A new roadmap for gas pipelines

UWCHLAN » Board of Supervisor Chair Joe Toner said, at Monday’s meeting, that he wants the township to take a lead in limiting future pipelines shipping highly volatile fuels on a statewide scale.

Toner spoke to about 50 concerned residents following Sunoco’s recent contamination of drinking water to several homes served by wells, as the company constructs the Mariner East 2 Pipeline.

He said that when the township drafts policy regulating pipelines that other municipalities in the county might use the Uwchlan version as a template.

“It is a dangerous product,” Toner said about the colorless, odorless and heavier than air product Sunoco plans to ship. “This is not a good thing for our community.”

Toner said that, this “little township,” one of 73 municipalities in Chester County, could serve as a guide for other county municipalities, and eventually on a statewide basis. He hopes to eventually influence the work of the Public Utilities Commission, which regulates pipelines.

“Across Chester County let’s start to put this together,” Toner said. “Uwchlan is not just one little burg, countywide. People don’t start to pay attention until people band together.”

Toner pointed to the work of state Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-156, and state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D- 19.

“She’s trying to put together a broad coalition,” Toner said about Comitta.

Toner hopes to use the Bill of Rights as a “roadmap.”

“How do you make the Bill of Rights work in the municipal world?” he asked.

Until recently, the township hadn’t planned ahead to regulate pipelines, airports or tunnels because there was no perceived need to regulate them.

“The state is filling in ordinances where we have pieces missing,” the supervisor said.

Toner said that the township would need to design specific resolutions and ordinances regulating pipelines, in sync with the longterm township comprehensive plan, which is updated every 10 years.

“We have to do it so these things hang together in court,” Toner said.

The supervisor said that it would be wrong for municipalities to condemn all pipelines.

“We need to say to the judge that we have a thoughtful process, but we want a cap,” he said. “We don’t want heavier than air (product). Here’s the roadmap

to get that done across the state.

“If we have to take heavier than air products because of a court order, then we need detection devices and evacuation procedures in place.”

The Sunoco Mariner East 2 pipeline is under construction, with plans to stretch from the Marcellus Shale deposits in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio to the refinery in Marcus Hook, Delaware County. Plans call for construction of two pipelines, in an existing right–of-way through Chester County, for 23 miles.

Sunoco released the following statement Tuesday afternoon: “We are proud to be part of the network of pipeline operators who supply the resources that help us live our everyday lives, from the fuel that heats our home, cooks our food, generates power and gets us to work, to the many materials that clothe us, build our homes, and make medical advances possible. Pipelines are the safest way to make our daily lives possible, and we will continue to work with all the communities

we pass through to address their questions and concerns.”

Toner said the township has been responsive to complaints from residents, with most resolved. He said the township holds monthly board of supervisor meetings, regular weekly meetings, and in a bid to ease the situation, talks on a daily basis among themselves.

Police Chief Scott Alexander ran down a list of residents’ complaints stretching from March to last week.

Residents contacted police about the width of, and parking of, vehicles on the easement, and ongoing water problems.

Dan Daley, township engineer, addressed issues concerning impacts on sidewalks, trash, dust and a severed cable television line.

“We did everything we could to handle each individual issue,” Alexander said.

Toner sided with residents.

“We have no disagreement — none — we are your neighbors,” he said. “There is no wedge.”