Keep Dangerous LNG Plant out of West Hyattsville - Call Your Senator

With increasing demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) comes a troublesome lack of proper siting regulations for storage tanks at local, state, and federal levels.

The Washington Gas Company has proposed plans to convert its Hyattsville property into a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility capable of holding one billion cubic feet of natural gas. With more than 3,000 people living within 2,000 feet of the facility, and with the West Hyattsville Metro Station only 1,500 feet away, Sierra Club is seriously concerned about the risks posed to the adjacent community. Natural gas in its liquid form is particularly dangerous. Other LNG facilities have a much larger setback zone than is possible on Washington Gas Company’s 21 acre property.

ZONING The Prince George's Planning Board has voted unanimously to reject the Washington Gas proposal and recommended denial of Washington Gas Company's request for a special exception in zoning to accommodate this facility at this location. Washington Gas refuses to acknowledge the local planning authority to deny a special exception and has sought injunctions and filed briefs to that effect. The Prince George's Zoning Hearing Examiner and District Council have rejected Washington Gas proposals.

LOCAL STRUGGLE This highly populated, diverse community near the West Hyattsville Metro station on the northeast border of Washington DC is in the midst of passing a transit oriented development plan for this area. Local mayors of Mt. Rainier, Hyattsville, local state legislators, and county executive Jack Johnson, agree with us that this is not the right place for an LNG storage tank.

ACTION Please act today. Please call your legislators to ask them to help protect your neighbors by supporting the Prince George's Planning Board and its decision to deny zoning permits for the proposed LNG plants, and ask them to work with us on future bills to properly regulate siting of LNG facilities for the safety and benefit of all.

October 18, 2006 COUNTY AFFIRMed AUTHORITY OVER WASHINGTON GAS CO. PROJECT

Media Release from Imani Kazana, Washington Gas Watch. Contact at (301)-779-6948

Hyattsville, MD - Efforts by representatives of Washington Gas Co. to define this privately owned company as a “government entity” were repelled by the Prince George’s County County Council this week. The Council also rejected the utility’s notion that having left two concrete pads on the ground during a tank demolition six years ago now allows Washington Gas Co. to by-pass zoning restrictions and build what it wishes on these two pads. A Transit District Development Plan for the area surrounding the West Hyattsville Metro station was adopted in May of this year, and expressly prohibits the storage of fuel by utility companies within the protected zone.

These and other issues were considered as Washington Gas fought and lost its appeal of a zoning request denial issued in August which prevents the utility company from constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing and storage plant just 1,500 ft. from the West Hyattsville Metro station. Washington has now been turned down at every level of zoning within the County, and is considering taking the matter into the Court system.

The LNG proposal was first introduced nearly two years ago and has been met with stiff opposition from citizens near and far. The City of Hyattsville engaged its attorney, Richard Colaresi, to represent its opposition to the zoning proposal. City officials have previously stated their belief that approval of the LNG plant would undermine and stall current plans by developers to build over 3,000 new housing units, and create as many new jobs in the West Hyattsville area.

Residents from Mt. Rainier, Brentwood, Chillum and Avondale have also been quite vocal during the zoning process. “Accidents can and do happen at LNG facilities. Recent security breaches at facilities in Massachusetts underscore the potential dangers we would by from having the equivalent of 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas in the middle of our densely populated neighborhood. We should not be forced to live in constant fear to save the Gas Company the effort to find a more appropriate site”, commented Imani Kazana, President of the Avondale Citizens’ Association.

Craig Black, representing the County’s Fire and EMS Department, also spoke in opposition to the proposal. He affirmed the agency’s concerns about its inability to protect or rescue residents, including those in a 220 bed nursing facility just two blocks from the Gas Company site, if a major incident was to occur.

Except for Camille Exum, who was absent from the voting, two motions related to this matter were passed unanimously. One affirmed the jurisdiction of the County over this matter; the other upheld the decision by the Zoning Hearing Examiner to deny the zoning proposal. Residents expressed appreciation of the Council’s firm stand. “We cannot sit back and allow a rich private company to run over local government. We are pleased and proud of our County Council. They definitely earned our votes this week,” said Ms. Kazana.

STATEWIDE Find your representatives contact information at http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/

DONATE If you would like to contribute to the Avondale Citizens Association Legal Fund, please make your check to The Sierra Club Foundation (note in memo line: LNG Legal Fund) Mail contributions to Avondale Citizens Association, P.O Box 5891, Hyattsville, MD 20782

VOLUNTEER If you would like to volunteer your services for this campaign, please call Imani Kazana at 301-779-6948 or 301-277-7111.

CLICK HERE to have a look at what is within a four mile radius.

More Information:

Washington Gas Alliance Chart of Problems and Solutions

Reasons to Regulate LNG storage sites

LNG storage could jeopardize Hyattsville Redevelopment Plan

Montgomery Sierra weighs in to support

What do the Bills say

County Executive Jack Johnson supports community

Coalition for Smarter Growth supports

Update 2/24/06 LNG Montgomery County votes yes

Expert Assessment of the Washington Gas Proposal

Rebuttal to Washington Gas Light

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