Officials urge PUC to stand against pipelines
WEST CHESTER » All three Chester County Commissioners wrote a strongly worded and vehement letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission urging the continued suspension of operations statewide of the Mariner East 1 pipeline, and construction of the Sunoco Mariner East 2 and 2X pipelines.
Construction and operations were recently suspended by order of Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth Barnes.
The Mariner East 2 and 2X pipelines run along much the right-of-way of the Mariner East 1 pipeline from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio for 350 miles to the former Sunoco Refinery at Marcus Hook.
County emergency responders seek public publication of Sunoco’s risk assessment. Until now, emergency responders have been partially shut out of the process
and required to sign nondisclosure agreements limiting who they can talk to.
Chester County maintains it has a “valid need to know on a number of the concerns,” the commissioners wrote about in the missive.
Commissioner Kathi Cozzone, a Democrat, said that pipeline construction is a major issue for residents.
“Sunoco’s lack of transparency hampers the county emergency departments from doing their jobs,” Cozzone said Wednesday.
Commissioner Michelle Kichline, a Republican, said that the county has attempted to gain information several times, without success.
“It’s helpful information, it should be shared,” Kichline said. “It’s adding to a layer of mistrust.”
Commissioner Terence Farrell, a Republican, said the county wants to protect its citizens while it is being “stonewalled” by Sunoco.
“They have not been forthcoming with the basic information to protect our citizens,” Farrell said. “There is a tremendous lack of transparency. You can make the (pipelines) as safe as possible, but there are no guarantees when they are next to schools and where people gather.”
The three-page letter to the PUC stressed the need for a public risk assessment.
“(Sunoco) has shown no regard for the extensive and unreasonable impact pipeline construction is having throughout Chester County or of the fear Mariner East has sown in our communities about the risk of a pipeline accident,” reads the June 5 letter addressed to Rosemary Chiavetta, secretary at the PUC. “Simply put, without more publicly accessible information about the pipelines and products conveyed in them, the Department of Emergency Services and local first responders cannot dispel residents’ fears about being safe in their own homes.
“Given the population which could be affected by this project, we find it appalling that Sunoco has failed to proactively share their Risk Assessment and full Integrity Management plan with appropriate emergency responders.”
The letter notes that multiple spills of drilling fluid have occurred and sinkholes are threatening the stability of the ground, while even a lack of integrity with the Mariner East 1 pipeline has occurred.
“All of this occurs with Sunoco not making emergency responders aware or communicating any of these issues,” reads the letter addressed to the PUC.
The letter reads that the county Department of Emergency Services learns about a “majority” of issues relating to the pipeline through local media reports and community members.
Two scheduled meetings between Sunoco and the Department of Emergency Services have been cancelled because Sunoco had to appear in court or before the Public Utility Commission, reads the letter.
“This raises our concern that they prioritize profit over safety and the necessary depth of subject matter experts to be able to multitask by providing the briefing and appearing before the court or Public Utility Commission,” reads the letter.
Commissioners said that Sunoco suggests a future briefing be limited to Department of Emergency Services personnel and that those in attendance would be required to sign non-disclosure agreements.
“We are deeply troubled by Sunoco’s lack of transparent approach to this critical safety information, hampering our Department of Emergency Services and first responders from doing their job,” reads the letter. “We are also concerned because Sunoco’s lack of transparency with this information has created a gravely dangerous situation where the public is left to develop their own information, often misleading and incorrect.”
Chester County resident Laura Obenski, who is married to a police officer, stressed the need for safety.
“As the wife of a law enforcement officer and a vocal advocate for our first responders who will be tasked with the impossible and daunting task of handling a catastrophic pipeline failure in our densely populated neighborhood, it is imperative that the safety of our community takes precedence over the reckless and dangerous construction and operation of the Mariner East pipeline,” Obenski said after reading the letter. “Chester County values their volunteer and career first responders, their families, and the safety of their children at school and at play.
“The strong language in this letter reflects the serious concerns surrounding this project and should be addressed by Sunoco and our elected officials at every level – especially Governor Wolf who has the authority to end this unsafe project once and for all.”
Rebecca Britton, a member of the Uwchlan Safety Coalition, criticized Sunoco.
“Sunoco is a bad actor who has consistently put Chester County residents and our first responders at risk with their lack of transparency and open communication,” Britton said. “The PUC and Governor Wolf should take this letter very seriously, it is the highest calling of our elected officials to protect the health, welfare and safety of the residents.”