Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Dinniman decries pipeline lobbying in Harrisburg
WEST CHESTER >> Pipeline companies continue to attempt to further their influence in Harrisburg, spending millions of dollars on lobbying, state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, warned on Tuesday.
The Pennsylvania pipeline lobby has spent more than $37.7 million in total on lobbying from the third quarter of 2012 to the second quarter of last year, according to a news report from Greenpeace.
The report was compiled from lobbying expenditures disclosed to the Pennsylvania Department of State by the companies and organizations with financial interest in the Mariner East, PennEast, and Atlantic Sunrise pipeline projects.
Of those funds, the most by far – a whopping $11.59 million – was spent since August 2012 on lobbying by companies with a significant interest in the controversial Mariner East pipeline project, according to the report.
“While we continue to build a strong and growing bipartisan movement to pass real and lasting pipeline safety reform in Pennsylvania, we cannot overlook the vast sums of money that big players in the natural gas industry are throwing around to try to retain their grip on the legislature,” Dinniman said.
Dinniman, who recently introduced a comprehensive package of pipeline safety legislation, said that while expensive lobbying efforts by pipeline companies and industry groups represent a challenge, he would continue to work for and stand for public safety.
“This is a matter of community safety – the very health and well-being of our children, families, and neighborhoods. No amount of money or spin can change that,” he said.
“I appreciate Senator Dinniman’s efforts to clean up oil and gas legislation, knowing that lobbying has such a massive impact on the passing of legislation about lobbying,” activist and filmmaker Christina Digiulio said. “Just this past weekend I was at a two-day event hosted by the Better Path Coalition involving children advocating for their own future. Lobbyists were watching them and making derogatory comments while the children were speaking to the public in the rotunda.
“Is it actually our elected representatives making legislation or is it people like this guy? Legislation is it a short process. Meanwhile, in Chester County, people fear for their lives because of the lack of transparency and accountability of those who have the control. This pipeline must be shut down until all safety investigations are complete.”
Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety released the following statement: “Sen. Dinniman points out that since 2012, more than $11 million was spent by companies with a significant interest in the Mariner East export pipeline project. One such contributor is Sunoco’s law firm Duane Morris, which continues to donate handsomely to a variety of candidates, including right here in southeast Pennsylvania. Del-Chesco United is grateful to Sen. Dinniman for helping shine a light on this kind of corrosive activity.”
Ginny Kerslake is a Democratic candidate for county commissioner.
“Our voices are being silenced by this money. We are tired of our elected officials putting companies like Sunoco and Energy Transfer Partners ahead of their constituents” Kerslake, a West Whiteland resident, said. “Residents’ health, safety, economic welfare and the environment must come first.”
According to the report, the companies with a significant interest in Mariner East that spent funds on lobbying include:
• ETP, Sunoco LP, Sunoco Logistics and Sunoco Pipelines; • Antero Resources; • Range Resources; • Aneos Energy (has interest in Range Resources);
• Rex Energy (has interest in Range Resources); • MarkWest; • CNX Resources; • EQT Corp. The most lobbying funds were expended by ETP/Sunoco ($1.2 million), Range ($5.8 million), and EQT ($2.7 million), according to the report.
In addition, Pennsylvania oil and gas trade groups that represent companies with significant financial stakes in the Mariner East, Atlantic Sunrise and PennEast pipelines spent a combined $22.37 million on lobbying expenses during roughly the same time period, according to the report.
The bulk of those lobbying funds were spent by the Marcellus Shale Coalition ($13.9 million) and the American Petroleum Institute ($7 million), but also included the America’s Natural Gas Alliance, the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association, the Pennsylvania Independent Gas Association, and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, according to the report.
All lobbying expenditures were obtained via Pennsylvania State Department database, which must be searched manually.