By Chris Roberts, Transportation Team Lead
In a stunning victory for environmental justice, the National City Council voted unanimously against allowing a biodiesel transfer depot to be located at the National City railyard. The depot, proposed by USDG Clean Fuels, a Texas-based energy company, would have been located ½ mile from Kimball Elementary School, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, and a number of homes and businesses. If the transfer depot had been approved, diesel trains would have delivered fuel to the depot, and 72 diesel tanker trucks would have driven through National City every day of the year to pick up fuel. West National City is already in the top 10% most polluted cities in California, and has highly elevated rates of severe asthma.
Opposition to this project was led by the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), which has been battling polluting industries like this in National City for decades. To raise public awareness, the EHC held rallies and marches to City Hall before the National City Planning Commission review on September 17, and before the City Council review meetings on October 7 and November 4. SanDiego350 was proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the EHC against this project. Members attending the protests included Chris, Rita, McGarrah and Youth4Climate members (see below) plus Phil Petrie (Raise the Alarm Team Lead) and members of Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice, also Angelica Soriano and Larry Emerson. Below are reflections from SD350 members who helped in this effort:
Chris Roberts, Transportation Team Lead
I learned of this project from an inewsource article in October 2024 (see also this excellent KPBS story). I sent the article to Rita, who lives in neighboring Chula Vista, and she immediately responded that SD350 should fight this project. I also contacted Franco Garcia, Executive Director of EHC, to tell him that SD350 would support his team, and that led Amy Castañeda, EHC Policy Co-Director of Land & Justice and lead organizer of the protests, to tell us that the project would be reviewed in September. I arrived early for the September 17 rally, and was lucky enough to be interviewed by Fox5. The rally and march to City Hall were truly moving events! I stayed several hours to make my public comment, then I had to bike and take the trolley to home, so I left before the final vote, and was thrilled to learn the next morning that the Planning Commission voted 4-1 in opposition! I had to miss the October 7 meeting, but was able to attend the rally prior to the November 4 City Council meeting, and again learned the next morning that the project was voted down unanimously! What a thrill to have helped our friends at EHC defeat USDG Clean Fuels!
Rita Clement, Transportation, Legislative, and Raise the Alarm (RTA) Teams
When Chris told me about this terrible project, I immediately remembered that, when we fought against a previous project by Mitsubishi, we had made fake gas-masks out of poster paper to wear at the protest, and that these would be perfect to highlight for everyone that the health effects from projects like this are deadly serious! We wore the old masks at the October City Council meeting, and the EHC loved them so much, they made dozens more masks, so that everyone could wear one at the November City Council meeting! All those gas masks made a very powerful statement! I was able to attend all three protests and provided public comments at each meeting. I’m so happy for the people of National City!
McGarrah Wilson, Youth Program Manager
My role in fighting against this project was to bring South Bay Youth4Climate members to the rallies and public meetings. Azul Bay, a senior at Sweetwater High School in National City, gave her first public speech at the Planning Commission meeting in September right after cross country practice! She spoke passionately about her love for National City and its residents’ rights to clean air. Ashley Ximena Ramirez and Frida Vergara also attended the protests (including leading cheers with the bullhorn!) and provided public comments. Having youth at these protests showed that young and old residents of South Bay care about their health and safety.
SanDiego350 is very proud to have helped defeat this project. It’s great to have won this battle, but the fight for environmental justice will continue. It’s likely that other companies will try to locate their polluting facilities in National City in the future, and when that happens, we will be there to support the EHC. When the air we breathe is under attack, what do we do? Stand up! Fight back!