Sinkholes In West Whiteland Twp. Shut Down Pipeline

This story was updated on June 8 to include a response from the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP, PA — A sinkhole 23 feet long by 10 feet wide by 6 feet deep opened up along the Mariner East easement in West Whiteland Township on June 4 in a situation that a drilling industry publication called "not good."

There are two active Mariner East Highly Volatile Liquids (HVL) pipelines on either side of the sinkhole. It was one of several sinkholes to open this year in this area of Mariner East construction behind Exton Library and near Meadowbrook Manor.

The Marcellus Drilling News, a drilling industry website, reported to others in the business today "Another sinkhole has appeared in Chester County at a Mariner East 2 (ME2) Pipeline construction site. This time it's located near the Chester County Library. The sinkhole is approximately 23 feet long, 10 feet wide, and six feet deep. It runs between two existing (older) pipelines that actively carry petroleum products. Not good."

This is one in a series of sinkholes to appear along Mariner East 2 pipeline work sites over the last three years. A sinkhole appeared in Delaware County in April, and Marcellus Drilling News said seven sinkholes appeared between June and July 2020 along Mariner East pipeline sites, all under investigation of the PA Public Utility Commission.

Another sinkhole formed after a spill by Sunoco of drilling fluid into Marsh Creek Lake wetlands in August 2020.

The day before, June 3, turbid water was being discharged from the worksite where this sinkhole occurred into Ship Road Run — a tributary to Valley Creek —from Sunoco's groundwater treatment system for the bore at Briar Road. After the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was made aware of the situation and sediment discharges by residents, a Notice of Violation was issued and operations at the site were shut down.

DEP said it became aware on June 3 that turbid water was being discharged into Ship Road Run (a tributary to Valley Creek) from Sunoco’s groundwater treatment system for the Exton Library bore at Wetland B-71.

Pennsylvania State Rep. Kristine Howard (D-167th) passed on communication from the DEP in which the Department said it has "required Sunoco to submit a re-start and contingency plan that explains why the incident occurred and outlines steps that will be taken to eliminate the turbid discharge. DEP approval of the re-start plan will be required before operations can continue.”

DEP said, "Any discharges by Sunoco from this site must be in accordance with a temporary discharge authorization which provides that water sent from the pipeline borehole goes to tanks, is filtered through sand filters (and sediment filters if needed), and, if turbidity and total suspended solids are not adequately addressed by these, an approved agent to suspended particles to aggregate may be added.”

Operations at the site are shut down, DEP said. "DEP has required Sunoco to submit a restart and contingency plan that explains why the incident occurred and outlines steps that will be taken to eliminate the turbid discharge. DEP approval of the restart plan will be required before operations can continue. This is an ongoing investigation, but DEP issued the attached NOV to Sunoco on June 4, 2021," the Department said late on Monday.

Additionally, DEP said it was notified by Sunoco and the community on June 4 about two sinkholes in the area. Both DEP and PUC responded, the DEP Office of Communications told Patch.

"DEP's investigation determined that the subsidences occurred in upland areas, thus no DEP permit will be required for remediation work, which is ongoing. PUC may have additional information on this incident as it relates to their jurisdiction," said Jamar Thrasher, Press Secretary for DEP.

West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety posted a video of sediment-laden water pouring from the worksite into the wetland that leads to Valley Creek View here.

West Whiteland resident Ginny Marcille-Kerslake stated that "Energy Transfer got the Notice of Violation because they kept discharging water into the wetland even though it exceeded the limits for Total Suspended Solids (TSS). At 11:50 a.m., TSS was roughly 400mg/L. The allowable limit is 10mg/L. This continued for 2.5 hours before they turned off the pumps and stopped the illegal discharging. Had it not been for residents documenting and reporting this to the DEP, Energy Transfer would likely have got away with this violation."

DEP will hold a public hearing on June 16 at 6 p.m. to receive testimony related to a pipeline route charge around Marsh Creek State Park.

The hearing is regarding major amendments submitted by Sunoco Pipeline LP (SPLP) for its Erosion and Sediment Control and Water Obstruction and Encroachments permits in which Sunoco is requesting to amend or change the route and installation method of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline at Marsh Creek Lake. Information on participation in the hearing can be found here.

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