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Residents press county supervisors on air-quality and emergency-response concerns for proposed Swan Compressor Station
Summary
During public address, multiple residents urged the board to scrutinize DEQ’s site-suitability findings for the proposed Swan Compressor Station, citing local air-monitor data and frequent train blockages that they say would impede emergency response; speakers asked the board to host community presentations and consider those findings in future advocacy.
Several residents used the public-address portion of Monday's Board of Supervisors meeting to press county leaders about the proposed Swan Compressor Station linked to the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Crystal Mello, who said she lives at 992 Poplar Hollow Road, asked the board to accept a local presentation and referred to community air-monitoring that, she said, shows high levels of poor air quality. "We have 3 air monitors down there and have been monitoring that area for multiple years and that 67% of the year, they're already breathing bad air," Mello said, adding residents want the board to be better informed as the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reviews site suitability.
Elizabeth Struthers Malvin told the board she had reviewed DEQ materials and contrasted a DEQ suitability finding with a board resolution that previously concluded the Alliston site was not suitable because of train-blockage hazards. "The site in Alliston is suitable for the Swan Compressor Station that MVP wants to build there," Malvin said summarizing DEQ's paperwork, and asked the board to weigh the public-vote record that found the location unsuitable because repeated train blockages can delay emergency access.
Josh Vanna urged the board to accept a community presentation of a door-to-door study in Alliston and Lafayette and warned of potential pollutant emissions. "This is not an area that is suitable for a 136,900 horsepower ... gas compressor station that will be blowing all sorts of air pollutants, particulate matter, known carcinogens like formaldehyde and benzene," Vanna said, adding that DEQ's "minor source" designation understates the public-health risks in his view.
Board members thanked speakers and acknowledged the topics; no county action or formal response was taken at the meeting. Staff and board members noted ongoing communications with DEQ and said they would consider requests for further presentations and data in future agenda planning.
