This afternoon, the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission will debate a proposal to expand pipeline capacity near the controversial planned Bioenergy DevCo factory farm biogas facility and the Phillis Wheatley Elementary School. In advance of the Commission meeting, more than a dozen Sussex County residents submitted comments demanding the Commission deny the proposal. Cited concerns include:

• A rise in unsafe truck transport from an undisclosed number of potentially explosive “bomb trucks” laden with gas from an undisclosed source, traveling along unspecified County roads, into a residential area;
• Air pollution from the processing of gas at the pipeline entry point into pipeline-grade gas close to an elementary school and peoples’ homes; and 
• Expansion of infrastructure designed to facilitate an increase in climate-destroying gas in southern Delaware despite the scientific consensus on the need to move off fossil fuels to avert the worst of climate change.

Advocates will speak at the meeting to voice their dissension to the project, thought to be connected to the controversial proposed Bioenergy DevCo factory farm biogas facility nearby. In advance of the meeting, Food & Water Watch Delaware Organizer Greg Layton issued the following statement:

“Months ago, despite a massive outpouring of public dissent, the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission approved the controversial Bioenergy DevCo factory farm biogas project. Today, we have another chance to stop more dirty, polluting infrastructure from taking root in Sussex County. For the good of the climate, our health and our safety, our County leaders simply must not allow the expansion of climate-warming gas infrastructure in our communities. The Commission must say no to the pipeline capacity expansion proposal.”

This afternoon’s Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission meeting will be held at 5PM, and is available via livestream here:  https://sussexcountyde.gov/council-chamber-broadcast

Contact: Phoebe Galt, [email protected]