PA Suspends Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction

Sunoco's controversial Mariner East 2 Pipeline, which runs through many southeastern Pennsylvania communities, has had its construction permits suspended by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), authorities announced on Wednesday.

The move comes after months of legislators on both sides of the aisle arguing for stricter regulations to be put in place. Accidents involving pipeline construction have damaged the water supply and caused threats to environmental and public health, lawmakers allege.

In the administrative order issued on Wednesday, the DEP cited the pipeline project specifically for violating the state's Clean Streams Law.

“Until Sunoco can demonstrate that the permit conditions can and will be followed, DEP has no alternative but to suspend the permits,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “We are living up to our promise to hold this project accountable to the strong protections in the permits.”

Mariner East 2, if completed, would run a pipeline carrying natural gas liquids from the massive Marcellus Shale deposit in western Pennsylvania to Marcus Hook, on the Delaware River. It crosses through significant portions of Chester and Delaware counties, in addition to fifteen other counties around the state, on its way. The oil will then be shipped overseas, largely for use in creating plastics.

In order to continue the pipeline, Sunoco must comply with several new terms laid out in the order issued by the DEP Thursday. Specifically, they must address impacts to numerous private water wells, and provide more transparency on upcoming construction activities. The DEP order also demands a detailed "Operations Plan" to mitigate future accidents.

The pipeline has been a point of major controversy in Chester County, where "frack outs," oil spills, damaged water, and disagreements over use of private property have occurred over the past year. Protestshave followed in the wake of the pipeline.

Gov. Wolf has come under attack from activists who want him to ban fracking outright in the state, as Gov. Cuomo did in New York state in 2014.

"This halt was not a gift from the governor's office," said Elise Gerhart, a Pennsylvania resident and leader of a movement to resist the pipeline. "It was won by a group of residents who demanded it. As always, the responsibility of putting a stop to ETP's dangerous practices will continue to fall on people living under a government who refuses to protect us."

Activists see a pattern of spills and mishaps with Sunoco and Energy Transfer Partners, their affiliate.

"Just as in Ohio and Michigan in recent months, Energy Transfer Partners and its affiliates now in Pennsylvania continue to show a reckless disregard for the environment and communities as it rabidly builds its pipelines across the country," said David Turnbull, with Oil Change International. "Energy Transfer Partners pipelines are disasters for the climate, dangers to our communities, and risky for investors. States like Pennsylvania are right to push pause on the dangerous construction, but should go one step further and halt these projects for good."

Kurt Knaus, a spokesperson for Pennsylvania's Energy Infrastructure Alliance, said that they are committed to safe construction.

“Every stakeholder involved in this process has the same shared priority: the safe development of critical infrastructure like Mariner East 2," Knaus said. "We are acutely aware of how this project affects our communities --- as we are of the tremendous economic benefits it promises for Pennsylvania businesses and consumers upon completion. This project remains critically important for our commonwealth. Sunoco and DEP should work expeditiously to resolve this matter so safe construction can resume and this vital project can get back on track.”

Drilling had been underway at 55 locations across Pennsylvania, according to an environmental nonprofit, the Clean Air Council. It has not begun at another 168 locations.

Patch file photo