Rose Valley latest to express worries

Borough voices their ‘grave concern’ over pipeline plans

The proposed Sunoco Logistics Mariner 2 pipeline may not be running through the borough, but that did not prevent council from taking a stand.

The members voted unanimously to approve a resolution expressing their “grave concern” about the high pressure pipeline planned for construction in neighboring municipalities. The document will be forwarded to Gov. Tom Wolf, the secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Public Utility Commission members and

“Rose Valley is just 1.36 miles from the proposed pipeline route. If there was a problem, we are within the three to five mile radius of the emergency evacuation zone.” — Environmental Advisory Council liaison Dave Firn

Delaware County Council.

Similar documents have been passed in Middletown, Swarthmore, Thornbury and Westtown and by the Rose Tree Media School District. Also, Media Borough Council sent a letter of support for the Middletown proclamation. The item has also been presented by the Middletown Coalition for Community Safety in Nether Providence, Upper Providence and West Goshen.

“Rose Valley is just 1.36 miles from the proposed pipeline route,” said Environmental Advisory Council liaison Dave Firn. “If there was a problem, we are within the three to five mile radius of the emergency evacuation zone.”

Spanning Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, Mariner 2 is a 350-mile pipeline system which would bring natural gas liquids such as propane, ethane and butane to the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex. Approximately 11.4 miles would be installed in Delaware County across private and public property in Thornbury, Edgmont, Middletown, Aston and Upper Chichester, ending at the facility.

Like the other resolutions, the document notes questions exist whether the pipeline is currently misclassified as a liquids rather than gas conduit and if the operation was fully vetted by the local community regarding leaks. It adds the proposed route would transect the Chester, Ridley and Crum Creek watersheds and could put the Ridley Creek watershed, the source of borough drinking water, at risk.

The document asks for at least a 60-day comment period after the pipeline permit is re-submitted to the DEP and a public hearing is held in the county to address public health and safety issues. In addition, it suggests the application be reclassified to include liquid and gaseous hazardous material transport and contain an independent risk assessment study and incident-response plan.

Approximately 15 residents attended the meeting, all of whom supported the resolution. Rhonda Fabian recently returned from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, where members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe are demonstrating against the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline. The projected path is near the reservation’s northeast corner.

“I live on Ridley Creek,” she said. “Why are we allowing this to be done? It is unadulterated disregard for human safety.”

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF SUNOCO LOGISTICS The Mariner East pipeline project would route ethane and propane from Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania to a processing station in Marcus Hook.