National City council upholds planning commission denial of USD Clean Fuels depot after hours of testimony

The National City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 4 to deny a proposed USD Clean Fuels transfer facility, upholding the Planning Commission's earlier denial after more than four hours of public testimony and extended council deliberation.

The council's decision came after staff and the applicant presented new mitigation conditions intended to reduce diesel combustion and PM2.5 emissions tied to the project. Those measures included a five-year schedule to achieve emissions reductions and offsets, a program to supply high-efficiency portable air filters to nearby residences, and a 10-year tree-planting commitment focused on the Portside community. Bill Fierking, representing USD Clean Fuels, told the council: "We were asked at the last hearing to really focus on...diesel combustion emissions associated with this project," and described the company's willingness to provide monitoring and programmatic steps aimed at reducing impacts.

Despite the added commitments, a large majority of speakers urged the council to reject the project. Claire Gubner of Olivewood and other community groups argued the facility would concentrate pollution near homes and schools, including Kimball Elementary, and that offsets and tree plantings would not adequately protect…