STOP THE PIPELINE!
Three hundred pipeline demonstrators showed up at the historic Chester County Courthouse on Saturday.
With voices united, and protest signs held high, more than 300 demonstrators called for a full, complete and permanent stop to construction of the Sunoco Mariner East pipelines.
The No Mariner East! Rally for Community Safety was held Saturday afternoon at the historic Chester County Courthouse. The event was organized by several local grassroots organizations.
Two weeks ago a judge ordered a halt to the shipping of volatile liquids along the 1930s-era Sunoco Mariner East 1 pipeline. The judge also stopped construction of the Mariner East 2 and Mariner East 2X pipelines in West Whiteland Township where sinkholes recently appeared and Mariner 1 was unearthed. The Mariner East 2 is a 350-mile pipeline that would carry gas liquids across the state of Pennsylvania, terminating at the former Sunoco refinery in Marcus Hook.
Saturday’s event attracted national speakers, including New York biologist and poet Sandra Steingraber.
“Communities along the path of the Mariner East pipeline are rising up as part of a growing national movement of communities who refuse to serve as human sacrifices for fossil fuel infrastructure projects that are all risk and no reward for those who live in the blast zone,” she said. “The air pollution, water contamination, and public health risks that accompany these misbegotten projects mean that all living downstream from dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure.
“My community in the Finger Lakes of New York stands in solidarity with Chester County as we fight to protect our families from menace of fracking and its many toxic, explosive tentacles.”
Eve Miari is advocacy coordinator with event organizer Clean Air Council and wants more information.
“What is the risk being imposed upon us?” Miari asked. “What if there is a leak or explosion on the pipeline in our densely populated community?
“What if there’s an accident next to a nursing home, or hospital, in a neighborhood, or by a school? How will we be notified, how do we evacuate, how do we protect the most vulnerable among us?”
Chester County resident Nancy Harkins applauded the speakers.
“We really want to show solidarity with communities across the state and with all the elected officials supporting us,” Harkins said.
One of those local representatives who has fought pipeline construction is state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19 of West Whiteland. He was accompanied by his dog Jagger.
Dinniman told demonstrators about the need to preserve a safe and healthy environment, especially since 40 schools statewide are within what protesters refer to as the “blast zone.”
Dinniman noted that letters sent from school superintendents to the governor went unanswered.
“What bothers me most is we have school children along the route of the blast zone and our state government wouldn’t even answer the letters of superintendents from Downingtown and West Chester Area school districts,” Dinniman said. “This is simply an example of Sunoco running the show.”
Eric Friedman is a spokesperson for Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety and a Delaware County resident.
“I was glad to see Sen. Dinniman standing up and speaking once again in support of public safety, property values and Constitutional private property rights,” Friedman said.
Caroline Hughes watched the speakers talk about a recent underground strike of the still-under-construction Marine East 2 pipeline.
“The recent excavation accident near Glenwood Elementary School confirms the very concerns that we’ve been raising to officials,” Hughes said. “The chances of an accident like this isn’t remote; it’s already happened, and the only reason the headline isn’t a catastrophic event involving the school is because the community has reported Sunoco and delayed operations.
“We are demanding that our safety be protected, and state officials must protect us.”
Ginny Marcille-Kerslake of West Whiteland said Sunoco had lied to her about the impact of construction.
She relayed a popular refrain she said a Sunoco representative had told her: “You won’t see us, you won’t hear us and you won’t even know we are here.”
Most of the byproduct from fracking will be shipped overseas.
“This is an abuse of public utility status,” MarcilleKerslake said. “We accept all the risks and consequences with no benefits to our community.”
Ellen Sue Gehart, a resident of Huntingdon County and co-founder of Camp White Pine, said the pipeline has disrupted mental, emotional, spiritual and financial health.
“It is so crucial that we all support each other,” she said. “If we stand together against this bully we can win.
“It puts corporate profits above health and safety.”
Local activist P.K. is a regular at pipeline events.
“It’s important to realize the harm which this industry is inflicting on us and our community and rallies like this help us,” P.K. said.
Wenonah Hauter is keeping positive as executive director of Food and Water Watch.
“We are ultimately going to win,” she said. “Take anger and frustration and put it to work.
“We will not let these billionaires ruin our lives.
Bibianna Dusslling lives in Middletown and said that above all else she is a mom.
“I will stop at nothing to protect my children,” she said. “My children and your children are not a buffer.”
Richard Whiteford is with the Sierra Club and said he wants legislators and the state Public Utility Commission to do the “right thing.”