Approval of Dirty, Dangerous Compressor Station Threatens Communities Already at Risk

Infrastructure for Fracked Gas Pipeline Disproportionately Affects Communities of Color
Contact

Doug Jackson, 202.495.3045 or doug.jackson@sierraclub.org

RALEIGH, NC -- Today, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) granted a crucial air quality permit to the builders of the fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), allowing them to build a compressor station in Northampton County.

Compressor stations are facilities that compress gas to increase its pressure and keep it moving through the pipeline. They are widely known for leaks of methane and other toxic chemicals that can cause a litany of health impairments to communities. Not only do compressor stations emit harmful pollution, they can catch fire or explode. They also produce noise pollution around the clock, sometimes spiking to levels compared to a 747 passenger jet taking off.

The population of Northampton County, like those who would be affected by the pipeline’s entire route, is primarily composed of low-income communities and communities of color. These communities inordinately bear the burden of pollution and adverse health effects of dirty fuel infrastructure, according to the NAACP’s Fumes Across the Fenceline report. Northampton County is already disproportionately affected by unhealthy industries.

In response, Sierra Club Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign Director Kelly Martin released the following statement:

"The people of Northampton County are already disproportionately burdened by unhealthy and polluting industries, and DEQ’s decision makes matters worse. Compressor stations are loud, dirty, and dangerous and will add to the air pollution in Northampton County. If built, the fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline will burden communities with pollution and saddle consumers with higher bills to pay for an unnecessary project that only serves to line the pockets of corporate polluters.”

“Communities across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina are all too aware of the dangers posed by this fracked gas project, and they will continue to organize and fight back against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline until it is finally defeated.”

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.