RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Local opposition to a proposed Texas Liquefied Natural Gas project continues as environmental activists urge the town of Rancho Viejo to join other cities in voicing their disapproval of the gas plant.
The South Texas Environmental Justice Network is asking the public to sign a petition urging Rancho Viejo officials to vote against any support of the Texas LNG facility.
“So we created this petition in order to send emails to each aldermen branch member council to let them know that community members don’t agree with LNG,” said petition creator Emma Guevara.
The petition has hundreds of signatures and highlights how the gas facility would pollute the Rio Grande Valley and destroy acres of wetlands and indigenous historic sites.
“People should sign this petition because LNG is an incredibly harmful industry,” Guevara said.
The activists say a number of Rio Grande Valley communities such as Port Isabel, South Padre Island, Laguna Vista and Long Island Village have all publicly opposed the building of LNG facilities at the Port of Brownsville.
Additionally, they want Rancho Viejo to join the other cities.
“It’s just incredibly dangerous with the amount of pollution it puts into the air and the danger zone that it creates because these facilities are known to explode,” Guevara said.
There are a number of LNG companies that have proposed building facilities at the Port. Activists want to stop them before they get federal approval.
“Well, I do not do not agree with it because we already have gas,” said Rosie Terrones, Rancho Viejo resident.
Anyone can attend the town’s board meeting to make a three minute public comment.
The board meeting will take place at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 13.