Community members voice pipeline concerns

WEST GOSHEN >> After Sunoco/ Energy Transfer set another start date to begin shipping highly volatile liquids through the Mariner East pipeline system, school superintendents, parents and residents have shared many concerns.

Sunoco/ET is 18 months past its previous projected launch date. Sunoco/ET representatives plan for a mishmash of an existing, and recently constructed pipelines, to start shipping butane, methane and propane 350 miles from Marcellus Shale sites to the former Marcus Hook Refinery, by the end of the year.

For years, overflow crowds have attended pipeline related township meetings, rallies and presentations.

Thousands of Chester and Delaware county residents in high density areas are seeking answers. Pipeline talk is on fire at social media sites and live feed is

often broadcast from pipeline-related events.

School superintendents Jim Scanlon, of West Chester Area School District, Emilie Lonardi, of Downingtown Area School District, and Eleanor DiMarino-Linnen, of Rosetree Media School District, penned an Oct. 23 letter the PUC. The supers wanted to know if the kids were safe. The Mariner East 2 pipeline weaves close by 40 schools in the state.

Paul Metro, manager, safety division Investigation and Enforcement Bureau of the PUC, wrote back on Nov. 1

“During the past two years, our safety staff has inspected various Sunoco facilities more than 200 days,” Metro wrote. “Our engineers work on Sunoco projects daily conducting any one of 43 different types of inspections to ensure compliance with the federal and state codes.”

The supers asked if it is safe to run natural gas liquids through an 80-yearold 12-inch pipeline that will link to recently constructed 16- and 20-inch pipes. A major June leak on the 80-year-old pipeline spilled thousand of gallons of gasoline into Darby Creek.

Metro replied that Sunoco has performed two hydrostatic pressure tests, during October of 2017 and September of 2018.

“Hydrostatic testing is periodically used to assess the integrity of hazardous liquid and gas transmission lines,” Metro wrote. “If a pipeline successfully passes a hydrostatic pressure test, it can be assumed that no hazardous defects are present in the tested pipe.”

But do the integrity management plans meet all standards? asked the supers.

Metro: “Integrity management requires operators to proactively anticipate hazards, evaluate risks, and identify preventive and mitigative actions to manage operational changes that have the potential to increase the risk of failure or the increase in potential consequences of a failure.”

Eric Friedman is a member of Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety. The pipe is planned to snake through his neighborhood in Thornbury Township, Delaware County.

“No one is guaranteeing that this pipeline is not going to continue to leak,” Friedman said. “Nobody’s offering any insurance.”

Ginny Marcille-Kerslake is also a member the grass roots Del-Chesco United.

“There is no credible safety plan,” she said. “Someone needs to be responsible but everyone seems to be passing the responsibility on to the next person or body.”

John Haynes, interim director, Chester County Department of Emergency Services: “The Department of Emergency has been working, and continues to work with school districts, elected officials, first responders and Sunoco regarding the issues surrounding the Mariner East pipeline. While significant progress and proactive communications have been gradual, we are beginning to see tangible results. Sunoco is scheduling training and planning programs for school districts and private schools impacted by the Mariner East pipeline. These programs will include local Emergency Management, first responders and county Emergency Services.”

Haynes also wrote: “Chester County’s Department of Emergency Services understands and shares the concerns and frustrations of residents as well as local, county and state officials. Emergency preparedness is at the forefront of all of our training for major incidents and this certainly includes potential hazardous materials and pipeline-related scenarios. Effective training involves a continual cycle of consultation, practice, review and improvement, and we will continue to work with all parties involved in pipelinerelated issues to ensure the best possible preparedness and communications measures are in place.”

State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, and State Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-156, have been vocal pipeline critics.

“The biggest threat regarding Mariner East is the lack of communication, transparency, and information,” Dinniman wrote. “Knowledge is power.

“Our communities are only as safe as what we know about this project, and we know very little. Chester County is the only place in the nation where this type or pipeline carrying these types of hazardous materials are being installed with these techniques in a high-consequence and densely populated area. This project is full of unknowns and Chester County is basically being used as a guinea pig.”

Comitta released the following: “Top issues moving forward remain the same:

1. Public safety must come first before corporate profits.

2. Communication is key: Timely, accurate, actionable information must be shared between government agencies, gas companies and county and local officials

3. Public safety and pipeline siting regs must be added and/or updated to reflect the special needs of individuals and communities in densely populated areas, local geology, and the impacts of a changing climate (i.e. a wetter PA resulting in soil erosion and landslides damaging pipelines).”

Jerry McMullen lives near the Chester County Library where Sunoco plans to dig.

Probability and consequence need to be considered when it comes to pipeline safety, McMullen said. Three million gallons of natural gas liquids will flow under high pressure just 40 feet from the library and 65 feet from McMullen’s bedroom.

“Our governor and state agencies have placed us at risk,” he said. “Sunoco is proven to be untrustworthy.

“Fortunately, coalitions from across Pennsylvania have raised their voices, taken action and turned up at the voting booth. But, the fight is far from over.”

Photographer and activist Christina “P.K.” Digiulio videotapes and broadcasts live on social media during most local pipeline events. She is worried about the protective covering on the pipes.

“These pipes have been sitting out, exposed to the elements, for well over a year now,” P.K. said. “Among other factors that could impact the coating on the pipes, such as pulling them blindly through a drilled bore hole, sunlight (aka-UV radiation) will break down any coating.

“There are multiple studies that recommend fusion bonded epoxy coating not be exposed to UV light for more than 12 months because of the degradation of the coating and the loss of flexibility of it.”

Rebecca Britton is a member of the Uwchlan Safety Coalition.

“I am concerned for the rights of Pennsylvanians, Title 35, PA’s health, welfare, and safety statute, requires municipalities, counties and state agencies to conduct segmented risk assessments for emergency planning purposes,” Britton said. “When there are newly identified risks with high consequences, no mitigation and preparedness plans then our equal protections under the law are being violated.

“All construction and operations of the Mariner East Pipeline System must be halted and municipalities, counties and the state agencies who have let us down should be leading that charge.”

Plans call for the pipeline to pass through West Goshen resident Tom Casey’s yard. Casey is alarmed.

“The issues surrounding this pipeline contain legal, moral, ethical, safety, and security,” he said. “Arguably, no matter what assurances the public is given by the PUC, DEP, Sunoco, PHMSA, Chesco-EMS, or elected officials it still feels like something is being overlooked.

“Since 2014 we have been told not to worry about what might happen. Yet there are continued concerns which are revealed by regular people doing the hard research that our state agencies seem to defer to Sunoco who tells them not to worry. Speaking as someone who has taken the time to understand this project, I have to say … I’m worried!”

Activist and parent Laura Obenski recently addressed Chester County Commissioners at a meeting.

“It’s grotesquely unacceptable to me as a parent to know that children in 40 schools across the state are being told to assume grave risks with zero benefit — their safety is at risk, their health is at risk, the community and planet they will inherit is at risk, their right to a safe education has been bought by industry, and the lack of urgent action on behalf of our local, county and state officials is squarely to blame,” she said. “Our community and our children deserve equal protections under the law, and it shouldn’t take parents screaming into megaphones to give it to them.”