO, WE DIDN'T MAYBE DO AS GOOD A JOB AS WE COULD WITH OUR DEVELOPER, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR WORKING WITH US.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER WITH REGARD TO ALL OF THIS.
AND, UH, ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED.
UH, THIS IS A STAFF BRIEFING, SO NO ACTION CAN HAPPEN OKAY.
BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION, WE CAN BRING IT UP AT THE END OF THE MEETING AT THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IF SOMEONE SECONDS IT, I CAN PUT IT ON THE MAY 3RD FOR JUST TO GO OVER.
AND IF YOU GET ME THE, UM, RESOLUTION THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE, I CAN UPLOAD THAT AS BACKUP SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT.
AND WE'LL PRETTY QUICKLY GET TO THE, DO I NEED TO GET IT TO YOU NOW? NO, YOU CAN, BUT NO, LIKE, OKAY.
AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, LIZ EARLIER, AND I WAS GOING TO DEFER TO HER INFINITE WISDOM AND, UH, GRACE ON HOW TO HANDLE ALL THIS.
AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN SHE GOT UP AND LEFT
WHATEVER IS THEN, THEN WHAT I'LL DO IS, UH, PROBABLY TOMORROW I WILL, THERE YOU GO.
WELL, BUT IN, IN THIS CONTEXT, AT THE END OF THE MEETING, DURING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, YOU NEED TO RAISE THAT AS A, AS AN ITEM FOR US TO DISCUSS ON A FUTURE MEETING, RIGHT? YEP.
[4. Election of Environmental Commission Officers for May 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024 term]
MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ITEMS FOR NUMBER FOUR, ELECTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OFFICERS FROM MAY OF 23 TO APRIL 30, 24.THIS IS WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS.
UM, UM, DO WE JUST GO THROUGH THESE IN ORDER? HOW DO WE DO THIS, ELIZABETH? UH, KIND OF HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU GUYS.
UH, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A MOTION TO JUST KEEP THE SAME OFFICERS.
IF NOT, THEN YES, YOU WOULD GO WITH ONE AT A TIME.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND SEE WHAT YOU GUYS THINK.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE KEEP THE CURRENT OFFICERS SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE CURRENT OFFICERS, WHICH I'LL LIST THROUGH ARE, UH, BRISTOL SECRETARY PERRY.
UH, BEDFORD IS VICE AND ME AS CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
[5. Discuss committee membership]
MEMBERSHIPS NUMBER FIVE.SO ELIZABETH, YOU DISSEMINATED THE COMMITTEE STUFF.
UM, NEWER, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME OPENINGS.
BUT, UM, I CAN TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
YEAH, SO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS A COUNCIL SORT OF COMMITTEE, SO WHOEVER IS NOMINATED FOR THAT, I WILL THEN SEND THAT NAME TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
[01:25:01]
THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MEETING, THEY WILL TAKE THAT ON THAT AS THE FIRST NOTE.UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATER BRUNCH, UM, KIND OF TAKES UP ALL THE AREA ROUND LADY BIRD LIKE LAKES.
SO THE, UM, STATESMAN AND KIND OF CLOSE TO WHERE ONE OTC, ONE TEXAS CENTER IS.
UM, IT'S A PRETTY HIGH PROFILE SITE AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THINGS COMING UP RECENTLY, SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO BE PRETTY ACTIVE.
IT'S THE THIRD MONDAY AT THE PD AT THE LAST FEW MEETINGS.
I KNOW THEY HAVEN'T MADE QUORUM BECAUSE OF NEW PEOPLE COMING ON, SO IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO CAN GO AND ATTEND.
UM, AND THEN JUST TO FINISH UP, WE ALSO HAVE SOME SPOTS BOTH ON URBAN FORESTRY AND, UH, THE JOINT COMMITTEE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
NEITHER OF THOSE COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN SUPER ACTIVE, SO THE IDEA IS THAT THEY MEET QUARTERLY.
IF Y'ALL WANT TO JOIN AND HELP KIND OF REBOOT THAT, THAT'D BE COOL.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
UM, ALRIGHT, LET'S JUST KIND OF GO DOWN THE LIST HERE FROM THE PDF THAT ELIZABETH SENT OUT.
UM, WE HAVE A VACANCY ON URBAN FORESTRY.
WELL BEFORE THAT, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER BROMBERG, DO YOU STILL WANT TO MAINTAIN AS THE CHAIR ON THAT, UH, URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE? SURE.
DO WE NEED TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL PROCESS? OKAY.
YOU, YOU ARE GRANTED YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP.
I'M SUITABLY HONOR, UM, THERE'S A VACANCY IN THAT MEMBERSHIP.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO JUMP ON THERE WITH CHAIR BRIER, OR DOES ANYONE WANT TO JUMP OFF THAT SHIP? I THINK I'M, I'M ON THAT COMMITTEE AS LONG AS I'M REMAIN ON THE COMMISSION.
I GUESS I'M GONNA RAISE MY HAND.
YOU KNOW, YOUR HAND'S GONNA GET RAISED SLOWLY.
IT'S GONNA GET RAISED FOR YOU AT SOME, LIKE A LITTLE BIT.
SO SHERA GETS THE TOP SEAT THERE.
MAKE SURE HER NAME GOES UP TOP CUZ THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, ALRIGHT, THAT ONE'S FULL UP.
UH, JOINT ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS BOARD, EVERYBODY ON THERE WANT TO STAY AND ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO JUMP ON THERE WITH THEM? DON'T EVERYBODY JUMP UP AT ONCE.
UH, ARE THESE THINGS THAT WE CAN SORT OF LEARN MORE ABOUT AND THEN JOIN IN THE FUTURE IF WE, UM, OR IS IT JUST COME UP THE, THE, THE BOAT'S GOING BY RIGHT NOW, SO, UM, MAYBE ELIZABETH, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF, AND NO, NO PRESSURE TO, TO JOIN, DON'T, YOU'RE, YOU'RE FINE.
BUT CAN YOU MAYBE GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON, UM, I GUESS, UH, THE JOINT ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS BOARD KIND OF ITS FUNCTION AND WE KNOW IT MEETS QUARTERLY.
UH, IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T MEET QUARTERLY, IT'S JUST KIND OF AS NEEDED.
UM, AND SO THE LIAISON FOR THAT IS THE PARKS BOARD LIAISON.
SO IF YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH THE PARKS BOARD, YOU COULD REACH OUT TO HIM AND KIND OF SET THAT UP.
UM, THEY'VE MET AT DIFFERENT PLACES.
IT'S NOT CONSISTENT CAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE WITH COVID AND EVERYTHING.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE SINCE IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN VERY ACTIVE.
UM, KAYLA CHAMPLIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN REAL QUICK BECAUSE FOR THE PARKS BOARD, JOINT PARKS BOARD, UM, THAT ACTUALLY HAS A MORE SPECIFIC PURVIEW THAT'S RELATED TO, UH, THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL AND THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL MASTER PLAN.
SO USUALLY WHEN THAT COMMITTEE IS CALLED IN FOR A MEETING, IT'S RELATED TO SOME WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN OR AROUND BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
UM, SO, SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL A HEADS UP ABOUT THAT ONE CUZ THEY, THAT THAT IS KIND OF THE, THE FOCUS OF THOSE MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY.
UM, AND THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THAT JOINT COMMITTEE SO THEY DON'T MEET ON A, ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS UNLESS SOME ISSUE COMES UP.
AND THEN THERE MAY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, A SEVERAL MEETINGS THAT COULD POP UP DURING A, A PERIOD OF TIME.
I SORT HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT CUZ I BELIEVE I'M ON THAT YES MA'AM COMMITTEE, BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, I HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVISED OF A MEETING.
SO WHEN YOU SAY OCCASIONALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT YES, IT IS OCCASIONAL VERY SPECIAL OCCASION.
YOU GIVE FULL CREDIT FOR THOSE TWO YEARS
[01:30:01]
OF SERVICE.UM, BUT YEAH, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S ANYTHING'S COME UP YET.
THIS IS HOW PEOPLE END UP ON LIKE A BILLION COMMISSIONS IS LIKE, NONE OF THEM EVER MEET.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO JUMP ON THIS SHIP THAT SOMETIMES MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS?
ALL RIGHT, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GO ON THAT ONE.
HAVING, HAVING HEARD NONE, I'LL FILL THE VACANCY.
UM, WELL, THAT MEANS I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO GET ON SOUTH CENTRAL.
SO, UM, THIS IS A TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT AND THEY WILL MEET MORE THAN ONCE DURING THOSE TWO YEARS.
UM, COMMISSIONER AGUIRE WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE BEFORE AND SHE WOULD REPORT BACK PRETTY WELL.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO,
WE WAIT THIRD, THIRD MEETINGS USUALLY WHEN WE NIGHT.
UM, I LIKE HOW COM COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN EXPECTED THERE TO BE SOME KIND OF PROCESS.
IS THAT EVERYBODY? ARE WE GOOD, ELIZABETH? OKAY.
[6. Approve an amendment to Part 81 of Ordinance 20131017-046, also known as the Watershed Protection Ordinance (WPO), clarifying that the Riparian Zone Mitigation Fund (RZMF) may be used for restoration]
NUMBER SIX.UM, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO PART FIFTH, PART 81 OF ORDINANCE 20 13 0 1 17,046, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
CLARIFYING THAT THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND MAY BE USED FOR RESTORATION.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION FROM ANNA.
HI, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I, THIS IS AN HONOR FOR ME.
I WANTED TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION.
COULD YOU TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, PLEASE? OH, YES, SORRY.
UH, LET ME SEE IF THIS IS WORKING.
CAN YOU SEE ME? OH, IT'S PROBABLY VERY DARK.
IS IT WORKING? OKAY, WONDERFUL.
UM, SO WE'RE PRESENTING HERE TO THE COMMISSION TODAY FOR, UM, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO MODIFYING THE LANGUAGE OF THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND.
AND, UH, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, THE MITIGATION, THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND WAS CREATED, UM, BECAUSE PROJECTS THAT ARE QUALIFYING, UH, TO THE PROJECTS THAT MODIFY, UH, THE FLOOD PLAINS DON'T OFTEN HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ONSITE MITIGATION TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS.
AND THE CREATION OF THE FUND ALLOWS PROJECTS TO PAY INTO THE FUND.
SO TO, TO MAKE UP FOR THAT, UH, INABILITY TO PROVIDE FULL ONSITE, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
THE ENABLING ORDINANCE, UM, EXPLICITLY GIVES THE ABILITY TO USE FOR STAFF TO USE THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE MITIGATOR MITIGATION LAND.
HOWEVER, UH, DUE TO RISING LAND COSTS, THE STAFF FINDS THAT A MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF THIS FUND, UH, COULD BE INCLUDING, UH, RESTORATION PROJECTS FOR MANY, IF NOT MOST CASES, FOR THE AREAS WHERE THESE PROJECTS ARE APPLICABLE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE DEGRADED CONDITION OF MOST FLOOD PLANES IN ESTRAVA COUNTY REALLY, UH, MAKE THE, CREATE THE NEED FOR PROVIDING RESTORATION TO IMPROVE FUNCTION AND MEET THE FULL, FULLY MEET THE INTENT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS.
AND, UM, SO WHAT PROTECTION STAFF, UH, WOULD LIKE CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND THE RELEVANT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY THAT THIS FUND SPECIFYING THAT THIS PUN CAN BE USED FOR FLOOD PLAYING RESTORATION PROJECTS? THAT'S A KIND OF, IN A NUTSHELL, UM, LET ME KNOW IF, OH, I'M SO SORRY.
I SHOULD BE SAYING NEXT SLIDE.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE?
LET ME SEE, BECAUSE I HAVE THE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF ME AND YEAH, COULD YOU PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
OH, NO, THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, I'M SO SORRY.
THE, WHICH PREVIOUS, WHICH, WHICH PDF PAGE ANNA, UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ON? I THINK THAT MIGHT MADE EASIER FOR HIM.
LET ME JUST GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT I AM SEEING THE, SO WE'RE IN BACKGROUND.
[01:35:02]
COULD YOU MOVE TO SLIDE THREE ACTUALLY IN THE PDF? THANK YOU.SO, UM, PART OF THE BACKGROUND TOO IS LIKE FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION CURRENTLY PROHIBITS, UH, THE, IT'S PROHIBITED WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
IT IS ALLOWED, UH, OUTSIDE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, WHICH IS, UH, ON, ON THEIR VERY SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO IN GENERAL, IT'S PROHIBITED, EXCEPT IF THAT FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION, UH, IT'S, UH, PROPOSED TO AD ADDRESS AN EXISTING HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITION.
IF THOSE FLOOD PLAINS ARE IN FAIR OR POOR CONDITION PER THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL, UM, SPECIFICATIONS, AND THE PROJECT SIGN DEMONSTRATES THERE, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FLOOD PLAIN, OH MY GOODNESS.
YOU'RE MOVING IT TO, TO, TO, YES.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION.
UH, THEY, THE, ANY FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION NEEDS TO BE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE EXISTING AND FULLY VEGETATED CONDITIONS.
IT NEEDS TO HAVE SOUND ENGINEERING AND ECOLOGICAL PRACTICES TO PREVENT, UH, THE DEGRADATION OF WATER QUALITY.
YOU NEED TO RESTORE FLOOD PLAIN HEALTH OR PROVIDE MITIGATION IF RESTORATION IS INVISIBLE.
AND, AND THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DRAINAGE CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ALL FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION, UH, PROJECTS NEED TO COMPLY WITH.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
SO REALLY, THE INTENT OF THE FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS ARE FOUR PIECES THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
LIKE ONE IS PRESERVING THE NATURAL AND TRADITIONAL CHARACTER OF THE LAND AND THE WATERWAY OF OUR FLOODPLAINS, UH, ENCOURAGE SOUND ENGINEERING AND ECOLOGICAL PRACTICES PREVENTING DE UH, THE DEGRADATION OF WATER QUALITY, ENCOURAGING THE STABILITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR FLOOD PLAINS AND THE WATERWAYS AND THE FUNCTION THEY PROVIDE AND RESTORING FLOOD PLAIN HEALTH TO SUPPORT NATURAL FUNCTIONS.
AND I HIGHLIGHTED THAT, I UNDERLINED THAT FOR A VERY IMPORTANT REASON THAT THAT'S AT THE NO, AT THE CRUX OF THESE, UH, REQUESTS THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, IF WE CAN MAKE TO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE PLEASE.
MAYBE THERE IS A LAG ON MY END.
SO THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE IN WHICH, UH, TO THE LEFT THERE IS COUNTRY CLUB CREEK TRAIL.
THERE'S A HIGHLY ERODED, HIGHLY DEGRADED WATERWAY THAT IT'S UNSTABLE AND IT'S DEGRADING RAPIDLY, IT'S UN UNRAVELING.
AND, UH, THE, THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT IS AN EXAMPLE IS NOT ON THAT SAME PROJECT, BUT IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A PROJECT WOULD MODIFY THE FLOODPLAIN, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT WILL HELP RESTORE WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE DEGRADATED CHANNEL.
SO, JUST AN EXAMPLE OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE, UH, SEEN THE LIGHT.
IF WE COULD MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, AND THIS IS JUST THE POORLY POOR DEFINITION IMAGE, BUT THIS IS THE CURRENT LANGUAGE THAT CREATED THE, THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND.
IF WE COULD MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE SO I CAN HIGHLIGHT THE, THE PIECE THAT I WANT THE COMMISSION TO FOCUS ON, PLEASE.
SO, RIGHT NOW, THE, THE, THE FUND IS ESTABLISHED AND IT IS SPECIFIES THAT, UH, IT IS USED FOR THE PURCHASE OR RESTRICTIONS OR FEE, UH, OR FEE TITLE OF PROPERTY WITHIN THE SAME WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION AS THE PROPOSED FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION.
AND WHAT WE ARE ASKING THE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE AS A, FOR, FOR A RECOMMENDATION IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THANK YOU.
IS TO CLARIFY THAT THAT FUNCTION OR THAT USE OF THE FUND REMAINS IN PLACE.
BUT IN ADDITION, UH, TO CLARIFY THAT IT IS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AS WELL OF PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS TO RESTORE OR PROTECT FLOOD PLAIN HEALTH, AS I MENTIONED, UH, IN, IN, IN THE BEGINNING, IN THE BACKGROUND, THE MOST OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ON FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION ARE IN EASTERN WATERSHEDS IN, IN, UM, URBAN AND SUBURBAN IN, IN THE EASTERN
[01:40:01]
WATERSHEDS, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE SEEING MOST OF THE DEVELOPABLE LAND AND DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE AND THOSE FLOOD PLAINS ACQUIRING LAND TO JUST PROTECT THOSE FLOOD PLAINS.IT'S, UH, WE, WE WOULD BE, UH, ACQUIRING DEGRADED FOR THE MOST PART, DEGRADED FLOOD PLAINS.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE THE CLARIFICATION TO FULLY MEET THE INTENT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT, UM, IT IS ALSO SPECIFIED FOR RESTORATION.
IF WE COULD MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE NEXT ONE IS THIS SLIDE 10, OR DO YOU WANT ME YES, YES.
UH, SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? UH, THE, IT'S REALLY, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO ADD TO THE LANGUAGE, AND WE FEEL THAT THIS PROPOSED MODIFICATION AND THE LANGUAGE ADDRESSES THAT IT MEETS, IT HELPS CLARIFY THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS IN KODA AND CRITERIA.
SO AS, AS WE WERE DESCRIBING, FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS EXPAND QUITE A BIT ON THE NEED OF PROTECTING AND ENHANCING FLOOD PLAINS UNDER THE RE NEED FOR RESTORATION, ET CETERA.
YET THE LANGUAGE OF THE FUND DOESN'T, UH, EXPLICITLY STATES THAT.
AND WE FEEL THAT THAT CLARITY IS NEEDED AND IT REALLY, THAT CHANGE WOULD HELP EMPHASIZE ADDRESSING URGENT RESTORATION NEEDS, PARTICULARLY IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE WATERSHEDS, AS I MENTIONED, THEY ARE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGES THERE, MANY OF THOSE CREEKS ARE ACTIVELY ERODING.
THERE IS VERY LITTLE CANOPY PRESENT, UM, ALONG THE RIPARIAN AREAS.
AND THERE REALLY NEED, THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDRESSING THAT.
AND WE FEEL THAT THAT IN THAT CLARITY WILL HELP, UM, WITH THAT EFFORT.
IF WE COULD PLEASE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO THE REQUEST, UH, FOR, UH, FOR YOU ALL TODAY IS TO ISSUE RECOMMENDATION, TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE, UH, TO PROVIDE THE CLARITY AND MEET THE INTENT OF THE FLOOD PLAN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS IN CODE AND CRITERIA.
SO WE FEEL THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, IT WOULD HELP US A GREAT DEAL WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALIGNED, UH, IN LINE TO ADDRESS.
AND, AND I BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE I'LL BE, UH, HOPEFULLY PRESENTING ABOUT THE BLACK LINE PRAIRIE STUDY THAT WE DID.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL HAVEN'T NAILED DOWN THE DATE, BUT, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED IN ORDER FOR US TO MEET THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REPORT.
THE NEXT LIGHT IS JUST FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THE CREEKS, HOW THEY ARE
SORRY IF I LIKE WENT SAIL THROUGH VERY FAST.
THANK YOU, HONOR, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN AGAIN.
SHI YOU'RE ON THE, YOU'RE ON THE SEAT.
UH, IMPROVES THE EAST SIDE BLACKLAND PRAIRIES.
I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST, I HAVE A LAND TRUST BACKGROUND AND SO I HAVE THE LAND'S NOT GETTING ANY CHEAPER AND THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY MORE OF IT, UH, BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT.
SO IT CONCERNS ME IF WE ADD THIS IN AND IT'S AN OR THAT THEN WE WOULD NEVER, IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE CHEAPER TO RESTORE THAN TO PURCHASE.
OR I ASSUME WHEN YOU SAY PURCHASE OF RESTRICTIONS ON, IS THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S JUST MY ONLY CONCERN HERE.
UH, WE BE, THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
SO LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND.
UH, FLOOD PLAINS PER OUR, UH, CURRENT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, THERE HAVE A LOT OF RE RESTRICTIONS ON DEVELOPMENT AND THEY HAVE TO BE DEDICATED AS EASEMENTS.
SO USING THE MONEY TO ACQUIRE FLOOD PLAINS THAT WOULD, THAT ARE ANYWAY PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPMENT, SEEMS LIKE A, UH, NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE PATHWAY TO GO CUZ THIS IS FOR ACQUIRING LAND WITH FLOOD PLAINS.
SO THE, THE, THE WAY IT IS DESCRIBED RIGHT NOW, UM, WE, WE ARE WORKING ON CRITERIA OR LIKE A WORKING GROUP OR CRITERIA ON PRIORITIZATION OF WHERE THOSE, THOSE WILL BE, UH, ACQUIRE AND OR RESTORED.
UM, JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT PIECE THAT THE, THE ACQUISITION PIECE IN A, IN A KIND OF TANGENTIAL WAY, IT'S, EVEN THOUGH IT IS, IT IS STILL PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT IS SET ASIDE FROM DEVELOPMENT.
SO THOSE FLOOD PLAINS ARE PROTECTED FROM THAT ENCROACHMENT
[01:45:01]
AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR ACTIVELY USING THE FUNDING, UM, TO, TO, TO DO THE RESTORATION.THERE IS QUITE A, A BIT OF LIMITATIONS IN THAT.
SO DID WE BUY THESE PROPERTIES WITHOUT A PLAN TO RESTORE THEM OR FUNDING? WE
SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE CRITERIA AND CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO, TO ADD? YES.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN VERY SLOWLY ACCRUING FUNDING
SO YES, STILL PRETTY EARLY IN THAT PROCESS, BUT WE'RE COMING UP AGAINST THIS, UH, THIS WHAT WE FEEL IS A HURDLE IN, IN THE, THE CLARIFICATION THAT IS NEEDED SO STAFF FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD.
IS THE ISSUE MORE THAT YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE FUNDING RESTORATION OR THAT YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING PROPERTIES? UH, NO.
WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW, UH, EXIST.
SO THERE IS EXISTING PR, PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT, THAT CAN UNDERGO RESTORATION.
THE FUNDS ARE NOT NECESSARILY UNLOCKED FOR THAT.
AND, AND THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE, WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO DO RESTORATION, BUT THE FUNDING, THE, FROM THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FUND IS LIMITED, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, AREAS IN, UH, IN OUR, BUT IS NOW THE EJ AND THEY'RE BEING AN EXTENT, I, I DON'T PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DETAILS AND THAT MAYBE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THERE CAN HELP ME WITH, WITH SOME OF THOSE COMPLICATIONS.
I AM A PLANT BIOLOGY PERSON, SO I DON'T KNOW ALL THE COMPLEXITIES OF, UM, OF THE ACQUISITION.
BUT YEAH, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T ACQUIRED ANY, ANY PROPERTIES YET.
THAT'S KIND OF, AS I SAID, VERY EARLY AND THERE WILL BE A PLAN AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON, UH, TO EXECUTE THOSE FUNDS, BUT BEEN OCCURRING VERY, VERY SLOWLY.
SO I GUESS WILL THAT CRITERIA THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, AND YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY MORE INTO THIS AND, AND THE EXPERT HERE, I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THAT, DO YOU SEE THAT WE WOULD EVER PURCHASE OR DO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IF THIS IS ADDED? UH, POTENTIALLY YES.
IF THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES AND THERE, THERE ARE PIECES OF LAND THAT ADD, ADDING, ADDING THE, THE EASEMENT, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT GAIN BECAUSE THE CONDITION IS REALLY GOOD.
THOSE ARE RARE AND FOR, FOR A PART, SO I'M, WE WOULD NEED TO DO A PRETTY EXCESSIVE, AND THE LAND COSTS
BUT, BUT I, I DON'T HAVE A DIRECT ANSWER ON YES, WE HAVE A FEW IDENTIFIED, WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT WORK YET.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BRINER WELL, WHAT I, WHAT I'M INFERRING FROM COMMISSIONER COFER IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY TO SPECIFY A PREFERENCE FOR THE PURCHASE OR A RESTRICTIONS ON OVER, UM, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS. UM, SORRY, WAS THAT, WAS THAT A QUESTION? I'M JUST TRYING TO REPEAT WHAT I THINK I HEARD, UM, NOTING THAT YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO SORT OF WORDSMITH SO THAT IT SHOWS ONE, THE PREFERENCE FOR ONE OVER THE OTHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION WAS VERY GOOD.
UH, HOW IS THE FUND, I MEAN, HOW DOES THE MONEY IN THE FUND GATHER? WHAT, WHAT'S THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDING? YES.
SO DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSING AND GET APPROVED, A FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION, UH, THEY, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A, A ACREAGE OF RESTORATION.
UH, SHOULD THEY BE UNABLE TO COMPLETE ALL RESTORATION ON SITE, LET'S SAY THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THREE ACRES OF FLOOD PLAIN RESTORATION, AND THEY ONLY HAVE ONE ACRE OF A FLOOD PLAIN.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE A FLOOD PLAIN AREA TO RESTORE PER THE REQUIREMENTS.
THEN THEY CONTRIBUTE THE, UH, TO THE FUND, TO THE REPAIR ZONE MITIGATION FUND, THE EQUIVALENT COST.
AND THERE IS A TABLE THAT THAT ACCRUES, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT THAT CALCULATES HOW MUCH IT IS BASED ON THE ACREAGE, UH, THAT IS NEEDED AND BASED ON THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE FLOODLINE.
SO THE FLOODLINE IS IN FAIR CONDITION, THEY WILL HAVE TO DO A MULTIPLIER DIFFERENT THAN IF THE CURRENT, UH, FLOOD PLANE IS IN POOR CONDITION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, WELL, THE REASON I ASK JUST A LOT OF YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:50:01]
UH, THE CLARIFICATION, THE REASON I ASK IS THIS, THAT, UH, ONE OF THE BUILT BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE NOW IS, UH, GONNA CAP THE, WELL, IT'S GONNA KILL THE ABILITY OF THE, UH, CITIES TO CAPTURE MONEY AS PART OF DEVELOPMENT FOR FUNDING PARKS AND MM-HMM.AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW THE DETAILS.
I JUST TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WILL THE ABILITY TO, TO PUT MONEY IN THIS FUND BE IMPACTED GOING FORWARD BY THIS BILL OR SIMILAR BILLS GOING, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD? AND IT MAY NOT IMPACT THE WAY WE VOTE ON THIS THING HERE, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THIS.
DOES ANYONE KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT? I CAN, UH, NO, THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, BUT YEAH,
I HAVEN'T, UM, FORMALLY, UH, ANALYZED THAT PARTICULAR BILL THAT'S MORE IN THE PARK'S DEPARTMENT, UH, REALM.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UM, SO A SITE COMES IN, UM, THEY, THERE'S A, THAT OPTION TO, UH, TO DEDICATE, UH, LAND ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT TO HELP, UH, COMPLETE A TRAIL.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS BILL WOULD PREVENT, UM, CITIES FROM REQUIRING THAT LAND DEDICATION AND WOULD THEN FORCE, UM, CITIES TO ACCEPT A FEE INSTEAD OF THAT.
UM, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE A NEXUS WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UM, UH, FUND BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, THIS WOULD BE, UH, OPEN SPACE, UH, YOU KNOW, LAND THAT IS PROTECTED BUT ISN'T NECESSARILY PARKLAND.
BUT EVEN IF IT WERE PARKLAND, THAT WOULDN'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE BILL AT ALL.
WE WOULD STILL, THIS IS A, IT'S A DIFFERENT, IT'S A DIFFERENT FUND.
IT'S FOR RIPARIAN MITIGATION FUND, NOT PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UH, NOW ALSO SAYS, UH, WITHIN CITY OF AUSTIN'S JURISDICTION, AND I HEARD SOMEONE, UH, THROUGHOUT E T J, SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THIS WILL BE LAND THAT IS IN THE E T J AND CITY LIMITS? UH, POTENTIALLY, CURRENTLY, YES.
UH,
THAT IS WHERE THE CITIZENS ARE GONNA UP AND LEAVE THE CITY AFTER WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRING THEIR FLOODPLAIN.
I'M IN FAVOR OF LETTING THEM PAY FOR A LITTLE FLOODPLAIN, IF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE, THAT BECOMES THEIR PROBLEM, NOT MINE.
UH, I MEAN, IT'S ALL EVERYONE'S PROBLEM, BUT, YOU KNOW,
AND I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OR THE DOWNSTREAM, NO PENINGTON DOWNSTREAM CONSEQUENCES OF THE LEGISLATION ARE BEING ACTIVELY EXAMINED.
AND OF COURSE, THAT, THAT, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION FOR ANY, ANY ENACTMENT OF A PROJECT OR EXPENDITURE.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET, SO WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY DECISIONS REGARDED THAT THAT'S OKAY.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT, UH, A PROCESS TO REVIEW THAT.
YOU SAID YOU HAVEN'T PURCHASED PROPERTY YET, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
IS THERE A PUBLIC PROCESS FOR REVIEWING, UH, PROPOSALS FOR PURCHASING, OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA, IF, IF THE MONEY IS ALLOWED TO BE REDEDICATED OR REDIRECTED TO, UH, REPAIRING A, YOU KNOW, REPAIRING A, UH, PARTICULAR REPAIR AREA, IS THERE A PROCESS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE INPUT TO THIS WHOLE THING? PRIORITIES? WE DON'T HAVE A PROCESS NOW IN YET.
AND, AND WE WILL NEED TO WORK ON, ON WITHIN, IN THE WORKING GROUP INTERNALLY.
AND, AND I'M ASSUMING PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S PART OF THE, PART OF THE PROCESS.
I, I CAN'T ELABORATE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A DETAILED PROCESS YET IN PLACE.
I, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A PUBLIC PROCESS, BUT WE WOULD BE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO BRING IT, UH, TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND PRESENT IT ONCE IT'S STAFF, ONCE WE HAVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, IF I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT I MEANT BY THIS, UH, OH, THERE'S A COM UH, COMMISSIONER COFER SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A CONFIRMATION, UH, CONSERVATION EASEMENT, AND I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR WHAT SHE WAS ASKING.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? I WAS JUST ASKING IF THEY WERE, IF THEY COULD USE THE FUNDS FOR, CUZ THE, THE WORDING IN THAT
[01:55:01]
PART 81 WAS FOR CAN FOR THE PURCHASE OF RESTRICTIONS ON OR FEE TITLE PROPERTY.SO I WAS ASKING IF THE RESTRICTIONS ON WAS IN, IN THE FORM OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
AND I GUESS MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THEN WOULD ALSO BE, IN THAT CASE, COULD YOU DO RESTORATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT HAS AN EASEMENT ON IT IF THIS WOULD WORK? SO COULD YOU REPEAT THAT ANSWER TO ME CUZ I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT I WAS MAKING NOTES AT THE TIME.
YES, THE PURCHASING OF RESTRICTIONS, IT IS, UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND WE DO THAT IN OTHER, IN OTHER, UH, THROUGH OTHER PROGRAMS, UH, THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LICENSURE, THAT THERE IS ACQUISITION OF PARCELS.
THERE IS ALSO THE ACQUISITION OF DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY, UH, DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS.
SO THE PROPERTY THAT EASEMENT DOESN'T GET DEVELOPED AND THAT'S WHAT GETS ACQUIRED.
IT REMAINS AS A, AS A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THE, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EASEMENTS, UH, IDENTIFIES CERTAIN, UH, MAINTENANCE AND, AND ACTIONABLE, UH, RIGHTS FOR THE, FOR THE EASEMENT HOLDER.
I, I DON'T KNOW THE LEGAL DETAILS OF THAT, SO WE WOULD NEED TO WORK ON, ON THE DETAILS FOR, FOR THAT.
SO I, I WOULD BE VERY HESITANT, I'M SORRY.
I WOULD BE VERY HESITANT TO ACQUIRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN A LAND THAT HAS HIGHLY DEGRADED FLOOD PLAINS BECAUSE THE, THE POINT OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS TO SET IT ASIDE FOR PROTECTION.
AND, AND SO IT WOULD BE A, WOULD BE A VERY, VERY COMPLICATED, UH, DECISION TO ACQUIRE A HIGHLY DEGRADED FLOOD PLAIN AS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT SEEMS TO GO AGAINST THE INTENT OF PRESERVING HIGH QUALITY LAND.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS GONNA REALLY BE THE INSTRUMENT THAT IS MEETING THE INTENT OF THESE PROVISIONS.
UM, SO WE'RE HEARING KIND OF A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, OR TRYING TO GET SOME INPUT ON THE PRIOR THE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S KIND OF STILL GETTING COOKED UP, BUT YEAH, IF, YEAH, IF, IF WHENEVER THAT KIND OF IS READY TO FOR REVIEW, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD REVIEW WE, WE COULD SEE IT AND KIND OF GIVE OUR 2 CENTS, UM, ON ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK PART OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, ARE THERE ACQUISITION OR, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION EASEMENT ACQUIRING THOSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S LIKELY NOT GONNA GET ANY CHEAPER EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO IT, AS CRAZY AS IT IS, IT'S PROBABLY LESS EXPENSIVE NOW THAN IT WILL BE IN 10 YEARS.
SO IF THOSE, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR PIECES IN A, IN A, IN A COG OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT DO COME UP, I THINK WE WOULD SEE THAT AS A PRIORITY.
UH, EVEN IF THOSE ARE DEGRADED, MAYBE IT'S PART OF A LARGER PROJECT OR PROGRAM WHERE THE CITY CAN GRAB AN EASEMENT ON A PROPERTY THAT CONNECTS SOMETHING UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM.
UM, JUST KIND OF, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE THEME OF WHAT I'M HEARING.
UM, BUT, UH, THE QUESTION I GUESS IF I'M WANDERING AROUND HERE IS, UH, WOULD YOU ENVISION THE, THE PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS WHERE THIS RESTORATION WORKS, IS THAT GONNA BE ON PUBLIC LAND? IS THAT, IS THAT ON CITY LAND OR IS THAT WHERE CITY ALREADY HAS AN EASEMENT OR WOULD IT, OR I GUESS THE, THE REAL QUESTION IS WOULD THAT OCCUR IN PLACES WHERE THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE AN EASEMENT OR CONTROL OF THE LAND? OH, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO, NO, NO, THAT'S A, AS AS, UH, HAS BEEN MENTIONED, UH, JUST INVESTING IN RESTORING SOMETHING FOR WHICH WE DON'T HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT, IT WOULD BE, YEAH.
I THINK, YEAH, RISKY TO SEE HOW LONG IT STICKS AROUND, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, YEAH, AND I, I WOULD SAY IF, UH, IF AND WHEN THE, THE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS OR THE PLAN OF THAT COMES, COMES TOGETHER, WE'D LIKE, WE'D, WE'D REALLY ENTERTAIN THE OP OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK ONCE THIS PROCESS KIND OF STARTS TO TAKE, HOLD IT BE, IT'D BE GREAT, YOU PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO COME AND PRESENT TO US EVERY YEAR, BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE US JUST AN UPDATE OF WHAT THAT MONEY'S BEEN USED FOR AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT IT DID, W WE GET SIMILAR KIND OF REPORTS ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WATERSHED DOES THAT, THAT I THINK HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO USE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANYBODY? UH, I DID HAVE A QUESTION THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE FUND NOW,
UM, UH, I ASKED JOHN AND HE LOOKED IT UP AND IT WAS 1.8 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
[02:00:02]
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF LANCEDO WE HAVE A, A MOTION, SIR? WE DO HAVE A MOTION.
UM, LET'S HOPE THAT I DO SECRETARY OF BRISTOL JUSTICE
AND WHEREAS THE INTENT OF THE CODE IS TO PROTECT AND OR RESTORE FLOODPLAIN HEALTH, AND WHEREAS THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND EXPLICITLY MENTIONS A PROTECTION MECHANISM THROUGH A, THROUGH ACQUISITION OF LAND, THROUGH DIRECT PURCHASE OR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE CURRENT CODE FAILS TO EXPLICITLY MENTION ITS USE TO HELP FIND ACTIVE RESTORATION PROJECTS FOR CURRENTLY DEGRADED FLOODPLAINS AND DOESN'T PROVIDE CLARITY IN THE USE OF THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND AS AN INSTRUMENT SUPPORTING THE INTENT OF THE FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS IN CODE AND CRITERIA, AND DOES NOT CLARIFY ITS USE FOR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS TO RESTORE FLOODPLAIN HEALTH BY INCLUDING IT EXPLICITLY IN THE DESCRIPTION OF ITS APPLICATIONS.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVING THE AMENDMENT TO PART 81 OF ORDINANCE 2 1 3 1 0 17 DASH 46, ALSO KNOWN AS A WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED BY STAFF AT IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION VERY WELL READ.
UM, SO JUST A, A A DUMB QUESTION.
DO WE ONLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CODE OR DO WE ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CRITERIA MANUALS? UM, WHAT'S BEFORE US, RIGHT? GO AHEAD, LIZ.
SO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IS A PUBLICLY ADOPTED PROCESS THAT GOES THROUGH AND HAS TO BE, UM, APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO IT GOES THROUGH THE NORMAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, THE CRITERIA MANUALS AS A SEPARATE PROCESS.
THERE'S INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, UM, STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, UM, MAKING COMMENTS ON CRITERIA MANUALS THAT WOULD GO, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED TO THAT.
THAT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A, A FORMAL WAY TO BRING IT THROUGH BOARD SHED PROCESS THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE IN A CRITERIA MANUAL.
IT WOULD BE, UH, UM, A PROCESS ADOPTED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS LESS FORMAL AND WE CAN BRING IT THROUGH HERE.
UM, IF YOU, UH, IF YOU WISH, AND THAT, THAT THAT PROCESS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT'S THE KIND OF THE PRIOR PRIORITIZATION PLAN? CORRECT.
YEAH, IN THAT CASE, UM, SHOULD THE AMENDMENT BE TO, UH, TO, UH, AGREE TO THE, UM, UM, INTENT OF THE, I, I'M JUST THINK, I'M JUST THINKING LEGALLY, UM, TO AGREE TO THE INTENT OF THE, UH, OF THE PLAN PRESENTED.
UM, SINCE, UM, ONCE, IF WE RECOMMEND THAT TO CITY COUNCIL, SIMILARLY, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY WOULD, UM, IF THEY ADOPT IT, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD USE SOME LEGAL, LEGAL LANGUAGE THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, UH, DOING.
YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE COULD ADD A CONDITION TO, TO HAVE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, I REALLY WISH I HAD A BETTER WORD, BUT THE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS, UM, KIND OF BECOMES PREPARED THE, THAT IT'S PRESENTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR, FOR REVIEW.
UM, IF, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT, IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THAT CONDITION? DID YOU GET THAT BY CHANCE? UM, I'LL, OR I WILL JUST SAY THAT.
THE, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITION THAT THE PRIORITIZATION PLAN BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT, UM, UH, ONCE FINALIZED, ALL RIGHT.
IF NOBODY'S OPPOSED TO THAT ADDITION, THEN IT, THEN
[02:05:01]
IT GETS STUCK ON THERE.ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, MOTION AS PRESENTED WITH THE ADDITIONAL CONDITION? UH, RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE ALL BUT ONE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
WE'VE GOT ONE ABSTENTION PRIMER.
EVERYBODY ELSE VOTED FOR UM, ALRIGHT.
UH, JUST, UH, PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
SO THAT PASSED, CORRECT? THAT PASSED? YES.
YOU MAY HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN HERE IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
REPORTS.UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TIME TO REPORT OUT HERE.
UH, DO, DO ANY COMMITTEES HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT? UM, FLO, Y'ALLS, I WILL JUST SAY THAT, UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UM, A WORKING GROUP FOR, FOR MANY THINGS.
TRANSPORTATION'S A COOL ONE, SO EVERYONE WANTS TO JUMP ON THAT.
UH, I GOT STUCK WITH SUSTAINABLE BUILDING.
BUT, UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, ANYBODY WANTS TO JOIN, UH, I CONSTANTLY FEEL LIKE THE DUMBEST PERSON IN THAT MEETING, BUT THAT TENDS TO BE A PRETTY PREDOMINANT THEME OF MY, UH, BUDDING CIVIC CAREER.
SO, NOTHING TOO SURPRISING THERE.
UM, YEAH, WE HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING NEXT WEEK IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? YES, I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP THE, UH, IDEA OF HAVING RECOMMENDATION THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ESTABLISH A INFORMAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, UH, AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS COMMON INTEREST ITEMS. AND I WILL WORK TO GET SOME WORDING OVER TO ELIZABETH FOR HER TO PUT HER ON THE AGENDA NEXT TIME AROUND.SO WE NEED A SECOND IF ANYBODY'S IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
COMMISSIONER SCOTT, SECOND THAT, AND FOR CLARIFICATION, THAT'S A WORKING GROUP, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? SURE.
NO, NOT A, SO A WORKING GROUP WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE A FORMAL, UM, GROUP BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES THAT IS, COMES TOGETHER FOR A SHORT TIME TO TACKLE A PARTICULAR TASK.
SO IT'S NOTHING IMMEDIATE, BUT AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP, UM, AS, AS NEEDED.
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF WORKING GROUPS THOUGH, IS THEY CAN HAVE MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT CITIZEN MEMBERS ON THE OUTSIDE.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF A WORKING GROUP OVER, UM, A JOINT COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK THAT IF THERE, IF MORE, UM, MORE ISSUES ARE BROUGHT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN, AND THERE'S MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION, THEN THAT COULD FACILITATE THE FORMATION OF WORKING GROUPS, UM, AS NEEDED FOR CERTAIN, UM, ISSUES.
AND, AND, AND IF, TELL ME IF THIS IS WRONG, LIZ, BUT, UM, WORKING GROUPS ARE USUALLY MORE FOR A DISCRETE KIND OF ITEM OR INVESTIGATION, LIKE, HEY, THIS IS AN ELEMENT THAT WE WANT TO DIG INTO A LITTLE DEEPER.
WITH A MORE SPECIFIC, UM, FOCUS KIND OF BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION OR COMMISSIONS, I GUESS.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, REQUEST THAT, UM, I, UM, UH, MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, UM, ON, UH, THE, UH, ISSUE OF, UM, UH, HAZARD MITIGATION, UH, REGARDING, UH, THAT, UH, 2022, UH, FEMA, UH, HAZARD MITIGATION REPORT AND, UH, UM, HOW IT BREAKS DOWN
[02:10:01]
AND, AND IN PARTICULAR WITH REFERENCE TO TORNADOES, AND KIND OF GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.UM, AND WE CAN SHUT DOWN THE, UH, THE, UH, UM, UH, SORT OF INFORMAL, UM, WORKING GROUP THAT WE'VE HAD ON THAT AND GET THAT, UH, OUT OF THE WAY.
I, I KNOW IT'S A REAL POPULAR ONE WITH THE, UH, COMMISSION
AND, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO GET THAT, UH, FINALIZED IF IT WOULD, UH, IF, IF THERE'S ANY INTEREST, UH, UH, IN, IN DOING THAT.
SO THAT'S A PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT ELEMENT PRESENTATION.
ANYBODY HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER BRAMMER.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, UH, UH, SUGGESTED AND SECONDED BY BRAMER.
ANYTHING ELSE? I HAD ONE POSSIBLE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
SO I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT IN THE STREETS AND BY THE STREETS, FRANKLY.
I MEAN, REDDIT AND SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT, UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF LIKE THE BORDEN DAIRY, UH, FACILITY THAT'S UP OFF OF LIKE 180 3 AND EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW, THE COLORADO RIVER, UH, WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER GOTTEN A BRIEFING ON IT, BUT I SAW SOME STUFF ABOUT IT MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT STUFF THAT I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND TO KNOW ABOUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT WOULD BE COOL TO GET A BRIEFING ON IT.
I THINK, UH, I THINK IT'S PROXIMITY TO, UH, VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE REGIONS, UH, WOULD PROVE TO BE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, THIS IS, UH, LIZ JOHNSTON.
UM, SO THAT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS A ZONING CASE CURRENTLY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE IS A SITE PLAN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO IT'S GONE THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION MAYBE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS IF IT GOES NEXT TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT STANDARD ZONING CASES DON'T GET BROUGHT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BECAUSE THERE AREN'T, UM, THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY PLANS ASSOCIATED WITH ZONING BECAUSE THAT'S ONLY USE, UH, THE SITE PLAN ITSELF, UM, WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO, UH, THE MINIMUM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWERS.
UM, BUT TYPICALLY THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS UNLESS, UM, UNLESS THERE WAS SOME SORT OF A VARIANCE.
YEAH, CUZ I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING THAT.
IT'S NOT LIKE A PUT OR ANYTHING, SO TECHNICALLY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BEFORE US, WHICH, I MEAN, I TOTALLY GET, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE GOT WAVE A HAMMER AT SOMETHING.
I DID WANNA BRING IT UP THOUGH.
I ADJOURNED THE MEETING FOUR HOURS EARLIER THAN THEIR LAST ADJOURNMENT, SO IT REMAINS APRIL 19TH.
IF YOU FEEL THE NEED, WE CAN STAY LONGER.
I, THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WITH ME FOR ALL MY TIME.
THESE DREAMS ARE GOING TO LIVE IT UP.