The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
District makes AP Honor Roll for 6th year
Spring-Ford Area School District was recognized as one of 447 districts across the U.S. and Canada in the eighth annual AP District Honor Roll.
The Honor Roll honors districts that have increased access to advanced placement course work while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.
Reaching these goals indicates that these districts are successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit from rigorous AP course work.
Spring-Ford Area School District is one of only 43 districts in Pennsylvania that made the list.
“I was excited to find out that we were recog-
Digital First Media staff
Fix state’s weak pension forfeiture law now
Allowing convicted former lawmakers to retain their retirement benefits erodes public trust.
trial Complex for refining and sale. About 11.4 miles of pipeline is being routed through private and public property in Thornbury, Edgmont, Middletown, Aston and Upper Chichester.
Residents in those municipalities have decried the route of the pipeline, however, which in some cases skirts school properties and divides residential areas. One group that has adopted the moniker “The Middletown Six” has taken a complaint to enforce zoning regulations before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, which heard arguments in October.
The Andover development homeowners’ association in Thornbury also filed a motion in Commonwealth Court in September seeking a preliminary injunction to halt work on the project until mitigation efforts have been put in place, and the Middletown Coalition for Community Safety has called for a moratorium on construction and for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to revoke Sunoco’s permits.
The state Environmental Hearing Board approved a settlement between Sunoco Pipeline LP and environmental groups in August regarding horizontal drilling concerns fueled by two nontoxic lubricant leaks in May and July.
Under that agreement, Sunoco was to re-evaluate 47 drilling sites where “inadvertent return” has occurred or will occur and get approval from DEP before resuming drilling operations.
DEP press secretary Neil Shader said following an Aug. 17 spill in Dauphin County that Sunoco failed to adhere to the agreement in that case, but Sunoco spokesman Jeff Shields said the company was in compliance.
Shields could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Meehan said it was those “reports of undisclosed leaks of drilling fluid and unauthorized methods of drilling” that prompted fears from his constituents and motivated his letter to the governor.
Meehan spokesman John Elizandro said the residents expressed concerns that ranged into the potential for catastrophic disaster. While pipelines can be an important part of the state’s energy economy, said Elizandro, public safety must be the top priority in any such project.
“Residents have repeatedly requested that the state conduct and publicize a risk assessment that takes into consideration the safety hazards of a pipeline leak and the probability of such a leak occurring,” said Meehan. “A risk assessment would be a welcome and responsible step in providing residents with the information they need to better understand the construction and operation of this pipeline and any potential effects it may have on a densely populated community.”
Meehan said the nature of the pipeline and its route is such that primary regulatory responsibility rests with the commonwealth and the Wolf administration.
“Congressman Meehan is right to stand up for his constituents,” said Alex Bomstein, an attorney for the Clean Air Council. “Gov. Wolf must act to protect all residents of the commonwealth.”
“Gov. Wolf understands local concerns and has worked to address them,” said spokesman J.J. Abbott Tuesday. “DEP has held Sunoco accountable to permits and laws under their jurisdiction. However, DEP’s role is focused on environmental protections like erosion and sediment control, storm water management from earth-moving activities, and obstructions and encroachments to waterways and wetlands.”
Abbott said safety issues related to public utilities fall under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which would have purview over any safety assessment. He added that the governor would support such an assessment being conducted.
Representatives for the PUC could not be reached late Tuesday.