Justice for Trainsong

SUCCESS! ...but we're not done yet!

Thanks to your incredible support and persistent pressure, the City of Eugene has withdrawn the zoning decision for the Trainsong biofuel transfer station! This is a huge win for our community and proof that when we raise our voices together, the City listens. While the fight isn't over yet, this victory shows we’re on the path to protecting Trainsong from this hazardous project.

URGENT! ACTION ALERT!

We must continue to Stand Up to stop the USD fuel transfer facility in Trainsong!

The good news is the City of Eugene listened to YOUR community advocacy and took the right step to withdraw its approval of the zoning verification for the proposed biofuel transfer station! This is a major victory for the community’s right to be consulted and involved before large polluting corporations get approval to build a facility in our community!

Where are we Now?
The City has until January 16th to make their final decision about whether to re-approve, modify or reject their original decision to greenlight this fuel transfer project. Now is the time City officials and staff need to hear from all of us that the final outcome must be a rejection of this dangerous proposal.

We must not let a Texas-based fossil fuel conglomerate take advantage of our vulnerable neighborhoods. Despite selling their biofuels projects as green and sustainable, the history of the USD Group is moving crude oil, tar sands and bitumen from Canada to U.S. ports.

NEXT STEP:

We need YOU to keep raising the issue to the City Council. Contact your city councilor and urge them to protect Trainsong and River Road neighbors from further pollution and safety risks. Raise your voice, flood their inboxes, and make it clear the City must reject USD’s application to build a massive facility in Eugene!

Here's how you can take action:

Email your own City Councilor, and cc mayorcouncilandcitymanager@eugene-or.gov, and ask for their prompt attention and action on this issue. Use our messaging below to help craft your email.

>>Find out what Eugene ward I'm in

NOTE: When communicating with the Mayor and City Councilors, please be polite and include your ward number or address in your communication.

Here's our letter to City Council:

Feel free to use this letter to craft your own message and adjust as you see fit.

Dear Councilor (enter name),

I am ___ [introduce your relationship to this issue, e.g., Beyond Toxics member/resident/concerned citizen]. The issues that most concern me are ___.

I ask you to consider the impacts and risks associated with the USD Clean Fuels transloading facility proposed to be located at 799 Bethel Drive. The inevitable harms of the facility, including traffic safety, noise, and hazardous material exposures, will bring further inequities to our community. The City should be unwilling to permit further impacts, potential illness, and stress in a neighborhood that has been historically overburdened by industry and excluded from meaningful public participation.

With the City’s withdrawal of Zoning Verification, Eugene residents feel a tremendous sense of urgency to ensure City staff take into consideration community concerns. In your reconsideration of the decision, please consider whether the facility is consistent with Eugene’s land use code and City’s guiding values, as well as protective of the public health and safety for community members living in nearby neighborhoods.

The facility, as currently planned, will be located on railroad property directly adjacent to the Trainsong neighborhood. Trainsong, along with much of West Eugene, is a Justice40 community, meaning that it is recognized by the federal government as a disadvantaged community based on environmental burdens (e.g., exposure to legacy pollution) and socioeconomic indicators (i.e., low-income). Community members still face many unknowns about the facility, including the content of hazardous materials in these biofuels, including renewable jet fuels and renewable diesel, biodiesel and denatured alcohol, the risk of spills, explosions and fires, the impact on traffic safety, pedestrian safety, and congestion in residential areas, and the air quality harms of trucks idling and air toxics leakage from fuel transfer operations.

The City should consider the fact that a number of streets in Trainsong are dead-end streets, with Bethel Drive as both the only escape route and the likely source of fire or hazardous vapors. In addition to the fact that the fire station, public works, and other emergency infrastructure is located within a mile of the facility’s location exposes the City to significant risks.

I also urge the City to remember its recent commitments towards furthering environmental justice in Trainsong and other West Eugene neighborhoods, and consider whether the transloading facility is consistent with those commitments. Thank you for your time and attention to this issue.

(Signature)

[Date]

Background
The proposed USDCF LLC fuel depot would be located in the Trainsong neighborhood 40 to 70 feet from nearby homes. (See map below) USDCF states that 40 fuel tanker trucks will follow the route along Bethel Drive (purple dotted line) and plans for 70% of fueling operations to take place between 6 PM and 6 AM.

Overnight deliveries pose a substantial burden for both Trainsong and River Road neighborhoods from noise, vibrations, bright lights and diesel emissions from increased railcar coupling and diesel trucks idling. The City of Eugene has rubber-stamped this project without rules to protect residents from exposure to havardous air pollutants from increased heavy truck traffic and evaporating compounds.

Why are we concerned?
The Trainsong neighborhood has already been subjected to decades of industrial pollution, contaminated water, and toxic emissions from nearby industries. Now, this proposed industrial project seeks to introduce a biofuel terminal right in our community?! We demand better protections for Trainsong and River Road neighbors!