For whose benefit?

To the Editor: On Tuesday night a group of concerned residents requested that the East Goshen Board of Supervisors prepare a Proclamation of Concern regarding Sunoco Pipeline’s proposed Mariner East 2 project.

Such proclamations have been recently adopted by Thornbury and Middletown townships in Delaware County and are under consideration in West Goshen, Westtown and Edgmont.

Sunoco proposes to construct this pipeline to transport highly volatile, hazardous natural gas liquids from Western Pennsylvania to Marcus Hook for transport overseas.

If these materials leak they become colorless, odorless, extremely flammable gases which are heavier than air, and thus concentrate close to the ground. They pose a considerable risk to our residents, environment and our property values without providing a corresponding benefit. We were told by the Board’s vice chairman, who is responsible for negotiating with the pipeline company, that their aim is to work WITH Sunoco on this multi billion dollar project to prevent an adversarial relationship.

Sunoco has an abysmal record of 274 hazardous liquid leaks since 2006 and no one has developed for us an areaspecific emergency evacuation plan. At least one insurance carrier has stated that it will cancel a corporate insurance policy if this pipeline is constructed.

That evening the Board voted unanimously to turn down our request. It appears to us that this Board of Supervisors is much more interested in protecting the interests of a pipeline company than in protecting the safety of the citizens who elected them and the environment in which we live.