Criminal Investigation Opened Into Sunoco, Chester Co. Pipelines

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — After years of controversy, environmental damage, and public calls for government action, Sunoco is now under investigation in Chester County for potential crimes in the construction of the Mariner East pipelines.

Sunoco has been the focus of ire of local environmentalists and state lawmakers for some time, following numerous drilling fluid spills, sinkholes, the contamination of drinking water, and more.

State Sen. Andy Dinniman has led the charge in what he has previously termed a "David vs. Goliath" fight against Sunoco and their drilling operations. That culminated last year with a judge ordering Sunoco to halt all operations, and then again this year with a $12.6 million fine against Sunoco for safety violations.

However, construction on Mariner East 2 has continued, and concerns over the pipeline persist.

"In the last two years, we have seen these pipelines rip through the heart of Chester County," DA Tom Hogan said in a statement Wednesday. "We have seen sinkholes created by the pipeline drilling, contaminated well water, and some subtle and not-so-sublte bullying of Chester County citizens by big corporate interests."

Sunoco has three pipeline projects that cut through Chester County, delivering natural gas from oil fields in Pennsylvania down to Marcus Hook in Delaware County. Mariner East 1, now completed, was shut down in sections of the county back in March after numerous sinkholes opened up, leaking fluid. Mariner East 2, presently under construction, was the subject of the aforementioned lawsuits. Mariner East 2x is a planned smaller pipeline that would, if completed, run parallel to Mariner East 2.

In addition to the accidents that have already occurred, critics of all three pipelines point to the dangerous drilling methods, and the fact that the pipelines run through highly populated areas which include schools, senior centers, roads, vital infrastructure, and important environmental resources.

The fine levied earlier this year was simply not enough, according to Dinniman and his supporters. Specifically, their frustration is aimed at the state Department of Environmental Protection, which they said has been lenient on Sunoco. In particular, they want an independent risk assessment on Mariner East 2 to be completed. Not by Sunoco, not by the DEP, but by an impartial third party. A total of $60,000 has already been raised towards the goal of funding such an assessment.

The investigation announced Wednesday marks a significant step in a new direction in the resistance to the pipeline. Till now community groups and local state legislators had worked to lobby the state government to levy stricter penalties and regulations on Sunoco. Hogan said the DA's Office would "bring into play all of the tools of the criminal justice system" to assure citizen safety.

Hogan added that in addition to recent accidents along the line causing damage, the office was moved to open an investigation following a personal visit he made to a home on Lisa Drive in West Whiteland last month that had been impacted by the pipeline. What he saw and heard from the residents was "both disturbing and heartwrenching."

Potential charges against Sunoco include causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief, environmental crimes, and corrupt organizations. Individual employees on the pipeline, as well as those in corporate offices, could be held responsible.

Patch has reached out to Sunoco for comment on the criminal investigation.

If you have information pertient to the investigation, please contact Chester County Detective Ben Martin at 610-344-6866.

See our full coverage of the Mariner East saga in Chester County below:

• Funded By Sunoco Fine, Chesco Gets $1.8 Million For Conservation
• Sunoco Fined $12.6 Million For Mariner East 2 Violations
  
• Lawmakers Seek To Halt Drilling After More Sunoco Spills In Chester Co.
  
• Battle Against Sunoco Pipeline Is David v. Goliath, Lawmaker Says
• Mariner East 1 Pipeline Shut Down In Chester County

AP Photo/Keith Srakocic