The expansion of a natural gas facility in Bridgeville is uncertain after the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission recently deferred action on a conditional use request.
The P&Z Commission deferred action earlier this month on Eastern Shore Natural Gas’ (ESNG’s) conditional use request for its compressor station operation - due to opposition from the surrounding community.
The request would have allowed ESNG to expand with a metered regulatory station - serving as a receiver of natural gas from trucks, which would unload into an existing pipeline.
Greg Layton is a Food and Water Watch organizer in Delaware.
He says the trucks carrying the gas would be unloading within 800 feet of homes and should not be allowed.
ESNG engineering manager Matt Parker says the process is safe.
“At this facility, gas is offloaded, it’s metered and it’s regulated. The gas is not treated, it’s not processed - there’s nothing that happens - it’s never evacuated to the atmosphere unless, unless there was an over-pressure situation, which could be at any normal meter and regulator station throughout the State, throughout the region at a compressor station - there’s always those safety precautions," said Parker.
Maria Payan is the co-founder of the Sussex Health and Environmental Network (SHEN).
She was among the opponents at the recent public hearing - arguing it's dangerous to expand a flammable gas operation so close to Phillis Wheatley Elementary School.
"The fact that we have elementary school children that literally - from playing on the swing sets there - will be looking at this project, set alarm bells off in my head,” said Payan.
Parker disagrees, saying the proposed facility and the trucks involved - will be 1,300 feet away from the school and almost 1,100 feet away from the playground.
Parker adds that the facility takes safety very seriously at all times.
The Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to discuss the conditional use request at a future meeting.
