Norristown Action Takes Aim at Energy Transfer’s Permit Violations

Norristown, PA -- Last night, residents projected a slideshow of violations committed by Energy Transfer/Sunoco during the construction of the dangerous Mariner East pipeline project onto the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s SEPA headquarters. Sunrise Berks, Mama Bear Brigade, and Food & Water Action demanded that the DEP rescind the permits for the dangerous Mariner East pipeline. 

“Sunoco cannot be trusted to construct or operate the Mariner East safely, and they need to be shut down,” says Sam Rubin, organizer for Food & Water Action. “This is a public health emergency, and we’re going to treat it like one.” 

“We’re here today to demand that Governor Wolf and Secretary McDonnell pull the permits for the reckless Mariner East pipeline project,” said Connor Young, a resident of Uwchlan Township. “We’re not going away. We’re going to keep fighting.” 

The action highlighting permit violations comes 10 days after Energy Transfer/Sunoco spilled over 10,000 gallons of industrial drilling mud into Marsh Creek Lake, in Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County. Marsh Creek Lake is a reservoir for drinking water supplies for the Downingtown Water Authority and Aqua, PA. In addition, a weld inspector on the project recently pled guilty to falsifying weld inspection records.

The Mariner East pipeline project carries highly volatile liquids ethane, butane, pentane, and propane across Pennsylvania -- with over 40 schools in the probable fatality zone in the event of failure -- to be transported abroad for plastics manufacturing. The pipeline will carry enough material to produce one billion single use plastic water bottles a day. Energy Transfer has one of the worst safety records of any pipeline operator in the country.