Wave of relief in Three Oaks Township after gas plant company backs out of proposal

 

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- A year-long fight to oppose plans for a renewable natural gas plant in Three Oaks Township paid off for some folks Tuesday night.

Residents who were planning to show up to a packed Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night were surprised to learn the company behind the plan pulled out of their plans.

Now, neighbors like Carla Kanger no longer have to worry. As she looks out into her backyard of 25 years, she doesn't have to picture what could have been.

"That thing did not belong in our township, especially in my backyard," says Carla Kanger, who lives next door to the proposed gas plant site.

For the past year, she had to cope with the fact she could become next-door neighbors with a gas plant.

It would have sat at Basswood and Martin Roads in Three Oaks Township.

Kanger is just one of several neighbors and township residents who put up a strong fight in opposition to the plant.

"We were ready again for this meeting, but obviously getting the phone call today was a very, very good thing," says Kanger.

Archaea Energy, a sub company of BP, sent a letter to the commission withdrawing their application.

In a statement to ABC57 News, Archaea Energy said:

"After careful review, we’ve determined not to move forward with this project at this time. We want to thank the commission for their consideration."

Carla Kanger was relieved about Archaea's decision, who she says wasn't very responsive to her questions at public meetings about noise, pollution, and lighting.

"The anxiety of all this, I mean a year we've gone through this back and forth," Kanger recalls.

She says it's a cause worth celebrating with her neighbors, who never gave up the fight for their peaceful neck of the woods.

"What we have right there, that's what it's going to stay, and that's what we worked for," Kanger says. "That's what we stayed up and had our meetings for, and that's what we wanted and that's what we got. We won."

ABC57 was not able to get ahold of a member of the township's planning commission in time for this story for a comment or interview.