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Residents seek testing and NEPA review for Ormond Beach Municipal Airport work; staff says Brownfield excluded sports complex
Summary
Residents urged the commission to require environmental testing and a NEPA review tied to airport obstruction mitigation and material hauling; staff told the commission a Brownfield application excluded the sports complex and that permitting for the sports complex followed state agencies.
Residents raised concerns about potential contamination and the scope of environmental review for work at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport during public comment.
David Jewell told the commission the city’s EPA Brownfield grant application referenced the possibility of petroleum solvents and other toxic materials related to historical naval activity at the site and asked for documentation of testing before 100,000 cubic yards of material from a retention‑pond excavation are hauled offsite. “They stated that there was petroleum solvents, toxic materials,” Jewell said, and he asked staff to provide testing records.
Assistant City Manager Sean Finley responded that the Brownfield application excluded the sports complex area and that the sports-complex work was permitted through the appropriate agencies, including the St. Johns River Water Management District. “When Mr. Jewell came to the office, I shared with him that the application for that Brownfield excluded the area of the sports complex,” Finley said.
Separately, Marcia Blue asked why airport staff appear to be routing obstruction‑mitigation work through state or local funding instead of FAA grants, which would trigger a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. She cited an FAA email that stated NEPA would not be required if FAA funding was not involved, and said that without NEPA the community loses a public forum to raise concerns about tree removals and other impacts.
City staff did not announce new testing results at the meeting; they said they would follow up with residents. Commissioners asked staff to provide additional information on consumptive‑use permits, water-supply issues and other pending state bills affecting local water policy at a future workshop.
There was no formal action by the commission on environmental testing or a NEPA requirement during the meeting; public-commenters asked for more documentation and staff follow-up was requested.
