In June, Sugar Land first announced its plans to build a quick start natural gas power plant on top of Central Unit Prison located just four miles north of Clements High School. Since the announcement, concerns regarding the safety and environmental issues a power plant could impose in a residential area have surfaced. The historical significance of Central Unit Prison also raises questions.
Since the city announced the upcoming construction, the public has expressed concerns about the impact a natural gas plant could have on the environment. Natural gas plants contribute to a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions at about 35% of the US’s carbon footprint, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In addition, natural gas emissions can also cause various health issues. From the American Lung Association, the burning of fuels like natural gas in power plants emits a long list of pollutants that can cause cancer and respiratory issues, especially to those who live in close proximity to the plant.
Additionally, since the discovery of the Sugar Land 95 in 2018, Sugar Land’s local history has attracted national attention. From Community Impact and Criminal Justice Connections, Central Unit Prison was built by inmate labor in 1900 although activity of inmate leasing on the property was recorded as early as 1878. The building served as an administration building as well as medium security housing for about 250 inmates, however, it was later extended to house around 700 people. Central Unit Prison’s participation in inmate leasing meant that inmates were rented out to plantation owners to do labor intensive work to make up for the shortage of manual labor after the abolition of slavery. This labor often resulted in illness and premature death, not to mention, many of the inmates often did not receive a fair trial.
Due to the surge in suburban growth, Central Unit Prison was sold off in 1959. According to Criminal Justice Connections, but many of these buildings like Central Unit Prison have been designated as historical landmarks by the state of Texas. Several buildings such as Central Two Camp which have been repurposed for other uses, have also kept their historic site status. It is unclear whether the site will remain a historical landmark after the building is torn down to construct the power plant. However, with the national criticism the city received after the controversy surrounding the discovery of the Sugar Land 95 in 2018, it raises questions as to whether destroying this part of Sugar Land’s local history is the right thing to do.
