Portion of Mariner East pipeline completed
WEST GOSHEN » Those controversial Mariner East pipes are in the ground, but it was not without controversy.
Sunoco Mariner East completed the pipe installation in the township, but only after several residents asked the township to shut down pull-back operations for 16- and 20-inch pipes.
Sunoco, which had already been turned down on a request to work extended hours in nearby East Goshen, had asked the township for permission to work late because of an “emergency.” Construction was shut down by the township near midnight on Saturday night/ Sunday morning.
Eventually, all supervisors but candidate for Recorder of Deeds, Chris Pielli, approved of continuing the work.
Township ordinances forbid Sunoco from working Sundays and on the Columbus Day holiday.
“It probably took longer than they thought,” township Manager Casey LaLonde said during a phone interview, on Tuesday. “Pull back is not a science.
“You can run into glitches. Sunoco used poor planning to do it before a holiday weekend.”
Work was eventually completed on Columbus Day at about 11 a.m.
LaLonde said that Sunoco didn’t want to have to redig holes which would have added months to the project.
The recently completed pipe stretches from the Boot and Greenhill roads intersection to the Giant supermarket.
LaLonde said permission, after consulting with the solicitor, a safety consultant, supers and staff, was given reluctantly.
“Sunoco needs to finish and get out of West Goshen,” the township manager said was the popular sentiment expressed by supers, expect for Pielli.
West Goshen resident Tom Casey was blinded by the construction lights at 10:20 p.m. He called Supervisor Pielli and Robin Stuntebeck who were also both at the scene.
“For over five years Sunoco/Energy Transfer has claimed to be following the rules, regulations, and laws of Pennsylvania,” Casey said. “However, they continually demonstrate through actions and deeds that rules and regulations are easily dismissed when their bottom line is negatively impacted.
“The events of Saturday night prove that this company doesn’t care about the rules when they extort their hired help to break the law with the possibility of going to jail or risk losing a paycheck! How does this make them a ‘good community partner?’
“Residents of West Goshen stood up on Saturday to say we are tired of this company skirting the laws. We alerted the authorities and shut them down. I cannot say it didn’t feel good when the lights went out! The Mariner Project cannot be allowed to continue under these conditions. State and local leaders need to stand with the people, protect the health, safety, and welfare of all. We the people are tired of being guinea pigs for this industry and this project. Enough!”
Mother Melissa DiBernardino’s children attend school near pipeline construction.
“After being denied an exemption from both townships’ ordinances, Sunoco/ Energy Transfer ignored rules once again that are in place to protect the public,” DiBerardino said. “Lights glaring, generators and other loud machinery running and banging disrupted East and West Goshen residents as late as 11:30 p.m. while some called the police. Police and townships were apparently given excuses, implying that there was an emergency and work needed to continue.”
DiBernardino said Sunoco ignores local government officials.
“Sunoco/ET simply wanted what they were denied and chose to ignore our local government officials. Pennsylvania’s officials and regulating agencies continue to be blatantly disrespected and made to look like fools by this irresponsible company while the public continues to have unprecedented and unplanned for hazards threaten our safety and violate our rights.”
Pielli released the following statement on Tuesday: “Late Saturday evening (@11:30 p.m.) I received calls from several residents complaining that Sunoco was operating after hours creating very loud noise and employing extremely bright lights. Folks were complaining to me that they could not sleep. Fellow township supervisor Robin Stuntebeck and I decided to visit the location and were met by two of our Township police officers. Since there was no permission granted to Sunoco to operate after hours, and there was no true emergency situation relayed to us, we concluded there was no justifiable reason for why they violated our ordinance. As such, they were shut down and cited.”
Pielli is disappointed. “I have dealt with Sunoco for several years now and I am continually disappointed in their lack of candor, consideration and proper communication. We suspect they knew of their pullback problem long before they decided to give us last-minute notice of this alleged ‘emergency.’ This I believe was done purposefully.
“In my opinion this is not an ‘emergency’ to the health, safety and welfare of our residents and more of a concern for Sunoco’s stockholders and bottom line profit due to their operating mistakes. Because of the many years of lies, misinformation, violating previous agreements, and overall lack of respect to our community, I voted against allowing Sunoco to operate on Monday. Simply put, it’s a matter of trust and the trust has been broken long ago.”