If Chester LNG terminal were built on the waterfront, “no one would want to come here,” said Chester’s new mayor Stefan Roots, since the city already has an incinerator and a waste treatment plant.

Penn America Energy was studying a proposal to build a $6.4 billion 100-acre liquefied natural gas facility on the Chester waterfront.

Last week, the Biden Administration paused federal approval of LNG facilities to study their impact on climate, writes Anthony R. Wood for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

“I think he saved Chester,” Roots said.

With the White House directive, it would now be “super difficult” to get funding for a project that has dragged on for years, Roots said, according to an article by Chris Mele in Delaware Currents.

Zulene Mayfield, chairwoman of Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living, remains cautious but optimistic, noting it’s an election year when promises made can be later withdrawn.

“We want to celebrate it, but our head is still on a swivel. We’re keeping our eyes open,” she said.

The environmental impact of LNG plants is debated. While some see it as a gentler approach than traditional fossil fuels, others contend the process and shipping are major sources of greenhouse gases and pollution. 

Find out more about the proposed Chester LNG Terminal in The Philadelphia Inquirer and Delaware Currents.