POWHATAN POINT — Nearly 40 people packed a town hall meeting here while discussions about a proposed ethane cracker plant dominated discussions Monday night.

All three Belmont County commissioners and two from Monroe county — Mick Schumacher and Carl Davis — joined village officials in a discussion about current, proposed and past projects. Village Mayor Jeff Haught introduced the commissioners and started the discussion.

Powhatan Point resident Pattie Meyer led the questions as she voiced concerns about pollution from PPT Global Chemical’s proposed ethane cracker plant that could be built near Dilles Bottom.

“I feel that no matter how much we protest, the plant will come and the storage area in the salt caverns below No. 4 Mine will be filled with ethane, propane and butane,” she said. “If I were young and thinking about starting a family, from what I’ve read, I’d move. I would move out of here as soon as possible.”

Meyer asked if commissioners were aware of technology that could be placed on fencelines for monitoring the locations and types of emissions and other means of sending alerts in the event of an emergency. Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton he was aware of such tools, but would await decisions from PTT before exploring them.

Meyer also asked if PTT would receive a tax abatement if the cracker plant arrived.

Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas said the commission on which he sits has not been approached regarding a tax abatement for any industry. He said those issues were governed by state law and entities such as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources were the regulatory agencies.

Dutton recommended contacting those agencies, adding that PTT’s air permit would be evaluated soon.

In more immediate concerns, Meyer pointed out the increase in traffic from the oil and gas industry.

“We have a big problem on (Ohio) 7 and we need a signal there,” she said.

Dutton said that was a matter for the Ohio Department of Transportation, and commissioners continue to contact about it. Haught said the village has been working to bring ODOT representatives to the area.

“We’re the folks that are here every day,” Haught said. “We have a potential for accidents all day every day on (Ohio) 7.”

Meyer said she feels that Powhatan Point gets ignored because they are on the edge of the county.

“We always feel like we’re the tail-end of Belmont County,” she said. “That we really don’t count down here. We’re feeling we’re the ones who are having to absorb all this…traffic.”

In a response to a question about tax money for Ohio 7, Thomas said no Belmont County money goes toward the route. He said commissioners have passed on its share of funds to communities, which Powhatan Point getting $7,000 more this year.

Thomas said that commissioners have focused on building and improving infrastructure in hopes of encouraging more business. Dutton pointed out that 70 out of the county’s 200 miles of road have been paved in the past six years thanks to road use maintenance agreements.

Tom Carpenter, resident and retired petroleum geologist, asked about the emergency response to a well pad fire in the area early this year.

Dutton said the state is still investigating the fire. Thomas said Belmont County Emergency Management Agency holds regular oil and gas safety meetings attended by representatives from most of the companies.

“We’re pretty well ready to go in a situation like that, and hopefully we won’t have to see it again,” Thomas said.

Dustin White, organizer with the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and resident of Charleston, West Virginia, voiced concern that the growing petrochemical industry might result in increased cases of cancer. He said a public meeting would be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Shadyside Community Center.

“Economic development has no boundaries, neither does pollution,” White said.

Thomas said the concern was about pollution of the Ohio River, while Belmont County obtained water from wells in the northern end of Bellaire.