School board hears concerns about compressor station
By Anya Tikka
DINGMANS FERRY — School board members listened intently as speakers aired their concerns about the danger to schools if the proposed major upgrade to the Milford compressor station is allowed to go through.
Retired New York City art teacher Bess Moran and Alex Lotorto from the No Milford Compressor Station citizen's group said the upgrade of the nearby station would increase its emissions 13-fold, and that they contain polluting gases dangerous to public health.
“I came from New York City to get away from the noise and pollution, and here I am, I face this horror," Moran said. "This is a recreational town. People come here to get clean air, to go biking, canoeing, to do all the stuff outdoors. Values of houses go down. Eight houses are for sale on my street, which has never happened before. We have to get together on this.”
Lotorto said the project's emissions are "at top level." The application by NiSource, the parent company of Columbia Gas, is still being reviewed by the Department of Environmental Protection, which issues permits, and by the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee.
He asked the school board to look at the figures in the sheet he distributed describing the chemical composition of emissions, and the statistic that the emissions are equivalent to 71 diesel school buses idling for around the clock for a week for VOC (volatile organic compounds), 397 idling buses for carbon monoxide, and 110 idling buses for NOX (nitrous oxide).
“Especially in Delaware Valley, there’s a thick fog in the mornings," Lotorto said. "In some conditions the emissions get trapped and can’t escape out. We’re trying to get public education throughout the region, that the best technologies should be used at this station. I just want to clear that the facility can eliminate all emissions by using electric engines that don’t have exhaust. Combustion engines are proposed, and that’s where these figures come from.”
What do you want from us?
School board member Jack Fisher asked: “So are you looking for a resolution from us?”
Lotorto said that once the permit is issued, the group will be looking for support for the legal appeal that seeks to put a temporary halt on construction.
“It would be helpful if you could think about using your solicitor to join the state and federal lawyers that have been retained by the group and the Delaware Riverkeeper that has been successful in the past with similar issues as we move forward," he said.
The Milford council can regulate the project though zoning laws. And NiSource has said it will attend the planning commission meeting when it’s up for discussion. Lotorto said he hoped to have board members or officials, or even a resolution, for support by that time.
Fisher called the compressor upgrade "a safety issue."
"Maybe if we had a joint resolution with the township that until such time that monitors are in place, we remain opposed to construction?” he offerd.
Board Solicitor Michael Weinstein explained: “It’s a safety issue, and there’s a mandate for what this board does.”
He said he’ll have to look at the statutes regarding the best course of action, but said there’s nothing to stop individual members of the board from making statements.
Board Chair Pam Lutfy told Lotorto the board will get back to the group.
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"Hundreds turn out to protest compressor station expansion": http://bit.ly/1sv7oyw
"Activist: Pipeline victory will help in compressor fight": http://bit.ly/1pulU7T