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News -- First on LBReport.com
Permit Sought To Store 200,000 Gallons Of Jet Fuel Above-Ground @ LB Airport, Putting Four-50,000 Gallon Tanks West of Lakewood Blvd. Near Runway 25R
Introduction
(April 18, 2003) -- At the April 8th City Council meeting, a LB resident spoke during the period allowed for public comment on non-agendized issues. His statements, excerpted below, were public and made in full view of much of LB's traditional media.
Others may report this story now that we've done so...but LBReport.com -- the first LB media outlet to treat this story seriously -- intends to be the news outlet of record on this story, providing detailed coverage as events progress.
April 8 City Council meeting
Public comment on non-agendized items
Mr. Boyd: My name is Martin Boyd, I live in the 7th district. I was born and raised here in Long Beach and still live in the same house I was brought to from the hospital. I'm here tonight on a concern...I'm very concerned about airport safety. I was just told, just informed that the Million Air operation [at LB Airport] is in the process of getting permits for 200,000 gallon jet fuel tank farm above ground. This is a pretty dangerous thing in my mind...All of the FBO's [fixed base operations] at the airport have underground storage tanks with safety and with monitoring wells...The monitoring use we use in the city for all the gas stations, they work...
If you want to consider what 200,000 gallons will do in a blast area, let's look at buildings we got in the area. We have the new Com center [Emergency Communications and Operations Center] on Spring Street [at Redondo Ave.]. You have all of the Airport buildings. You got the Marriott Hotel. You got the Holiday Inn. You got all the residents that might be affected by a blast, whether they be all the way to Bellflower [Blvd.] or to Cherry, or north or south...I'm concerned. I think it needs to be looked into.
When I talked to the Press-Telegram, I left a voice mail, Mr. Sanchez [PT reporter, often covers airport issues] decided not to call me back, so I'm here tonight.
I want to thank you for your time, and I hope you'll look into it.
Mayor O'Neill:: Thank you very much, Mr. Boyd. I think that that's an interesting point that we need to be aware of. Thank you so much.
Initial Materials Re Proposal To Build Above-Ground Fuel Tanks
On April 11, 2003 LB Fire Chief Terry Harbor sent a memo to Deputy City Manager Christine Shippey indicating that an entity called the Long Beach Fuel Consortium is proposing to install four (4) 50,000 gallon above ground fuel tanks at LB Airport.
The memo said the tanks would contain flammable jet fuel and would be built "south of Taxi Lane K and west of the existing Eagle Aviation hanger [sic]. The tanks will contain jet fuel, which is a flammable liquid per the Uniform Fire Code."
LBReport.com marked photo | LBReport.com has prepared the unofficial photo (left) and others below to indicate approximate location. The above-ground tanks are proposed west of Lakewood Blvd. in the vicinity of Runway 25R (latitude roughly between Wardlow Rd. and Conant St.) Photo looks eastward across Lakewood Blvd. and Skylinks Golf Course. |
The City Hall memo indicates the Long Beach Fuel Consortium consists of Million Air and Air BP. This was separately confirmed to LBReport.com by Mr. Glenn Ray, President of Million Air.
The April 11 memo said plans for the project were submitted to City Hall's Fire Prevention Bureau on March 21, were reviewed and numerous fire code issues need to be addressed. The memo added, "Provided all Fire Code issues are addressed, there is no specific requirement that would prohibit the installation and operation of this use."
On April 17, an updated version of the April 11 memo (substantively similar but including six items LBFD will require before approving a permit) was provided by Airport management to the April 17 meeting of City Hall's appointed Airport Advisory Commission. We post the April 17 memo verbatim in pdf form. It can be viewed by clicking April 17 memo re permit for above ground fuel tanks.
LB Airport management and Million Air (via Mr. Ray) both provided LBReport.com with a narrative, prepared by Million Air, stating the firm's reasons for seeking a permit for above-ground fuel storage tanks. The narrative also includes the applicant's General Arrangement Site Plan. Both documents were also released by Airport management at the April 17 Airport Advisory Commission meeting.
In the public interest, LBReport.com posts both of these documents verbatim in pdf form:
| Unofficial photo (right) prepared by LBReport.com shows approximate area of proposed above ground tank site, perspective looking southward | 
LBReport.com marked photo |
LBReport.com marked photo | Unofficial photo (left) prepared by LBReport.com shows large perspective looking northeastward. Airport passenger terminal is at lower right. Site for proposed above ground tanks is on mid-left side of photo. Further are Skylinks Golf Course and (near photo top) residential neighborhood beginning at Clark Ave. |
Developing.
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