Sussex County Collusion with Bioenergy Continues as Industry Showcases Dangerous Digester Proposal

Dover (Nov. 21) - This morning, Bioenergy Devco will conduct a “Discovery Day” publicity event from Sussex County, in an attempt to draw public support for its proposed poultry waste digestion facility in Seaford, Delaware.

In the meantime, the organizations Food & Water Watch and Socially Responsible Agricultural Project have identified backroom dealings between the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission and Bioenergy Devco in an attempt to bypass public comment and hearings on the proposed project. Email exchanges and meeting requests obtained by these groups make clear that Bioenergy spent months colluding with Sussex County officials to truncate oversight and review of the project and ensure that the public would be excluded from the process. 

Food & Water Watch recently sent a letter to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) outlining numerous other serious legal, public health and environmental problems with the digester proposal. 

“Bioenergy may be trying to pull off a dog and pony show to promote its proposal, but what it’s really doing is attempting to nefariously push through a dirty, dangerous factory farm biogas project with as little public input and oversight as possible -- and local officials seem to be playing right along,” said Tyler Lobdell, staff attorney at Food & Water Watch. “State and local elected officials need to step in and ensure that Bioenergy and county appointees are following every inch of the law in this project review process.”

Gina Burton, local resident and member of Sussex Health and Environmental Network said, “We know all too well what this kind of facility would mean for our community. This project threatens the air we breathe and the water we drink. But to also avoid public input? That’s an affront to our rights.”

Maria Payan, Delaware resident and consultant for Socially Responsible Agricultural Project said, “This kind of project in Seaford is a bad deal for Delawareans. Any plans to bring poultry litter from across the region threatens the health, safety and environment of all who live here. This Bioenergy press event is a charade.”