Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Critics vow to keep up fight vs. pipeline
WEST GOSHEN » Following Thursday’s move by the state Department of Environmental Protection to lift their Jan. 3 suspension of most work on the 350-mile Mariner East 2 pipeline project, residents and members of grass roots groups said they would not give up the fight to either outright prevent completion of the project, or at least make the pipeline safer. And a state senator who has been critical of the state’s handling of the project indicated he learned from state officials Friday that they would not perform a risk assessment study that pipeline foes had been seeking.
State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19 of West Whiteland, said he received a letter Friday from the Public Utility Commission stating they would not perform a risk as-
sessment. Dinniman countered it is the state’s duty to protect the safety and health of residents.
“Everybody in the community has the right to know what the risks are,” Dinniman said. “Doesn’t the community have the right to know what the risks are? “When government won’t take the responsibility then the citizens will.”
Dinniman noted that in most states pipelines are not allowed in high-density areas or located within areas with certain geological features.
Under the deal, Sunoco Pipeline agreed to pay a $12.6 million civil penalty.
Plans call for the Sunoco Mariner East 2 Pipeline to deliver hundreds of thousands of barrels of ethane, propane and butane across the full width of Pennsylvania from Marcellus Shale sites, through large, highdensity swaths of Delaware and Chester counties, to the former Sunoco Refinery in Marcus Hook.
The DEP referred to the penalty as a historic civil penalty and a stringent compliance review, while lifting the order suspending DEP-permitted operations.
David Mano, of West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety, had his well water compromised during pipeline construction. He turned down a Sunoco offer to connect his home to a public water system and passed on the pipeline builder’s writing him a check for $60,000.
“I know the pipeline is going in – it’s a done deal,” Mano said. “(Sunoco) wants to make it perfect, but nothing in his world is perfect when it comes to construction. They have to make it safer.”
Several groups of residents are calling for a risk assessment study of the project that could determine the projected safety when a pipeline becomes operational. While groups have called on the state and even Delaware County Council to perform a study, fundraising is ongoing to pay for a private study of the project.
“It’s pretty clear that none of the government agencies are looking out for our best interests,” said Melissa DiBernardino, of Goshen United for Public Safety. “I have not lost one bit of hope that we’re going to make sure we’re safe. Getting a risk assessment is more important than it was two days ago.”
Tom Casey, a West Goshen resident who also has been a critic of the project, said the ruling from the DEP only reinforces his belief that a risk assessment is needed.
“The DEP’s decision yesterday to allow Sunoco to continue has not swayed our opinion that a detailed risk analysis needs to be completed,,” Casey said. “Sunoco has refused to release this information to us. We knew that we had to take matters into our own hands, nothing has changed. They have demonstrated countless times that they will simply buy their way out of a situation. We are asking that the southeastern regional leadership support our goals for the sake of their residents. The need for a quantitative risk assessment has never been greater!”
West Goshen Township sued and squabbled with Sunoco over where to place a safety valve. After construction in the township was suspended in July by the Public Utility Commission, Sunoco simply dropped plans to build a safety valve in the township. Construction was then allowed to resume.
West Goshen Supervisor Chris Pielli said the township will continue to fight a legal battle and called Sunoco’s actions brazen.
“We don’t know where the safety valve is going to be,” Pielli said. “We’re always concerned for the health, safety and welfare of citizens.
“Give us the valves you promised,” Pielli urged Sunoco Pipeline. “If you really do care about safety, do the right thing.”
Alex Bomstein, senior litigation attorney for Clean Air Council, said his group is appealing pipeline permits based on environmental protection regulations and statutes by the Environmental Hearing Board.
“The Department of Environmental Protection knew at the time that the pipeline posed a danger when they issued the permits.” Bomstein said.
Del-Chesco United released the following statement on Friday: “Gov. Tom Wolf’s Department of Environmental Protection on Jan. 3, 2018, suspended all of the permits it issued to Sunoco, citing a pattern of repeated, ‘egregious and willful violations’ and ‘Sunoco’s lack of ability or intention to comply.’
“On Feb. 8, 2018, Gov. Wolf’s DEP lifted the suspension based on a deal that was struck behind closed doors with zero public input. Gov. Wolf’s timing is poor, because the same day, the federal government released two more serious enforcement actions of its own against Sunoco for continued violations of safety regulations.
“In one of these, the government alleges that Sunoco failed to properly inspect valve sites on 90 separate occasions. The trivial fine Gov. Wolf negotiated
“(Sunoco) wants to make it perfect, but nothing in his world is perfect when it comes to construction. They have to make it safer.” — David Mano, West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety
with Sunoco does nothing to address the public safety risks posed by an operator like Sunoco. Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety is disappointed that Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the interests of Sunoco over those of the children, seniors and hard-working property owners of Pennsylvania.”
Sunoco Pipeline Communications Manager Jeff Shields issued the following statement:
“Regarding construction, right now our focus is bringing together our construction crews to review the terms of the Consent Order and Agreement so that every person who works on this project is familiar with new conditions, requirements and expectations of the Pa. DEP and our company. Once this has been completed we will begin work. Protecting our communities, workers and the environment take precedent during construction, and we will continue our focus on these areas in strict compliance with our permits.”