ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Residents and businesses of Ormond Beach are expressing concern over a proposed fuel terminal being planned near their homes and places of commerce. The project, set to be run by the St. Petersburg-based Belvedere Terminals, would store almost 20 million gallons of various types of fuel.
The proposed terminal is located off of Hull Trail, which is just feet to the southwest of US-1. Dozens of businesses are a stone's throw away from the site, with many more homes within just a few miles. One business in particular, beverage distributor S.R. Perrott, took it upon themselves to express concerns to the state.
"Please accept this as an appeal letter against the proposed fuel terminal in Ormond Beach by Belvedere Terminals [...] that has recently been brought to our attention," the company said in a message to the Department of Environmental Protection. "This fuel terminal would be near our beverage and food distribution warehouse in addition to many residences, businesses, as well as an airport and sports complex that kids utilize every day!"
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection signed off on the terminal's permit on August 1st, opening up a one-month period for those who wish to appeal the project to do so. Community members like S.R. Perrott are hoping their concerns can help drive an economic upset to prevent a massive new development.
Furthermore, dozens of residents attended an Ormond Beach City Commission meeting on Tuesday to express their opposition to the commissioners. As it turns out, civic involvement moved the needle: the City Commission is filing its own appeal with the Department of Environmental Protection to try and halt the project. With the municipal body the terminal would reside in opposing it alongside its residents and business owners, the FDEP has an unusual amount of political cover in the event it were to revoke the permit.
Indeed, the parcel of land where the development would go directly borders the space occupied by S.R. Perrott, with many other businesses and amenities very close by. Beyond just the toxicity concerns that go along with the plant's fossil fuel infrastructure, S.R. Perrott and others are also worried the traffic that goes along with the plant will contribute to already-thick US-1 congestion.
The tallest tanks at the planned facility would be 40 feet tall, with others between 10 and 20 feet tall. 10.7 million gallons of gasoline will be able to be held, as well as over 4.6 million gallons of ethanol, 4.6 million gallons of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, and tens to hundreds of thousands of gallons of biodiesel, additives, and propane.
