Economic benefit won’t resolve pipeline concerns

The Battle of Mariner East 2 rages on.

For months, residents and opponents of the massive Sunoco Pipeline project that will bring hundreds of thousands of barrels of Marcellus Shale products such as ethane, butane and propane across the full width of Pennsylvania to the former refinery complex in Marcus Hook have made the case against the pipeline.

They have opposed it on many grounds, not the least of which is their concern for safety. In short, they have opposed the notion of putting a pipeline carrying these types of volatile materials under high pressure through densely populated neighborhoods. That would include passing within a few hundred feet of several elementary schools.

They have knocked their local and state officials for too quickly taking Sunoco’s money without properly understanding the risk, and underestimating community opposition to the plan.

When problems with several private wells and water supplies popped up during construction last summer, local elected state representatives could no longer ignore the situation.

They started putting heat on Gov. Tom Wolf, as well as the state Public Utility Commission and Department of Environmental Protection to hold Sunoco accountable.

Last week the efforts of pipeline opponents won a major battle when the state DEP halted all construction on the project statewide until Sunoco Pipeline L.P., now a subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, can show they have fixed the problems and can abide by the permitting process established by the state.

Of course, Sunoco has consistently denied the claims made by the pipeline foes, noting that they are abiding by all state regulations, and attempting to assuage frayed nerves in neighborhoods by assuring that construction is being held to the highest safety standards in the industry.

But there has been another persistent point of disagreement between the two sides.

The opponents of the pipeline have consistently questioned the claims by Sunoco, many local elected officials, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and labor union officials as to the economic benefits of Mariner East 2. This week Sunoco fired back. They released a report by a consultant that not only reinforces earlier economic projections – but actually doubles them.

The report by Philadelphia consultants Econsult Solutions Inc. – which was paid for by Sunoco, by the way – suggests Mariner East 2 will result in a $9 billion bonanza for the region.

Just three years ago, the same firm suggested the boost might be in the neighborhood of $4.2 billion. That has now doubled, and includes more than 50,000 jobs – direct, indirect or otherwise linked to pipeline construction and operation.

Those jobs come with total earnings of $2.7 billion.

As you might expect, critics and opponents of the plan are not impressed.

The environmental group Food & Water Watch blasted the findings as “dubious research,” and sounded an alarm raised by residents.

Economic benefits should not come at the expense of the security and safety of residents.

Which brings us back to Ground Zero in this battle.

Is there an economic benefit to Mariner East 2? Undoubtedly. Is there a downside? You bet. That is now the challenge facing Sunoco. First they must prove they can avoid more of the pitfalls that have been occurring too often during construction.

They have to convince state officials that they can abide by all permitting regulations.

And most important, they must ease the concerns of residents and prove that this project is safe, if that is indeed possible.

To that end, Rep. Chris Quinn, R-168 of Delaware County, this week sent a letter to Gov. Wolf asking that the state conduct a full risk assessment on the Mariner East 2 project before Sunoco is allowed to resume work.

The study would analyze the potential for catastrophic harm should a leak or other malfunction occur.

Quinn also urged that the results of such a study be made public.

At this point, a full risk assessment might not be a bad idea.

In the meantime, don’t look for this fight to go away anytime soon.