Lt. guv asked to help protect Chester’s waterfront
A N.Y. energy company is looking at the Chester waterfront, but nothing is yet definite
CHESTER >> A community advocate asked Lt. Gov. Mike Stack to protect city residents as industries related to the Marcellus and Utica Shales begin to develop in the region.
“I think that with Chester being prime property for natural gas and proposed operations of that type on the waterfront ... there has to be somebody from your level managing these developments and making sure that if these things are done in our community, that it’s done right and that the interests of the community are put first,” the Rev. Horace Strand of the Chester Environmental Partnership told the lieutenant governor Thursday.
Stack was giving an address at the Sustainable Energy Leadership Forum at Widener University. Strand brought his concerns during the Q-and-A portion of the event attended by elected officials, industry professionals and Widener students.
Strand warned, “There are those who are so bent on economic development that they have no sensitivity to the effect of the development on communities such as Chester.”
His concern stemmed from a proposal by New York-based Penn America Energy that he said would include a type of liquefied natural gas facility along Chester’s riverfront.
Formed in 2015, the company’s web site noted its officials have been looking for the past several years to build a LNG export facility along the Delaware River, with no specific site committed. An image of the Commodore Barry Bridge stretches across its homepage.
Information on the web site said the company’s top priority is “to plan, build and operate a facility that is safe, environmentally responsible and directly benefits the local community where we do business.”
It said the firm welcomes the years-long regulatory process of extensive federal, state and local review and community input – and that it views commitment to the community as a core value.
“We believe active public involvement is the right way to explore all aspects of a project that will be in operation for decades to come,” the web site reads. “In fact, we think it’s our responsibility to start an open and honest dialogue with the community as soon as we have something definite to report – well before any official review process would begin.”
Janet McClintock, a spokeswoman for Penn America, said such a facility is merely an unfunded concept at this stage.
“We are an unfunded group of people in a company exploring ideas,” she said. “We have reached out to local officials and environmental watchdogs ... to feel out people’s opinions ... Unless we can secure funding, we remain a concept.”
She underscored how the industry is highly regulated with a very scrupulous process.
“If it did proceed, it would be at least three years of full public discussion and regulatory review,” McClintock said.
She also confirmed the company’s commitment to the community, adding that everything related to the natural gas industry is a subject for a discussion about jobs, economic development, people’s safety and protecting the environment.
“We look forward to the day we can have this discussion,” she said.
Strand’s concern stems from previous industrial facilities in the city, such as the trash-to-steam plant. He noted the county’s multimillion bond issues for the project and the truck traffic on residential streets.
State Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, agreed mistakes had been made in that project and joined Strand in his request to the lieutenant governor to have the community given prioritization in industrial developments.
“I would love to have some opportunity from the state to help us,” he said.
Stack said he understood the concerns, as he grew up in Northeast Philadelphia near such industries as Rohm & Haas. There, Stack said, people were told the smell of chemicals was good for them, despite the numbers of those getting cancer.
“I agree with you,” he told Strand. “The people’s interests should be protected and, of course, their safety. I think the people, the residents of Chester should really be the key beneficiaries.”
He said he’d consider creating an advisory board so residents could be engaged and involved in the process.
“I’d love to work with you on making sure that we walk this through together so that the issues of safety are fully addressed, that there’s a feeling that there is collaboration and communication, there’s respect.”
Strand said he appreciated that.
“I’m not saying we don’t want it done,” he said. “We just want it done right. We’re not against economic development. We’re against cancer, we’re against asthma ... and sick families. I’m not saying we don’t want it done, we just want it done right.”