Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
‘Do your duty’
Pipeline demonstrators picket Gov. Wolf’s Capitol office
HARRISBURG >> About 50 demonstrators, several from Chester and Delaware counties, rallied outside Gov. Tom Wolf’s office, Wednesday, at the Capitol to demand that he put a stop to construction of the Sunoco Mariner East Pipeline.
Pipeline demonstrators sang songs and shared personal stories for three hours.
When the building was closed at 6 p.m., police asked the demonstrators to leave the property. Eleven protesters refused to vacate and were arrested by Capitol Police.
These pipeline foes were released after about 45 minutes, were cited and required to pay a $42.50 fine.
One song sung by protestors was, “People Gonna Rise Like the Water.” “People gonna rise like water, We’re gonna face this crisis now,
I hear the voice of my great granddaughter,
Saying shut this pipeline down,” sang the demonstrators.
Ten of 17 Pennsylvania counties impacted by the pipeline were represented.
A member of Governor Wolf’s staff met with protestors and reiterated that the governor refused to halt the Mariner pipeline.
Pipeline activist Luke Bauerlein asked demonstrators to “defend what you love.”
“We are not asking, we are demanding,” he said, which was directed at the governor. “Do your duty to stand up for Pennsylvanians.
“if there is a leak, it is invisible, odorless, flammable and explosive when it hits the atmosphere. The time has come to demand.”
People who shared their stories included Gillian Graeber, Westmoreland County; Ellen Gerhart, Huntingdon County; Ralph Blume, Cumberland County; Wilmer Baker, Cumber
land County; Abbie Wysor, Delaware County; Bauerlein, Chester Co; and Chris Harding, Chester Co.
In August, Governor Wolf met with residents at The Giant Market on Boot Road who are impacted by the project and clearly told them that he would not halt the pipeline. The residents came to Harrisburg on Wednesday to reject this answer.
Carrie Gross of Chester County demanded that the governor act.
“We are here to demand that the governor take action.” she said. “The power of the people is stronger than the people in power.
“Our lives are not collateral damage.”
Gillian Graeber, of Westmoreland County spoke up. Sunoco is fracking in her counties back yard.
“Not only do we have fracking but we have a bomb,” she said. “Defend what you love.”
Huntingdon Counties Ellen Gerhart spend two months in jail for “trespassing” on her own property.
“We’re all here to protect our neighbors, we’re all here to protect the environment,” she said. “Speak out, speak out, we will be heard.”
Abbie Wysor, of Delaware County, said that Sunoco is ripping down trees and disturbing our water. She questioned whether the profits were worth it.
“The expense is clear, there’s too much at stake,” she said.
The Mariner East pipeline project, built by Energy Transfer/Sunoco, transports highly volatile liqto uids across Pennsylvania be exported and turned into plastic. Publicly available risk assessments show that over 40 schools and other extremely high consequence areas are within the probable fatality zone of this pipeline. Those risk assessments show the blast radius for this pipeline is equal to a mile.
Kennett Square resident George Alexander is a blogger.
“I want to do something that will outlast me and be good for future generations, Alexander said. “Governor
Wolf is traumatizing people.”
Kurt Knaus, of Pennsylvania Alliance for Energy supports pipeline construction. He released the following statement:
“Opponents continue to ignore the very inconvenient truth that more than 29,000 formal comments were submitted at five state hearings held across the entire length of the line as part of a review process that stretched more than three years. At every turn, opponents had their voices heard and had their opinions considered. But this is about facts.
“And the facts are: Oversight of this project is ongoing and strict, as actions by regulators demonstrate. The project is legally permitted and operated, as courts have ruled repeatedly. And study after study shows pipelines are the safest, most efficient way to transport energy resources.
“Stopping this pipeline means eliminating the jobs of the Pennsylvania skilled laborers who are building the project while removing the clear benefits that consumers across the commonwealth will gain through increased access to these energy resources. Energy prices are one of the largest contributors to economic health. As the second-largest producer of natural gas in the country, Pennsylvanians must ensure that these products are transported in a safe, efficient way —- and pipelines are the way to do that.”