PA Environment Digest Blog: Residents, Environmental Groups Rally Against Shell Petrochemical Plant's Pollution In Beaver County

On June 8, residents and environmental groups from across the Beaver County region gathered to demand accountability from the Shell Petrochemical Plant and delivered a petition with 60,000 signatures to Beaver County commissioners demanding they keep residents safe.

The residents and groups attending the rally said six months into operations, Shell has proven time and time again that it will harm communities in order to keep its record-breaking profits.

Residents demanded an end to the harmful pollution.

The participants said the facility spent months malfunctioning and dumping illegal and excess air pollution on the local community. Since it began operations six months ago, the facility has already blown through 3 air pollution limits and received 11 notice of violations.

“I do not feel safe here. I'm terrified for my son, who is immunocompromised. We're already seeing property values dropping, small businesses failing, and health complications. Nobody should have to be afraid to live in their own home,” said Beaver County resident Erica Wallace.

“Shell has repeatedly exceeded generous allowances, with little to no communication about the levels of pollutants being released. The agencies responsible for oversight and enforcement cannot diminish the concerns of residents then claim they are going to make Shell a good neighbor - when there is ample evidence Shell has no desire to protect this community,” said Anaïs Peterson of Earthworks.

“I’m getting hit from both sides,” said Beaver County resident and Unity Council member Hilary Flint. “The toxic train derailment in East Palestine, OH happened just 35 miles from the Shell cracker. While the derailment is a tragedy caused by spilling and burning the chemicals used to make plastics, most folks don’t realize that harmful pollution happens every day when you live near a plastics facility. As a young cancer survivor, I worry daily about how the malfunctions at the Shell plant affect my health. I’m done surviving. The people of Beaver County deserve to thrive. I want to thrive.”

Petition To Commissioners

Organizers of the rally delivered a petition with more than 60,000 signatures, and confronted Beaver County Commissioners to demand they do more to keep residents safe.

Those demands included providing real-time notifications of emissions exceedances, calling on the state to halt polluting operations at the plant if Shell has 10 more violations, and hosting a town hall where community members can ask questions.

Commissioners committed to holding a town hall, and advocating for a better emergency response system.

“I’ve been worried about the Shell Plastic Plant since it started construction, and since it began operating those fears have only intensified. I worry about the elderly in the area. What happens if something goes wrong at the Plant? They aren’t on social media. A lot of them don’t use text messaging. Who is going to protect them? I don’t trust that Beaver County has a plan in place for a crisis that is timely, safe and equitable,” said Beaver County resident Sherri Mackenstein.

“I’ve been sick almost every day since the train derailment. I have had a sore throat, burning in my chest and stomach, runny nose, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy eyes and congestion. I’ve been living like this for four months now. No one is listening to or helping the people of Beaver County recover from the tragic train derailment right on the border in East Palestine, Ohio. After seeing the county’s response to such a catastrophic event, I worry every day that they are not prepared for what could happen at the Shell Plastic Plant,” said Christina Siceloff, South Beaver, PA.

“Someone has to protect the health and safety of this area. I’m a cancer survivor, and now I worry that my children could suffer the same fate due to the chemical bomb that was detonated a few miles away from us. Some days I feel like all that I have left is my voice, and I’m going to continue to get louder until I’m convinced our local politicians and leaders care about us,” said Amanda Kemmer, Darlington, PA resident.

Participants said Shell's Petrochemical Plant was supposed to spur local economic growth, renewed business investment, and tens of thousands of jobs, according to industry executives and government officials.

But, they said research shows the facility has failed to generate local employment growth and economic prosperity and is unlikely to do so in the future. Read more here.

Beaver County residents were joined by The Shell Accountability Campaign, which includes Watch Out! Community Action Network, Group Against Smog and Pollution, Earthworks, Moms Clean Air Force, Clean Air Council, Fractracker, Pittsburghers Against Single Use Plastic, 350 Pittsburgh, Unity Council, Mountain Watershed Association, Food & Water Watch, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Putting Down Roots, Our Children Our Earth, and Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community with the project Eyes on Shell.