2023-03 CUP, CDP, IS - Fuel Transfer Facility

San Diego Clean Fuels LLC is proposing to construct a rail-to-truck fuel transload facility on BNSF Railway-owned property in National City, California, located west of the 1800 block of Cleveland Avenue and north of W. 19th Street, near Civic Center Drive. The facility will include nine rail spurs and four truck loading spots to transfer biodiesel, renewable diesel, ethanol, and sustainable aviation fuel directly from rail cars to outgoing delivery trucks serving retailers within a 35-mile radius. Infrastructure will consist of concrete pump pads, piping and pumping systems, an additive storage enclosure, a secondary containment basin, site lighting, paving, and an office trailer housing a control center and driver check-in area, designed to handle up to 144 daily heavy-duty truck trips. All operations must comply with stringent environmental, safety, and regulatory standards, including 40 CFR 112.7 for spill prevention, Title 49 CFR and Title 13 CCR for hazardous materials transportation, NFPA 704 for chemical hazard labeling, and Coastal Act Section 30233 for wetland protection. The City of National City serves as the lead agency for permitting, having approved the project under a Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit with the Notice of Determination issued on September 15, 2025, and oversight responsibility vested in its Planning Department. Special contract requirements mandate the exclusive use of Tier 4 or cleaner diesel engines for off-road equipment, with all equipment under 19 kW required to be battery-powered. Heavy-duty trucks used during construction must be model year 2014 or later and meet CARB’s lowest optional NOx emission standard, while operational fleet vehicles under tenant leases must be zero-emission. Idling is restricted to no more than two minutes, and plastic-based erosion control materials are prohibited in favor of natural-fiber alternatives. All construction and operational equipment must use 100% biodiesel and vegetable-oil-based hydraulic fluids. A comprehensive Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan and Facility Response Plan are required under federal regulations, and archaeological and Native American cultural monitoring must occur throughout all ground-disturbing activities. The project is subject to continuous mitigation monitoring and reporting under a plan administered by the City of National City, with inspections focused on compliance with environmental protocols, leak testing efficiency standards, and local municipal codes. No formal FAR clauses or detailed pricing data are included in the documentation; the contract is structured around