Mariner pipeline ‘boom’ rattles neighbors
WEST GOSHEN >> A loud pipeline-related boom originating from the Sunoco Boot Road Station shook houses, rattled windows and knocked framed art off walls for up to a mile and half away at about 8:20 p.m. Monday.
No injuries or significant property damage were reported.
Sunoco/Energy Transfer spokeswoman Lisa Coleman said the incident was related to the now-operating, partly 1930s-era Sunoco Mariner East pipeline.
“During routine maintenance this evening at our Boot Station in West Goshen Township, there was a backfire on a flare at approximately 8:20 p.m. ET as the station was brought back online,” Coleman wrote. “This resulted in a loud noise, similar to a car backfiring.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused to our neighbors.”
Amanda Gorgueiro, an Energy Transfer spokeswoman, responded to a second request for information.
“Mariner East 1 was not impacted. Mariner East 2 was down due to the planned maintenance work. At no time was anyone in the surrounding area at risk. Also, there were no liquids released. Per our first statement, this occurred at a flare stack.”
Residents gathered outside after the boom and discussed what many referred to as an explosion.
Resident Keith Ackers and several others talked about the official response: “The boom was alarming, but not as alarming as the fact that the first responders had no idea how to react and weren’t shy about telling us that. A police officer drove down our street asking us what we knew about the noise, but when we asked if he had checked out the Sunoco area he told us he was unwilling to go over there because he wasn’t sure if it was safe.
“A neighbor told me she had asked if we should evacuate the area, and the police dispatcher’s response was ‘I have no idea.’ If they’re going to force this stuff through our community, you would think they would at the very least have a cohesive emergency response plan for situations like this.”
The Mariner East pipeline project, which consists of several pipelines, runs through West Goshen resident Tom Casey’s property along Boot Road.
“This was a small, very small, example of the bigger problem for everyone along the pipeline route,” Casey said. “More worries, more problems, and no good answers. We need a plan from everyone that has our safety in their hands.
“Three weeks ago, at my job we had a false alarm, a fire truck and two emergency vehicles arrived. Last night, one hour after the incident, there were no responding fire personnel, no county EM personnel to guarantee the facility was safe, and the lights were out by 9:15.
“Stop the jurisdictional match from municipal and county personnel. Stop blaming your silence on pending litigation! Stop following a nonsensical settlement agreement! Stop treating people in the community as just another nuisance! We are growing tired of it all.
“You can’t have it both ways; just like we can’t have our homes and feel safe in them!
Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety released the following statement on Tuesday:
“Pending the release of more information about Sunoco’s accident in West Goshen Township last night, we know at this point that there was a release of hazardous, highly volatile liquids. These heavier-than-air combustible vapors ignited, causing an explosion that rocked houses to a distance of at least one-half mile (an area of about three-quarters of a square mile). And no one knew what action to take. This accident is stark confirmation of what DCU has been pointing out: no one, neither our first-responders nor area residents, are prepared for even this ‘dry run’ of a regional catastrophe. As Delaware County Council unanimously recognized in June, it’s time for an immediate moratorium on this reckless project.”
The Chester County Department of Emergency Services released the following statement: Beginning at 8:01 p.m. on August 5th, the county received four 911 calls for reports of an explosion and immediately dispatched West Goshen police to the area of the reports. Police investigated and within minutes reported back that there was no threat to public safety. Following the police investigation report, a representative from Energy Transfer contacted the Chester County Department of Emergency Services and provided an overview of the incident. Energy Transfer confirmed that there was an incident at the Boot Road Pump Station that created a loud noise and that there was no release of gas or emergency.
“Chester County Department of Emergency Services ensured that Energy Transfer was issuing a public statement noting the event, and worked with the company to share the message.
“Our emergency management practices always include reviews of potential or real emergency incidents to build upon and refine emergency response procedures. We have sent a list of questions to Energy Transfer asking for immediate answers on exactly what and why last night’s incident happened, how often it could happen and how we can expedite the emergency communication process.”
State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19 of West Whiteland, perhaps the leading pipeline opponent in the Legislature, clearly was not satisfied with Energy Transfer’s explanation.
“Obviously, something strong enough to shake homes deserves a stronger and clearer response from both Sunoco and our emergency services,” he said. “This is yet another example of the lack of communication regarding Mariner East and the ongoing confusion as to who is in charge of emergency planning, management, and response efforts.
“The fundamental question here is: If something had gone tragically wrong, what was the emergency management plan? I am not sure there is one. If the pipeline companies only give us cursory information and spin, how are our emergency services supposed to adequately respond when lives are at stake?”
Melissa DiBernardino lives in East Goshen Township and her children attend school in West Goshen.
“Mariner 1 has been shut down and restarted at least three times now and has never resulted in what people heard and felt Monday night,” she wrote. “There is nothing ‘routine’ about the incident.
“The response has further highlighted that we are not prepared in any way to have such an inherently dangerous, unmitigated and unplanned for hazard here. Every single elected and appointed official and agency should be demanding that Governor Wolf shuts the construction and operations of the Mariner East Pipeline Project down.
“We’ve had more than enough warnings and our luck may run out.”
Food and Water Watch organizer Sam Rubin commented:
“Let us call a spade a spade: There was a release, ignition and detonation along the Mariner East pipeline system last night. Sunoco’s Mariner East detonation revealed failures in the emergency preparedness protocols and systems that are supposed to protect communities along the path of Sunoco’s dangerous pipeline. Last night’s failure is a terrifying reminder that we are totally unprepared for any larger emergency connected to the Mariner East pipelines. Gov. Wolf needs to halt this project now.” Mike Morelli lives close by the site. “We have been fighting this pipeline for five years now and feel completely unsafe anymore,” he said. “I am currently disabled and can’t run a half-mile upwind, like Sunoco had suggested once upon a time, if the need arises to evacuate.
“Sunoco/Energy Transfer Partners are not forthcoming with information and there is no safety plan for instances like this. Error after error has happened, and yet they still build and destroy our community. My family, as well as all of our neighbors were shaken, both literally and figuratively, by this.
“We don’t know what to do anymore, and those in power do nothing to quell our fears, only intensify them. Shame on Sunoco and shame on our elected officials for allowing this extremely hazardous pipeline to come through our densely populated community!”
The state Public Utilities Commission and Department of Environmental Protection did not respond to a request for comment.