Sunoco Pipeline Stoppage Credited To Watchful PA Residents

HARRISBURG — A state legislator who is a steadfast proponent of environmental issues has swiftly reacted to last week's environmental crimes no-contest plea of a Sunoco subsidiary whose construction of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline damaged ecosystems and created drinking water problems across the commonwealth.

State Sen. Katie Muth, a Southeastern Pennsylvania Democrat, released a statement thanking those who helped bring about justice in the case against Energy Transfer LP, which is behind the Mariner East 2 pipeline, a conduit of natural gas from western Pennsylvania to Marcus Hook in Delaware County.

Muth commended the hard work of "community watchdogs and impacted residents whose persistence, consistent documentation, and reporting of issues" related to the pipeline's construction helped secure a criminal no-contest plea against the company.

"Thank you to all of my constituents and other residents who came forward and documented the many failures of Energy Transfer, and ultimately helped the Attorney General build a strong case to finally convict this serial corporate polluter for their crimes against our environment, our communities, and our water," Muth stated.

Muth also thanked Deputy Chief Attorney General Rebecca Franz and her team for their "tireless efforts" in reaching out to those residents who have been harmed by the company's recklessness during its construction of the pipeline, and for making sure that the "corporate polluter is held accountable for their crimes and ensuring that these impacted residents will again have access to safe, clean drinking water."

Last Friday, Pennsylvania Attorney Josh Shapiro announced that Sunoco Pipeline L.P. and ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC were convicted of criminal charges relating to the construction of both the Mariner East 2 Pipeline, which crosses 17 counties in the southern portion of Pennsylvania, and the Revolution Pipeline, which is a 42.5-mile-long pipeline that starts in Butler County and routes through Beaver and Allegheny Counties, connecting to a gas processing plant in Washington County in the western part of the state.

While Shapiro initially called it a "conviction," the case actually culminated with a plea of no-contest, which essentially means the company conceded to the allegations in the criminal case and agreed to reach a settlement to close the matter.

"We have a constitutional right in Pennsylvania to clean air and pure water," Shapiro said in last week's announcement. "It's a right that was enshrined in our state constitution at a time when the people of Pennsylvania learned a tough lesson first-hand — the health of our children, and our economic future, depended on protecting our environment from reckless profit and unchecked corporate interests."

A grand jury investigation had determined that the companies repeatedly allowed thousands of gallons of natural gas drilling fluid to escape underground during the construction of Mariner East 2 Pipeline, which sometimes surfaced in fields, backyards, streams, lakes and wetlands, according to the Attorney General's Office.

The release ended up potentially impacting the drinking water of state residents who rely on water wells, and early estimates were that 8,100 gallons of fluid spilled into Marsh Creek Lake in Chester County, the AG's Office stated.

Muth, the state senator, represents individuals in Chester County, along with neighboring Montgomery County and parts of Berks County.

Muth's office stated that as part of the no-contest plea, Energy Transfer is required to fully fund a review of the water of any resident who believes their drinking water was compromised by the drilling fluid release during the Mariner East 2 Pipeline construction.

The senator said that residents who are interested in having their water tested must sign up by Aug. 19 by emailing watertesting@attorneygeneral.gov or by calling 570-904-2643.

Muth's office said that Energy Transfer must also pay $10 million to make the water sources that were most damaged by construction cleaner and safer.