Why this matters:
West National City is a state-designated “Portside Environmental Justice Neighborhood” slated for reduction of industrial emissions that have historically impacted the community.
National City Council voted Tuesday to reject a Texas-based company building a fuel transfer station in a neighborhood state regulators have recognized for having high asthma rates and designated for an emission reduction program.
The vote was unanimous.
In October, councilmembers asked USD Clean Fuels what additional steps it could take to make the proposed facility a “zero emissions” project. In response, the company proposed “a combination of optimizing truck, rail, and operations, as well as tree distributions” to reduce fine particulate diesel emissions over five years.
The proposed measures included planting 1,000 trees and distributing 100 air filters to residents living nearest the project site. Councilmembers agreed that the additional measures were not sufficient to address air quality impacts on public health, and that the project went against the city’s own goals to reduce pollution in West National City.
“Our city’s own policies say reduce pollution on the west side, not repackage it,” said Councilmember Luz Molina.
The USD Clean Fuels team left the meeting immediately following the decision, before inewsource could ask for comment. In a statement issued Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for USD Clean Fuels said they were thankful for the opportunity to present the project to the council and disappointed by its decision. They added they will follow state and local process in considering next steps.
National City residents opposing the project again filled council chambers and overflow rooms to voice opposition to the USD Clean Fuels project, proposed for a property just off 18th Street, west of Interstate 5. The site is within a half-mile of Kimball Elementary and St. Anthony of Padua Church, with residential housing in between.
USD Clean Fuels said it would use 72 trucks a day, operating mostly between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and that drivers would avoid residential areas, schools and churches. The company also said that the project would reduce overall truck use, contributing to California’s clean air goals.
National City Mayor Ron Morrison said the project would be beneficial in some ways, particularly in providing access to cleaner fuels during the transition toward alternative power sources. But he also weighed those benefits with impacts on the community.
“I don’t think National City should take on all the regional burdens for all the other cities,” Mayor Morrison said.
The company had promised to give the city $200,000 a year. Acting City Manager Steve Magnaniello said in the October meeting that to repair the one- mile stretch of road that trucks would be using would cost the city $1 million.
Dozens of community members, many returning and some new, voiced their opposition to the project and the company’s latest proposals to address the pollution, saying they already suffer from respiratory health issues due to diesel emissions from decades of portside industry.
According to California state data, National City has among the county’s highest children’s asthma hospitalization rates.
“The word offset to me is brainwashing,” said National City resident Patricia McGhee. “Will our air be cleaner? Will the ocean be cleaner? Will our streets be cleaner? No.”
The Environmental Health Coalition spearheaded efforts to block the project, gathering more than 1,000 signatures on its petition, and garnered support from nearly a dozen organizations including the National School Board, Sierra Club, San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center and SanDiego350, among others.
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre also sent a letter asking the city to deny the project.
Following the vote, councilmembers stepped down from the dais and were met with embraces from community members.
Amy Castañeda, the Environmental Health Coalition’s policy director, acknowledged the emotions in the room.
“Our community members have shed happy tears, and it’s a really great night where environmental justice won in this community.”
