Many, like Onta Allen, are concerned with the 3,000 gallons of flammable gas in their schools and homes. Allen came to the meeting to find out what would happen if there was a gas leak or some type of explosion.
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"Accidents happen," Allen said. "I came expecting a plan for the neighborhood. Where do we go? What do we do? I live in fear now in my own home. I don't know what the price of fear is."
SEE ALSO: Residents call construction of propane storage facility 'recipe for disaster'
A spokesperson for CenterPoint advised anyone who saw an emergency or something of concern at the facility to contact 911 and that they would be working with the Houston Fire Department. If anyone saw a non-emergency issue, they were told to call CenterPoint.
A resident who owns a home near the facility said he was there to get peace of mind.
"A community where we thought we would be able to build in peace for the rest of our lives, and now, I have to look out my backdoor and see a storage tank, and I hear talk about, 'what if this blows up?' and by the time you get there, you may not even get there," he said during the meeting. "To me, this has been heartless the way this has been handled."
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According to CenterPoint, the facility is a propane-air peak shaving facility, which means it supplements gas supply during times of high demand so there is enough supply to keep natural gas flowing to customers during times of peak demand, such as the 2021 winter storm. The newest facility in southwest Houston has been operational since November and is the fifth one in the area.
Community members are frustrated they chose to do so in a neighborhood close to so many homes and schools without the public getting a say. Many voiced they wanted CenterPoint to join forces with other city leaders and departments to create an emergency plan in place. CenterPoint and a spokesperson from the city council said they would discuss this.
A spokesperson with CenterPoint would not answer questions from ABC13 after the meeting.
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