Leak Prompts Call For Temporary Shutdown Of Upper Makefied Pipeline

UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — Bucks County Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to temporarily suspend operation of the Sunoco pipeline in Upper Makefield until a full investigation is completed.

Issues with the 100-mile-long line came to light a little more than a week ago when Energy Transfer, which operates the pipeline, reported finding a leak in Mount Eyre Manor neighborhood in Upper Makefield Township. The leak forced Energy Transfer to shutdown the pipeline while a section of it was replaced.

The leak also prompted two back-to-back public meetings in the township between residents, township officials, the state Department of Environmental Protection and Energy Transfer.

At those meetings, Yvette Taylor, who chairs the board of supervisors, told a crowded meeting room of residents the township “realizes the urgency, the critical nature and extreme concerns many of you have. We are here to listen, seek answers and solutions from Sunoco and DEP.”

According to Taylor, after the township received a number of calls about the smell of gas in the Mount Eyre neighborhood, they called in Sunoco and DEP to investigate and to determine a cause.

“Because of the proximity of our pipeline, we immediately began working with the DEP to investigate … During this process we discovered product loss from our pipeline,” said officials with Energy Transfer. “The pipeline was inactive at the time. Our third-party sampling is ongoing and we continue to work with residents in the Glenwood neighborhood to share those results as they come in.”

On Friday, Energy Transfer reported that its third-party consultants are continuing to test and inspect wells throughout Mount Eyre Manor for possible contamination.

“Our consultants have inspected 93 water wells in the neighborhood and have received results for 42 of those. Of the 93 sampled, six have hydrocarbons detected,” they reported. “We have 102 additional water wells scheduled (or in the process of being scheduled) to be inspected. We are making an effort to secure additional crews to accelerate this process. We will continue to provide bottled water to concerned landowners.”

In addition, at the request of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Energy Transfer announced that the pipeline would be operated at a 20 percent pressure reduction. “In addition, we will be completing digs at certain locations along the pipeline to visually inspect the line," said the pipeline operator. "The work will begin this weekend at two locations in the township and proceed at additional sites along the line. We will notify landowners of the specific sites in advance of the work and will continue to provide more details to the community as work progresses.

“Meanwhile, our crews are actively working to recover product from wells and remediate the impacted area,” reported Energy Transfer. “The DEP continues to provide environmental oversight. Energy Transfer intends to formally request DEP oversight of the remediation through the Act 2 process.

According to Energy Transfer, the section of pipeline where the leak was detected was removed and replaced late last week, and the pipeline was placed back into service following the review and approval of PHMSA.

“We continue to operate the pipeline with 24/7 monitoring for our liquids control center, while also performing our routine operational surveillance. In addition to following the PHMSA protocols for restarting the line, we have company personnel on site to visually inspect and monitor the pipeline. The root cause investigation of the leak is underway and ongoing.”

The company has tentatively scheduled another public meeting for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at the Sol Feinstone Elementary School, 1090 Eagle Road., Newtown 18940.

In a letter sent to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration over the weekend, Congressman Fitzpatrick said that given “the serious health and wellness concerns, I hope the agency will consider using its resources and regulatory authority, including considering the temporary suspension of this pipeline’s operation until a full investigation is completed.

“I believe such an Investigation must include guarantees of clean water and an effective remediation plan,” wrote Fitzpatrick a letter to acting secretary Ben Kochman. “Additionally, the pipeline should remain offline until the inline inspection is scheduled and completed to ensure its integrity. I am steadfast in my commitment to safeguarding our residents’ access to clean, safe drinking water. I will continue to advocate at all levels of government to protect our water quality and to prevent such an incident from occurring again in the future.”

While Fitzpatrick told the acting director that he “greatly appreciates your leadership and your agency’s response to this emergency, it is apparent from discussions with constituents, engineers, and fellow elected officials that public confidence in the pipeline’s safety and integrity is zero.”

Fitzpatrick said that distrust of both Energy Transfer and the Sunoco Pipeline is the result of a number of factors, including:

• Failure to Detect the Leak: Sunoco assured the public that they would be the first to know if a leak occurred. However, the leak was discovered by a private citizen, not by the pipeline operator, he said. Additionally, reports indicate that complaints about the smell of jet fuel dating back to 2023 were dismissed by Sunoco as being caused by bacteria, further undermining trust in their response protocols.
• Premature Pipeline Restart: Fitzpatrick said the pipeline was swiftly brought back online within just two days of the initial shutdown, despite the fact that other segments of the pipeline required excavation and additional maintenance. This raises significant concerns about the adequacy of the repairs and the safety of restarting operations so quickly, he said.
• Ongoing Concerns from Residents: At the February 6th residents' meeting, representatives from neighboring Homeowners Associations to the southwest of the pipeline voiced concerns about the presence of jet fuel odors in their water supply. Similar complaints have been reported from residential areas to the northwest of the leak site, encompassing the length of the pipeline.
• Inadequate Testing and Communication: To date, 450 core samples have been collected, and approximately 80 homes have been marked within the testing zone, he said.

Additionally, Fitzpatrick said it was reported by a resident that their well received a double negative outcome while the water itself continues to smell of jet fuel. “However, communication from Sunoco has been minimal, and at times, contradictory, leaving residents uncertain about the scope of the contamination and the timeline for remediation,” he wrote.

To keep residents informed, Energy Transfer has set up an email address and is currently working on launching a website. The new email address is: uppermakefieldresponse@energytransfer.com The 24/7 community hotline remains active at 877-397-3383