On December 31, 2021, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento recommending the City Council deny an application for a gas station, aka a fuel center, in Curtis Park.
Gas stations are major emitters of benzene, a potent carcinogen. Even though the applicant moved the planned location to be further from residences, exposure to benzene will harm the health of those who work there, and of those who frequent the area. Also, the gas station will emit volatile organic compounds, which lead to ozone. Based on our climate and topography, Sacramento’s potential for high ozone is the highest in the nation, and we are already in the “top 10” for unhealthy ozone levels.
