PA Environment Digest Blog: 150+ Residents Of Chester Opposed To An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Their Community Let Their Feelings Be Known To The House Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force

On August 22, the House Philadelphia LNG Natural Gas Export Task Force chaired by Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) held a hearing at Widener University in Chester, Delaware County on a proposal to build an LNG natural gas export facility in Chester.

The Task Force was met with opposition to the proposal from 150+ residents of Chester who outlined their concerns about adding another industrial facility in their community that is already home to many others.

The House Task Force is expected to issue a final report with recommendations for an LNG natural gas export facility in Philadelphia in November.

After the hearing, representatives of the Chester community and nearby concerned communities held a press conference to outline the reasons for their opposition to the proposed LNG facility.

Click Here for a video of the press conference.

Click Here for testimony presented to the Task Force by Zulene Mayfield and Stefan Roots.

Among the speakers at the press event were--

-- Zulene Mayfield, Chester Residents Concerned For Quality Living

-- Stefan Roots, Candidate for Mayor of Chester

-- Shawmar Pitts, Philly Thrive

-- Earl Wilson, Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition In Philadelphia

The text of their remarks follows.

Zulene Mayfield, Chester Residents Concerned For Quality Living

First of all, I'm tired. I was up at three o'clock in the morning writing this testimony. We are CRCQL [Read more here].

We are Chester. We are residents. We are a representation of everything good in our community.

They have had four hearings and they've never allowed a community person to speak. They've shot my name off of the docket as many times as they possibly could. I guess they had no other choice.

So the other day when I was trying to write what I wanted to say, it was really heavy on my heart because I felt the weight of my community.

I felt the optimism. I felt the hope. I felt the visions that we have for our community. I felt what we want to project onto our children and our grandchildren. And I'm telling you now, it was a heavy lift. It was heavy.

And then I started thinking about the people in Delaware County who also could not be in the room or have a seat at the table, and it was immensely heavy.

And I had my little cry.

And then I had to go in the spirit of my ancestors, my mother, her mother, the men, my father, all of those ancestors who hold us up on their shoulders.

My father used to have a saying, he used to say that our job is to advance the next generation. And I believe that more now any more at any time that I have in my life.

If we cannot protect our home, what good are we?

If we cannot protect our children, what good are we?

There are people that don't give a rats…. behind about us.

If you go out there and kick a dog, you going to have 30, 40 people want your behind in jail.

But they are environmentally assaulting us every single day and there is no cry for our children. There is no cry from them. Why? Because they're capitalists. They don't give a damn who they hurt, kill, maim, hinder as long as they can make a dollar.

You heard the man say he was a millionaire, but he retired. Money and power and power and money, it goes hand in hand.

And make no mistake about it, I could have pointed it out. It was an observation that didn't even need to be noted.

You have all of those people in the task force, they all Caucasian. Ain't none of them from this community.

And I cannot tell you the countless amount of times that that occurs when people are making decisions about us and we ain't even in the room.

You all saw me carry that chair. I carried that chair for a reason.

I carried it as a historical marker of who we are as a people. And it came from a quote, Shirley Chisholm [former member of Congress from Brooklyn] said, "If they don't make you a seat at the table, then you take a folding chair."

Okay? You take a folding chair. But you take your lead at that chair.

This is our community. They are talking about displacing members of our community--

-- 120-something houses;

-- four churches;

-- a fricking daycare; and

-- Businesses.

And we say a big hell no. We say that we have the power to stop it. This thing today [hearing] was an exercise in that power.

That's all it was. That's all it was.

We put out the bat call and many people showed up. And our allies showed up, and their allies showed up, because we are all in this in solidarity. All of us.

Across this country they are hurting Black and Brown and Indigenous people and those of us who are not economically well.

Our white brothers and sisters in communities that they are decimating. And I'm telling you we all can do something about it.

Understand they left the hell here shook. Understand that.

Understand it wasn't what they expected. People think they going to come into your community and give you smoke and mirrors and throw up millions of dollars.

We don't give a damn about no millions if we can't breathe. If we can't breathe.

So you take the millions to your wife. And I mean every word of that. Because we're okay.

So as CRCQL, and let me say the name of this organization again, Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living, we don't back down, we ain't scared, and you damn sure can't buy us.

And we will stay on this battlefield for however long it takes.

And when I'm not here, it's going to be somebody else. And it's going to be somebody else until we eradicate our community from things that want to kill us. Period.

Thank you. Thank you.

Stefan Roots, Candidate for Mayor of Chester

What we saw today demonstrates the new Chester, right? People came out for a cause that's really important to them.

I've been saying for years that Chester's only issue is that we don't do a good job with reputation management. We get banged and hit and accused of and blamed for so many things.

But what you saw today is a demonstration of the new Chester, of the Chester fighting back, of the Chester representing itself, not just screaming and hollering, but with intelligence and purpose.

I am a city councilman in the city of Chester. The buck stops here. All right?

We can fight all this on the front end, but when it all comes down to it, there's going to be an ordinance, a resolution, a policy, a procedure that's going to be in front of me and my colleagues, and we're going to have to vote.

So I hope you got a good sense of how Chester's going to vote in the future for what they tried to present today.

We're an industrial town. Industry loves water. We started out as an agricultural community. Small industry came through, small businesses thrived, and now it's time to do it all over again.

We can rethink this whole city and what it means to the county and what it means to the state.

I wasn't happy with what I heard today from how they wanted to represent Chester to the state. I think it really came down to jobs.

I always questioned, when these people approached me about this project, the question I always ask is, "Well, how many jobs will it be?" And I've heard all kind of answers.

Well, today I heard the answer: 204 jobs here in the city of Chester, and it will be represented by people with some knowledge and some skills and some certification of which they did not measure in terms of Chester people, but by county people.

24% of the people in [Delaware] County are already qualified to work here, but we care about the city of Chester.

How many of our people are ready for this type of work? It's not coming. It's not going to happen.

We heard from the guy from FERC [Federal Regulatory Review Commission] testify to let you know how tough this process is.

There's already projects approved through FERC that haven't been built yet. There's already projects that have been approved by FERC that don't have the money to build yet, which basically means we are not even in this queue yet.

The chances of these new facilities coming on lessens the need for a new facility to come on the back end.

I think it's a ridiculous project that these guys are trying to push through because of the likelihood that it will ever happen, because of the fact that... What did they say? 8, 6, 12 years before the thing will ever be built.

World economy will change. The gas needs in the country will change. The gas needs in the world will change.

But what's not going to change is that Chester is going to change for the better.

We can't wait for that. We have to do something now. So that's what I represent, the new Chester.

The people in Chester have voted for a change in city government in a big way. I've got one of my new city councilpersons who's going to be coming on board real soon behind me.

We took out the entire old guard who, from what I understand, was in support of this project.

So again, I know for a lot of people, this is new. This is a new optic. Get used to it. Chester's going to show up and show out.

Shawmar Pitts, Philly Thrive

So today, this is the first time I was at a hearing like this. Today, it was a heck of an experience.

It just reminded me of the reasons why I come out and I'm on the front line for cities like Chester because it's people like me that live in Chester.

And people like me, they're not talking about us when they talking about the economic developments, and all how the money going to be made.

They're not talking about us.

They're not talking about our schools when they say money going to go to education. We know for a fact our schools always get the short end of the stick when it come to money trickling down to black and brown schools.

We know that in Philadelphia. We know that in Chester. We know that.

So they're not talking about us with all the economic enrichments.

They're talking about the people that was on that panel. That's who going to benefit from the economics and all that stuff when it come to that.

Now we're going to get on the LNG and this whole thing about LNG.

First of all, let's make no mistake about it. Fossil fuels is big business in Pennsylvania, and that's what the issue is. It's a lot of money to be made in fossil fuel industry in Pennsylvania.

And why? Why? Because like they said, we could outsource it to the whole world, right?

Why they want to put it in Chester? Why they want to pile it on us? Why they want to contaminate us?

Because they don't care about us. So all that stuff about how we going to benefit economically and all of that, think about how we going to die if y'all put that stuff here.

Think about how we got to deal with the pollution from Philadelphia and from all over the place in Chester.

We know what y'all trying to do. We ain't stupid, so don't try to act like fracking is good and LNG is good.

Let's go green. Let's go green. Let's not act like we don't know what time it is because first of all, you destroying a planet.

Ain't nobody going to be benefiting economically if the planet is gone. We all done.

So you're not going to start here in Chester in destroying the planet and we down with it.

It's not going to work that way. We not co-signing that.

So I want everybody to just know, be an environmentalist if you're not. Be one because you're saving the planet when you become knowledgeable about the things that's going on around you.

When it comes to your environment, when it comes to your ecosystem, you have to have knowledge of that because you have people who don't care about that, and they'll kill you because they're going destroy the planet.

We can't let them destroy the planet. We can't let them do that. And they're going start in our communities first.

History, man, speak for itself, man. We know. We know they don't care about us. We got to care about us.

We got to care about our environment, we got to care about the planet, we got to protect it.

And every time they come and they say they want to build this and they want to build that, guess what? Be knowledgeable about it.

Because like somebody said, we're not anti-capitalism, but we are survivors. We are.

You're not going to kill us because you want to make some money. We not going to allow that.

And that's why we standing here today, and everybody that's here today, we got to get five more people to come with us next time.

We need more people. We got to wake everybody up. That's our job.

A lot of people in our communities, they up to here in life trying to provide for their children, trying to keep their children safe, and try to make sure gun violence don't affect them and all those things so they up to head with it, so they don't have the time to get this kind of information.

It's our job. We got to inform them because this is just as important as everything else.

If you don't have a safe environment, a healthy environment, you don't have anything. That's the foundation of a healthy home is a good environment.

How you going to have a good healthy home if you can't breathe? Right?

You can't provide for your family if your health is not up to par.

So all of us, it is our job because we know. We got to tell the people who don't know, and that's our job.

And that's why I'm here today, and I'm going to always be here whenever Ms. Zulene called me, you're going to see the yellow shirt.

I will be here. Thank You.

Earl Wilson, Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition In Philadelphia

It's indeed a pleasure to see and feel the vibrations of people who are definitely concerned about their lives, their livelihoods, their relatives, their neighbors and friends.

My name is Earl Wilson. I'm a resident of Eastwick Southwest Philadelphia, which is approximately three miles from Chester.

So as far as I'm concerned, we are in the same neighborhood and whatever affects Chester is definitely going to affect Philadelphia.

When I heard about the LNG, apparently the powers to be are trying to plant it into Chester, I said to myself, "9 times out of 10, folks, you have to realize that we cannot stand by and allow this to happen," because at one point, this situation was definitely earmarked for the rivers around Philadelphia.

And I think the powers that be realized at that point in time that Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition, my organization, and a number of other organizations, including Philly Pride, were definitely gearing up to resist exactly what was going on in that area, and they wanted to make absolutely sure.

So when they felt the pressure from those who are actually resisting what was going on, the powers that be then said, "Well, let's go to the point of least resistance. Let's move it into Chester."

And I am so glad when I saw the turnout today and I felt the feelings from those who were speaking on behalf of the Chester residents, I said to myself, "You are barking up the wrong tree, folks," because Chester also is not going to put up with your nonsense.

They're not going to put up with you moving into its community, into its neighborhood and thinking that you are going to sit back, lay down, and not take advantage of what's going on.

The fact of the matter is Chester needs to know that Chester is not alone in this particular fight, and this is the reason why when I heard the opportunity for us to come up, EF&C to come out and talk with on behalf of Chester, I said to myself, 'This is something that I just could not afford to miss."

We want Chester and we want Circle, because I know you've been in this fight for a long time.

You remind me so much of what we've done in Philadelphia itself, and we want you to know that you're not standing alone, that Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition and a number of the other organizations will be right here in your corner, because whatever affects you, three miles, when it comes to Mother Nature is no distance at all, and any kind of pollution that's happening in Chester, especially when it comes to the actual burning of the trash, amazing.

It is amazing to know that the pollution and the toxic air is definitely going to, at one point or another, affect Philadelphia.

So make absolutely sure, folks, that we want to be in your corner working on your behalf, doing exactly what's necessary to make sure that, and this is for Circle, quality of life is extremely important.

We will not be able to achieve that particular goal if we do not work together to make absolutely sure, because there are those out there looking for the big bucks, but they want to make absolutely sure that the negative stuff is not going to affect them and their community.

They don't mind putting a toxic facility in your community and then suck out from your community the economic benefits and leaving you with the crumbs from the tables, in so many words.

So make absolutely sure that you understand that you are not alone. We are going to be fighting right along with you, and you should let us know exactly what's going on so that we can at least join hands because this is not going to be just a community situation.

This is going to be spreading out beyond your community and different areas, different states, and different parts of the country.

And it's going to be extremely important for us to be able to follow through and make sure that we do what's necessary to make life a little bit better for everybody.

I appreciate the opportunity. I've been fighting this thing now for, in a number of different occasions, for at least 30 years.

I'm prepared to do 30 more, but we need to make sure that we not only just follow through on this, but to make sure that everything is perfect, and we want to make absolutely sure that Chester and those people who are in the surrounding area definitely are part of this endeavor.

Click Here for a video of the press conference.

Click Here for testimony presented to the Task Force by Zulene Mayfield and Stefan Roots.

(Photos: top- Zulene Mayfield; Stefan Roots; 2nd row- Bigga Dre; Shawmar Pitts; Earl Wilson)

NewsClips - LNG Chester Hearing:

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Chester Draws Pushback: ‘We Suffer For Everybody Else’s Comfort’

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: ‘We Suffer For Everybody’s Else’s Comfort’ Critics Of LNG Natural Gas Export Hub Say

-- WHYY: Chester Residents Unite Against Philly LNG Natural Gas Task Force Proposal: ‘We Will Not Allow This Environmental Genocide’

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Vow To Fight LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Delaware County’s Poorest Community

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Advocates: Lack Of PA Permitting Reform Is Costing Jobs

-- City & State PA: Business Leaders, Lawmakers Hope For Bipartisan Action On Permitting Reform

DEP Environmental Justice Proposal:

-- New DEP Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy, Definition Of Environmental Justice Areas Effective Sept. 16; Public Comments Accepted Thru Oct. 29 [PaEN]

Related Articles - Natural Gas Health Studies:

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Studies Find Shale Gas Wells Can Make Asthma Worse; Children Have An Increased Chance Of Developing Lymphoma Cancer; Slightly Lower Birth Weights [PaEN]

-- State Dept. Of Health Apologizes For Not Listening To Communities Suffering Health Impacts From Shale Gas Development; New Health Study Results ‘Just The Tip Of The Iceberg’ [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Who Pays For Natural Gas Development’s Harm? Pennsylvania Should Acknowledge The Clear Fact That Fracking Has Hurt People, Specifically Children [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Natural Gas Well Setbacks May Not Be Protective Enough After Health Impact Study Results

-- Post-Gazette: Processing Research On Southwestern PA Natural Gas Development And Health, Residents Seek Answers Together: ‘We Deserve Better’

-- TribLive: Environmental Advocates Weight In On State Dept. Of Health, Pitt Study Of Natural Gas Development Health Impacts

-- MCall Guest Essay: The Shift To Green Energy Should Protect Families Who Work In Fossil Fuel Industry - By Reba Elliott, Catholic Laudato Si’ Movement Protecting God’s Creation

NewsClips This Week:

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: DEP Cites Petro Erie With 5 Additional Violations [For More Leaking Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Tanks In Sugarcreek Boro, Venango County, Near Contaminated Reno Water Supply] [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Letter To Editor: Disappointed In Lack Of Involvement In Sen. Hutchinson, Rep. James To Resolve Village Of Reno Water Contamination Issue In Venango County [Polluted By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill] [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive: DEP Examining ‘Pinhole Leak’ In A Penneco Natural Gas Gathering Line Behind Homes That Exploded In Plum Boro, Allegheny County [PUC, DEP Have No Statutory Authority To Regulate Safety Of Gathering Pipelines]

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Chester Draws Pushback: ‘We Suffer For Everybody Else’s Comfort’

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: ‘We Suffer For Everybody’s Else’s Comfort’ Critics Of LNG Natural Gas Export Hub Say

-- WHYY: Chester Residents Unite Against Philly LNG Natural Gas Task Force Proposal: ‘We Will Not Allow This Environmental Genocide’

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Vow To Fight LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Delaware County’s Poorest community

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Advocates: Lack Of PA Permitting Reform Is Costing Jobs

-- City & State PA: Business Leaders, Lawmakers Hope For Bipartisan Action On Permitting Reform

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Appalachian Economy Sees Few Gains From Natural Gas Development, Report Says