Sunoco fines will aid local environment; funding OK’d

WEST CHESTER >> Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection collected a $12.6 million penalty against Sunoco for permit violations related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline. On Tuesday, grant requests from several Chester County municipalities were released.

“These grants are extremely helpful for watershed restoration and stormwater management projects,” said state Sen. Tom Killion, R-9. “I am pleased that the

money from Sunoco’s fine is being used to bolster water quality in our area. I thank Governor Tom Wolf and DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell for awarding these grants,” he added.

State Rep. Duane Milne, R-167, said he was happy to see the fines put to good use.

“I am pleased that local areas negatively affected by pipeline and drilling activities are now in the process of being financially remediated for damage that has occurred,” he said. “This is only right, and this is only just.”

Milne is running for reelection against Democratic candidate Kristine Howard.

State Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-156, said the decision is a boost to the local environment.

“This grant money comes directly from fines imposed on Sunoco for infractions that harmed our watersheds, so the grant money must be used to improve those watersheds and the stormwater infrastructure impacted by its Mariner East project,” Comitta said. “I am pleased that a portion of this fine money has been granted to our community to improve overall environmental health and safety, which my constituents and I consider our top priority.”

Comitta is running for reelection against Republican candidate Nick Deminski.

Said state Sen. Andy Dinniman: “These funds do little to make up for the damage Sunoco has done to our communities or the potential

safety threat that continues to be imposed by the Mariner East pipeline project. At least some of the revenue from the fine should have gone to support an independent risk assessment of the entire project. However, our citizens deserve to know how these funds are being spent and I hope they do some good in supporting projects that protect and improve our water.”

The penalty, one of the largest collected in a single settlement, was deposited into the Clean Water Fund and the Dams and Encroachments Fund, in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Streams Law and the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act. These grants are directed to the municipalities to eliminate pollution and protect the public from unsafe dams, water obstructions and encroachments.

Grants were awarded for projects that reduce or minimize pollution and protect clean water in the 85 municipalities along the length of the pipeline corridor.

Grant recipients in Chester County include:

• East Goshen Township – $350,000 – Stream restoration to enhance water resources and recreation opportunities in East Goshen Township.

• West Chester Area School District – $61,656 – Removing invasive species and restoring natural diverse forest in Westtwon Township.

• West Goshen Township – $215,273 – Urban stormwater management that will reduce impacts to Taylor Run in West Goshen Township.

• West Goshen Township

– $110,142 – Restoration of riparian buffer in the Chester Creek watershed in West Goshen Township.

Grant recipients in Delaware County include:

• Brookhaven Borough - $110,000 – Stormwater management to reduce runoff pollution into Chester Creek and Ridley Creek in Brookhaven Borough.

• Middletown Township – $198,472 – Stormwater management, streambank restoration, and invasive species removal in Middletown Township.

• Rose Tree Media School District – $151,000 – Improvements to the drinking water infrastructure at Glenwood Elementary School in Middletown Township.

• Thornbury Township – $75,864 – Retrofitting a stormwater retention basin into a rain garden to help reduce stormwater runoff pollution in Thornbury Township.

• Upper Chichester Township – $89,175 – Stormwater management project to reduce runoff pollution and improve recreational access in Upper Chichester Township.

“DEP will continue to both monitor permit compliance and ensure that Sunoco addresses and remedies all pipeline project impacts, which are separate from this penalty. Our goal with the penalty grant is to aid municipal leaders in providing meaningful local environmental benefits,” DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said.

All told, 85 municipalities in 17 Pennsylvania counties scored funding through the program.