Opponents of proposed oil pipeline through South Memphis take message to county commission

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Not in our back yard. That was a message on Monday from some neighborhood leaders who do not want an oil pipeline to be built through South Memphis.

Shelby County officials are discussing the possibility of ending a moratorium on taxable property sales in South Memphis, which went into effect last year. Those against the pipeline fear that a change would allow land to be sold to the developers of the proposed Byhalia Connection Pipeline.

The proposed pipeline would run from the Valero facility in southwest Memphis to Marshall County, Mississippi. The start of construction is planned for the beginning of this year. The company says the route was chosen to “limit the project’s impact on landowners, the community and the environment.”

The issue sparked passionate opposition on a Monday on a march from the National Civil Rights Museum to the district building.

“We have to fight, we have to take what’s ours, and we’re going nowhere,” said Batsell Booker, president of the Boxtown Neighborhood Association. An oil pipeline that stretches through parts of South Memphis is the last thing the people of the area need, according to Booker.

“They come into our neighborhood in covert operations and often chase after the poor, the poor and the disenfranchised,” said Booker.

Justin Pearson of Memphis Community Against the Pipeline says those who would be negatively affected are those who live in low-income, black-majority neighborhoods.

“We are building a movement for justice and equality. An end to environmental racism that is being perpetuated by those in power and companies that are not even here, ”said Pearson.

There are also concerns about how close the pipe might be to the area’s water supply.

Ward Archer, president of the Protect our Aquifer group, called on the city, the county and the MLGW to oppose the project.

MLGW said in a statement on Monday that the utility is in the process of assessing the situation and identifying any concerns about the safety of the drinking water provided by MLGW in the area.

“Our goal is to provide our customers with clean and safe drinking water now and in the future,” said MLGW.

The County Commission has decided to postpone the amendment to the property sale moratorium until at least March 17th at the request of Commissioner Tami Sawyer.

Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., who sponsored the amendment, defended it, saying the problem had been “hijacked” by opponents of the pipeline.

Byhalia Connection officials released the following statement when asked to comment:

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