DEP Hearing Tonight On Sunoco's Pipeline Reroute In Chesco

UPPER UWCHLAN TOWNSHIP, PA — Sunoco Pipeline L.P. was ordered to create a reroute plan away from Marsh Creek State Park after it spilled 8,000 gallons of drilling fluids into the park's wetlands last August.

No plan is yet in place and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) tonight is hosting a public hearing on Sunoco's proposed reroute around the wetlands in Upper Uwchlan Township.

DEP will host a formal public hearing on Sunoco’s proposed major amendments to the route and installation method of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline at segment HDD-290, near Marsh Creek State Park. The hearing begins at 6 p.m. Anyone may register to listen to the hearing here.

Rep. Danielle Friel-Otten, (D-155th) said, "Not only is Marsh Creek one of our district’s most cherished recreational areas, but it is a drinking water source for many Chester County residents and home to many wildlife habitats. Last summer, during construction on the Mariner East Pipeline, Sunoco spilled 8,000 gallons of drilling fluid into a tributary of Marsh Creek Lake. Following the incident, I led a group of local legislators and residents to view the impact of the spill and check on the progress of the clean-up, which Sunoco has still not completed a full 10 months after the spill."

In September 2020 Sunoco's response to its Aug. 10 spill of 8,163 gallons of drilling fluid into Marsh Creek State Park wetlands was determined to be insufficient, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ordered the company to submit a plan to divert the pipeline away from the area. Read that story here.

Sunoco since that order claimed it was harmed by the reroute order, and that DEP had abused its powers in its response to the August spill. Sunoco Pipeline L.P in October 2020 petitioned the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board to override the DEP's order of a Mariner East 2 pipeline reroute. Read that story here.

In the June 16 hearing, DEP will receive testimony from interested parties regarding major amendments submitted by Sunoco Pipeline for its Erosion and Sediment Control and its Water Obstruction and Encroachments permits requesting to amend or change the route and installation method of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline at the location of HDD 290.

DEP has an information webpage devoted to the Marsh Creek Lake drilling site that includes links to Sunoco's permit modification reports, giving the public access to full details. DEP also has a page called the Pipeline Portal with information related to Mariner East 2.

Information on Sunoco's proposed amendments was noticed on page 2557 of the May 8, 2021 edition of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This is page 79 in the pdf.

Comment registration is already closed, but the hearing is public and open for all the observe virtually by registering here. The event page is here or on Audio Conference at +1-414-655-0003 with this Access Code: 132 530 0199.

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