Eugene City Council is considering a moratorium on the construction of new gas stations within the city. As the sale of electric vehicles in Oregon rises, the need for new gas stations will decrease to the point that many will likely be unprofitable by 2035. A new report from Beyond Toxics details the harms of petroleum contamination, as, in the near term, gas stations are abandoned and underground storage tanks left behind.

At least six new gas stations have been built in the Eugene city limits recently. Yet, the Beyond Toxics report demonstrates nearly every resident in the Eugene Urban Growth Boundary has access to at least one gas station within a five-minute drive of their home.

Gas stations pose a threat to public health and safety via airborne and underground pollutants and risk of explosion. Additionally, decommissioned gas stations result in high cleanup costs and potential property damage to nearby businesses.

“It is counterproductive for the City of Eugene to allow the construction of more gas stations,” Lin Woodrich, Active Bethel Community Co-Chair said during a city council meeting. “Additional gas stations are unnecessary and compromise nearby residential air quality. We ask you to ban new gas stations and the expansion of existing gas stations and make it easier to transition to electric vehicles and charging stations.”

Beyond Toxics will hold a virtual press conference on Tuesday, October 17 at 11:00 a.m. to discuss the findings of this report and recommendations for new city policy.

Link to the scheduled Zoom conference:
https://beyondtoxics-org.zoom.us/j/88117733505?pwd=oOHpsv3qEGga0W2tr2cwzZyjwiKvaG.1
password: gasreport

More information:
https://www.beyondtoxics.org/work/climate-justice/building-a-fossil-free-future/gas-station-moratorium/