Supervisors vote to give $2K toward pipeline risk assessment

Township supervisors voted to pitch in $2,000 to help pay for a pipeline-related risk assessment.

Supervisors Theresa Santalucia and Beth Jones voted to support funding the ongoing assessment by Quest Consultants, Inc. Supervisor Michele Moll was absent.

As of Thursday, a GoFundMe. com account lists that $47,688 has been collected toward a goal of $60,000. Representatives from Del-Chesco United for Public Safety told the board, at Wednesday’s meeting, that the ongoing assessment is fully funded, with a further goal to fund the licensing of software at a cost of about $15,000.

The assessment will likely be completed by late August or early September, said Media resident and Del-Chesco United for Public Safety member George Alexander.

The software could also be rented for three months at a time, if further funding is not forthcoming.

The final product will include a printed report, a public presentation, training in the use of modeling software and use of software to calculate the risk to areas not focused upon in the study. The software could be used with all pipeline projects and not just the Sunoco Mariner pipelines.

Plans call for the now-underconstruction Sunoco Mariner East 2 pipeline to stretch 350 miles from Marcellus shale deposits in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania to the former Sunoco Refinery in Marcus Hook.

Virginia Kerslake was pleased with the township’s support. East Goshen Township contributed $5,000 and Westtown Township supported the assessment with $2,000. The pipeline runs through highdensity areas in all three townships.

According to Kerslake, the study is essential to both residents and emergency responders, and without it, no one really knows what the risks are, how likely they are or what kind of response is required.

Santalucia asked Alexander why the study was costing so much, in light of another similar study by Quest covering much of the same information.

While there are similarities between the two assessments, the original Middletown

study covered a very limited scope, Alexander said.

The new assessment will examine three two-kilometer sections of the existing pipeline, one in West Whiteland Township, another in Delaware County, just south of Lima at Glenwood Elementary School and a third on the border of Chester/Delaware counties, Alexander said.

Alexander noted that the original Quest study examined just a single point and with the new assessment, “we are looking at the whole general area.”

The study will be based on engineering calculations and characteristics of gas, with no digging, he told the supervisors.

Clean Air Council is the fiscal agent acting on behalf of Del-Chesco United, which is not a 501 (c)3 charitable organization.

State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, has questioned

much concerning pipelines.

“West Whiteland is and has been the epicenter of many of the most serious issues and safety concerns involving Mariner East, so it’s fitting the township is chipping in to support the risk assessment,” Dinniman said. “I want to thank the supervisors and the people of West Whiteland for their steadfast support of our efforts.

“This is just another example of our local leaders and citizens stepping up when our state agencies continue to fall short.”

Eve Miari, advocacy coordinator for Clean Air Council, released the following statement: “Clean Air Council is pleased to be able to support Senator Dinniman and the community in this historic partnership to assess the risks to public safety posed by Sunoco’s reckless and destructive Mariner Pipelines. While the environmental

and economic downsides of this dirty and dangerous project are already apparent, this study will provide valuable information regarding the risks imposed upon vulnerable populations. We are grateful for the generous contributions from townships such as East Goshen, Westtown, and West Whiteland, as well as elected officials, homeowners associations, nonprofits, and concerned residents who have supported this cause.”

A public meeting is scheduled for Aug. 28, to present preliminary findings to the community. Full-day training, for up to 10 individuals from DelChesco United and officials of townships who contributed will take place on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30.

You can read more at the GoFundMe.com account https://www.gofundme. com/citizens039-risk-assessment-of-me2.