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Youth and environmental groups press Chester to oppose LNG and reduce pollution
Summary
Members of Circle and its youth program Choices urged the city to reject LNG and incineration proposals, highlighted air-quality and litter concerns, and asked for more youth-led environmental education and cleanup efforts.
Youth speakers representing Choices and Chester Residents’ Concern for Quality of Living (Circle) told the City Council on Wednesday that air quality, pollution and proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) activity threaten community health and called for action.
Dr. Nolan L. Fontaine, representing Circle and its youth arm Choices, introduced youth speakers who raised concerns about air pollution, trash burning, and the health effects of proposed LNG development. “Clean air is more delicate, and we could breathe it properly. But, bad air, which is dirty air, we can't breathe it, and we can mostly die because of it,” 10-year-old Yavante Green said during public comment.
Tariana Adger, a Choices youth leader, addressed LNG specifically: “LNG, in my honest opinion, should not be moved to Chester because it poses an environmental and health threat to the community...LNG poses an explosion risk...It emits carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other dangerous chemicals into the air.”
The mayor and councilors praised the youth for their advocacy. The mayor echoed the themes in public remarks, saying, “No LNG, no incinerator, no dirty air, everything matters here,” and thanked the group for their work. Council members and staff noted the city is considering local regulatory options and that the topic is part of ongoing conversations with the health commissioner and county partners.
Speakers also proposed neighborhood cleanups, greening projects, and education to change littering behavior, citing examples from other cities and international visits where littering is rare. The youth urged the council to support community-led cleaning and anti-littering programs.
Ending: Council members committed to continuing the conversation with public-health staff and to exploring local regulatory and education measures; staff and youth were encouraged to schedule follow-up meetings before the next deliberative meeting in late June.
