Pipeline risk studies are stacked

To the Times: Pipeline opponents relentlessly attack infrastructure development, questioning and attempting to obstruct not only every step of the highly thorough permitting and construction process but also day-to-day operations. In the case of the Mariner East Pipeline project, they continue to push for a redundant and impractical risk assessment study.

Richard Kuprewicz, president of Accufacts Inc., a consultant hired by the Middletown Township, recently shed some light on these studies that opposition groups call a “necessary.” Kuprewicz has been hired by both Middletown and West Goshen townships to advise them. He made it clear that studies such as these, known as quantitative risk assessments (QRA), for security reasons must be done utilizing only information available in the public domain, which is not possible.

Another glaring issue is that most QRA’s are designed to meet a desired outcome. Those financing a risk analysis have locally been highly critical of the Mariner East projects, glossing over crucial economic benefits and ignoring the lawful process in permitting and construction. Those chose Quest, exposing their bias, as Quest already has produced a faulty QRA for the anti-pipeline Middletown Coalition. As Kuprewicz said, this only proves that this push is to meet a desired outcome, not provide a service.

Anthony Gallagher, Business Manager, Steamfitters Local 420