Amid heavy backlash from community activists and individuals opposed to a jet fuel storage facility adjacent to Austin’s airport, the Austin City Council narrowly approves the plan to build the facility in East Austin. The site will include two 1.5-million gallon tanks to store Jet A fuel, which is said to pose significantly lower health or environmental risks to communities.
Austin’s airport says in a statement:
The Department of Aviation is grateful to the community and our surrounding neighbors for their willingness to engage with us and share their experiences. Understanding our community’s legacy of environmental injustice in East Austin is crucial to making equitable and sound decisions for today and the future.
We also recognize the importance of investing in community relationships and providing timely information to the public. We look forward to launching our Airport Green Team, which will guide our environmental stewardship through continued engagement with the community as we work to modernize the airport and build the infrastructure needed to support our growing city.
We remain committed to working together with our community, City Council, and airport business partners to achieve a world-class airport that is safe and environmentally sound for all.
