Proposed gas plant threatens community and Virginia’s clean energy future
Like many counties across Virginia and the Southern United States, Chesterfield’s legacy is greatly intertwined with environmental harms. According to the Department of Environmental Quality’s website, there are 12 Title V operating permits issued in Chesterfield County. These types of permits are required for facilities that are major sources of air pollutants.
Dominion in Chesterfield
Dominion Energy has been a looming presence in Chesterfield for decades, 2019 marked 75 years of its operation in the County. Around that time, the 2019 Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring Dominion Energy to remove approximately 15 million cubic yards of coal ash currently stored in two coal ash ponds at the location within the next 15 years. And in May of 2023, Dominion retired the last of its coal units at that site.
This has not provided any relief for Chesterfield residents living in fence line communities in Dominion’s shadow though as the Chesterfield Power Station still operates with gas units. To add to this, the utility has now revived plans to build the Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC), a 1,000 megawatt gas plant instead of pursuing non-polluting options to meet energy needs in Chesterfield County.
The CERC was originally proposed to be located on Battery Brooke Parkway, a site about a mile away from the 500 Coxendale Road site Dominion is now considering. Both locations are within three miles of residences, outdoor recreation spaces, and places of worship, among other key community locations.
This proposal not only runs counter to Virginia’s clean energy laws and future priorities but would leave customers holding the bill for this expensive project and the local community breathing in even more polluted air.
Once the announcement was made, groups in Chesterfield immediately rallied to speak out against the new methane gas facility, something Dominion has made increasingly harder.
Adding to the frustration of Chesterfield residents is Dominion’s silence on a pivot in its plan. The utility is now evaluating two different sites; however, it has only provided information about one. The sites differ substantially and the second site, the existing power station site, would require different plans, none of which have been provided to the public.
Nicole Martin is the president of the Chesterfield NAACP and wants Dominion to be held accountable for bringing another gas facility to the already overburdened county.
“We began learning about Dominion’s proposal early in the process. The more I learned, the more I knew the project was not good for Chesterfield residents already overburdened by Dominion facilities for decades,” Martin said. “The lack of transparency around their actual plans is disappointing, but not surprising.”
The stakes and public health risks are high
From Dominion’s air pollution application submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, we know the proposed gas plant will emit various air pollutants into the surrounding community. In fact, the proposed gas plant will produce even more fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the coal plant produced, and will also emit sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, among other pollutants.
Areas around both proposed sites for the new plant are designated as environmental justice communities and include everything from residential homes to daycares, religious institutions, and recreational areas.
Rachel James is a staff attorney in the Virginia office and a resident of Chesterfield, leading the office’s work in Chesterfield.
“What is going on in Chesterfield is sadly just the latest example of a huge monopoly utility disregarding the concerns of the people who will be most negatively impacted,” James said. “The community and local advocates, have been asking for transparency and accountability from Dominion and local officials and have not received that.”
What this all means
Big picture, the proposed plans in Chesterfield County are a blow to environmental justice and clean energy in the state. The continued desire to add new methane gas sources in vulnerable communities shows that it will not be easy for polluters to change their thinking around projects and come up with cleaner solutions.
Real change is needed now to stop poisoning communities and to tackle climate change at the same time.
Rachel James, Staff Attorney
“What has always been done is no longer good enough,” said James. “Real change is needed now to stop poisoning communities and to tackle climate change at the same time. It’s unfortunate that instead of working with the community to identify non-polluting energy options, which are available today, Dominion has stayed the path of the polluter and left the option to be a true community partner on the table untouched. Chesterfield residents deserve better, and we’ll keep pushing to get it.”
The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors still has not scheduled a public hearing to receive input and decide on whether the site Dominion has proposed is suitable for the CERC. Impressing upon the Board their ability to address this critical concern is a top priority and community members and advocates continue seeking a public hearing on this issue.
