The national Sierra Club, EarthJustice, and many other organizations, submitted comments to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Maritime Administration (MARAD), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, that oppose the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and issuance of a Section 10/4040 permit for a huge, deepwater, offshore, crude oil terminal, pipelines, and onshore terminal (SPOT – Sea Port Oil Terminal) near Oyster Creek and Surfside Beach, Brazoria County.
The Houston Sierra Club was allowed, by national Sierra Club, to submit comments on the Section 10/404 permit application because of their local view and significance and because they were complementary with national Sierra Club’s comments. Sections 10/404 are parts of the Rivers and Harbors and Clean Water Acts that protect navigation, wetlands, waters of the U.S., and water quality from the effects of development.
The scale of SPOT is massive. Approval of SPOT would allow the construction and operation of a deepwater, offshore, crude oil terminal about 31 miles off the coast of Surfside Beach, Texas. This offshore terminal can dock two very large crude carriers (160,000 to 300,000 tons) at one time, 365 days/year, and handle 2 million barrels of oil transport/day (this is an over 60% capacity increase compared to today, for export of crude oil from the U.S.) via 140 miles of onshore/offshore 36-inch-diameter pipelines, construction of a new onshore terminal near Oyster Creek, and modification of a second onshore terminal near Pearland, Texas.
Some of the environmental impacts from SPOT include air (smog and benzene) and water pollution in nearby communities, oil spills in sensitive Texas ecosystems, our coastline, and Gulf of Mexico waters, destruction of wetlands, and excessive greenhouse gas air pollution that will push temperatures higher in the Houston area and change global climate.
The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is about 40 miles from the proposed offshore deepwater port terminal and pipelines from the proposal would go through the Reef Fish Stressed, Reef Fish Longline and Buoy Gear Restricted, and Texas Shrimp Closure Areas, all three of which are marine protected areas where commercial and recreational fishing are important to the local economy. An oil spill at this terminal would be devastating for our fisheries and ocean environment.
The companies that want this gigantic project are Enterprise Products Partners LP and Canadian Enbridge Inc., two huge midstream oil companies which transport, store, and wholesale market crude and refined petroleum products.
The Sierra Club and others have requested a public hearing, further opportunities for public comment, and additional Corps verified applicant information to ensure that it is complete and correct.
The Houston Sierra Club will keep you informed about this proposal as developments occur. For more information contact Brandt Mannchen at 281-570-7212 or brandt_mannchen@comcast.net.