Guilford County Commissioners Pass Resolution on SSEP Pipeline

Community members outside the commissioners meeting. Image credit: Caroline Hansley and Rachel York

By Aidan L., "No SSEP" organizer with 7 Directions of Service and the Haw River Assembly

I'm excited to let you know that on June 5th, World Environment Day, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution on SSEP 9-0! Congratulations to all the organizers involved in getting Guilford County to pass a bipartisan resolution stating that they have safety concerns over SSEP. They'll be submitting the resolution to FERC and the NC General Assembly. You can find a recording of the meeting here. 

Dozens of community members showed up at the Old County Courthouse on June 5th to show their support for the resolution amidst the busiest time of year for Guilford County - budget season. The energy in the room was contagious; residents of Guilford County packed the rotunda. The second-floor balcony was full, and there was standing room in the back only! I had the honor of providing an overview of organizing efforts to the Guilford Commissioners on behalf of the NoSSEP coalition. Here is a portion of my comments: 

“We have presented to you a diverse range of folks who are concerned across Guilford County, more than 1,000 different voices have voiced their opposition to the project, representing different ages, political backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, and yes, even folks with conflicting views on renewable energy. … But we have one thing in common: demanding action from our elected officials to protect us from corporate greed for unnecessary and dangerous projects like SSEP. So, thank you for taking action tonight. We appreciate you listening to us.” 

Aidan delivering a powerful comment urging commissioners to oppose SSEP. Image credit: Caroline Hansley and Rachel York

Commissioner Brandon Gray-Hill then introduced the resolution before the Board voted on it. The County's resolution is attached below. While this resolution could have been stronger (explicit opposition, asking for an EIS, etc.), this is still a great victory for our efforts! A unanimous, bipartisan resolution on an issue like this is a BIG DEAL!

The commissioners’ resolution is the second of its kind – the town of Midway voted to oppose the project on May 5, urging Transco “to thoroughly investigate the option of a no-build alternative and to publicly report the findings with full detail and transparency.” The commissioner’s focus on safety concerns comes as news comes out that the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline fired an inspector for reporting corrosion of the pipe that could have led to an explosion. MVP’s Southgate extension would run parallel to SSEP.

A packed room full of folks holding “SSEP: No Benefits Only Risks” signs. Image credit: Caroline Hansley and Rachel York

In response, the Sierra Club, 7 Directions of Service, Haw River Assembly, and Mothers Out Front released a joint statement, which you can read in full here.

Efforts in Guilford County will not stop as community members continue to hold the Oak Ridge town council accountable for representing their community's voice, as well as continuing to pressure elected officials throughout Guilford County to stay informed and active with this proposed project. On to Forsyth!

As always, this is Aidan wishing community care, light, and love.

This article was first published by 7 Directions of Service.