Drivers honked their horns as they passed protesters chanting outside the Chesapeake Municipal Center an hour before the city council met on July 15. Rain doused the protesters’ signs, but that didn’t discourage them from taking their concerns inside.
Virginia Natural Gas plans to install a compressor station in Chesapeake, VA, that the company says is needed to ensure gas reaches its northern customers. But the local community, comprised predominately of people of color, is concerned about the additional air pollution such a project could bring. Natural gas combustion in compressor stations emit pollutants that can impact the cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological health of people nearby.
On July 15, the Chesapeake City Council approved rezoning the industrial area where the gas company intends to build the project — bringing the compressor station one step closer to reality. The council voted 6-3 in favor the rezoning. The public can submit comments to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) about the project until Aug. 5. The SCC will host a public hearing on Aug. 14…