Chesterfield community group files appeal against proposed natural gas plant
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Chesterfield County community group has filed an appeal with the county to challenge Dominion Energy's proposed natural gas plant and the permitting process behind it. In a press release issued on Monday, Nov. 18, Friends of Chesterfield announced it filed a petition with the county's Board of Zoning Appeals to "[challenge] the county's inaction regarding Dominion Energy’s plans to build a 1000-megawatt methane gas plant near Dutch Gap." This community group has been pushing back against this proposal for months, arguing -- among several other concerns -- that this proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC) would be harmful to community health. “My family has endured decades of coal dust and toxic air pollution from Dominion’s old coal plant -- we deserve a break,” said Duane Brankley, a co-appellant and a county resident who lives near the proposed site, in the release. “Building a new gas plant will put thousands of families and children at risk of breathing toxic air for another 40 years.” Recently, the group held a "People's Hearing" at Thomas Dale High School on Tuesday, Oct. 29, after the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors failed to provide a public hearing on the issue. The People's Hearing drew crowds of concerned residents, community organizations, lawmakers and students. “County leaders have an obligation to listen to our concerns about this dirty gas plant and the impact it will have on our health and our power bills,” said Glen Besa, chair of Friends of Chesterfield, in the release. “Ignoring local residents and pushing this project forward without a hearing or a vote is unacceptable.” A conditional use permit was provided to Dominion Energy for 500 Coxendale Road -- the former location of the Chesterfield Power Station -- back in 2010. This past April, the Board of Supervisors moved to authorize Dominion Energy's use of the plot for this proposed gas plant under that 2010 permit. In this press release, Friends of Chesterfield said its petition "argues that the 2010 conditional use permit does not apply to a new gas plant being built over a decade later." At its People's Hearing, Friends of Chesterfield collected testimonies that it said will be submitted to both the county and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The DEQ is currently reviewing an air pollution permit for the proposed gas plant as of the time of reporting. Friends of Chesterfield said the Board of Zoning Appeals has 45 days to respond to the petition. This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Chesterfield County community group has filed an appeal with the county to challenge Dominion Energy's proposed natural gas plant and the permitting process behind it.
In a press release issued on Monday, Nov. 18, Friends of Chesterfield announced it filed a petition with the county's Board of Zoning Appeals to "[challenge] the county's inaction regarding Dominion Energy’s plans to build a 1000-megawatt methane gas plant near Dutch Gap."
This community group has been pushing back against this proposal for months, arguing -- among several other concerns -- that this proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC) would be harmful to community health.
“My family has endured decades of coal dust and toxic air pollution from Dominion’s old coal plant -- we deserve a break,” said Duane Brankley, a co-appellant and a county resident who lives near the proposed site, in the release. “Building a new gas plant will put thousands of families and children at risk of breathing toxic air for another 40 years.”
Recently, the group held a "People's Hearing" at Thomas Dale High School on Tuesday, Oct. 29, after the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors failed to provide a public hearing on the issue. The People's Hearing drew crowds of concerned residents, community organizations, lawmakers and students.
“County leaders have an obligation to listen to our concerns about this dirty gas plant and the impact it will have on our health and our power bills,” said Glen Besa, chair of Friends of Chesterfield, in the release. “Ignoring local residents and pushing this project forward without a hearing or a vote is unacceptable.”
A conditional use permit was provided to Dominion Energy for 500 Coxendale Road -- the former location of the Chesterfield Power Station -- back in 2010. This past April, the Board of Supervisors moved to authorize Dominion Energy's use of the plot for this proposed gas plant under that 2010 permit.
In this press release, Friends of Chesterfield said its petition "argues that the 2010 conditional use permit does not apply to a new gas plant being built over a decade later."
At its People's Hearing, Friends of Chesterfield collected testimonies that it said will be submitted to both the county and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
The DEQ is currently reviewing an air pollution permit for the proposed gas plant as of the time of reporting.
Friends of Chesterfield said the Board of Zoning Appeals has 45 days to respond to the petition.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
