On October 18, Del-Chesco United For Pipeline Safety announced PUC Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth H. Barnes will hold public hearings on October 23 and 24 in West Chester on the public safety risks associated with Sunoco’s hazardous liquids Mariner East Pipelines.

The hearings will be held in the Courthouse in West Chester at 2 North High Street beginning at 9 a.m. each day. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The hearings are one step in the PUC’s process for handling the formal safety complaints filed against Sunoco by seven residents of Delaware and Chester Counties and three related complaints by other local residents.

During the hearing, Judge Barnes will hear testimony from “lay witnesses” (so-called because they don’t claim credentials as pipeline experts), including some of the complainants themselves, and Sunoco’s lawyers will have a chance to cross-examine them.

The testimony of “expert” witnesses will be taken in a separate proceeding next summer in Harrisburg.

A study released last year by Delaware County showed that a large accident on a Sunoco hazardous, highly volatile liquids pipeline could produce fatal injuries to a distance of 6,800 feet, more than a mile.

According to data maintained by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Sunoco has reported having 311 pipeline accidents since 2006.

The main contention of the complainants is that Sunoco has failed to provide a credible emergency plan in case of a pipeline leak. The complaints request that the PUC halt the construction and use of the pipelines until a workable emergency plan is provided.

Five townships, four school districts, and both Delaware and Chester County have joined the complaint as “intervenor”--parties that have a stake in the outcome and that are able to participate in the hearings.

“Sunoco has failed to meet its regulatory obligations to produce a credible plan to protect the public at risk of harm from its current and proposed pipelines,” said George Alexander, a spokesperson for Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety. “Management of public safety risks through enforcement of federally mandated pipeline safety regulations is a specific part of the PUC’s mission. These hearings will provide testimony regarding the lack of plausible plans or notification systems to protect the public from continued accidents on Sunoco pipelines.”

For more information, visit the Del-Chesco United For Pipeline Safety Facebook page.   Questions should be directed to: del.chesco.united@gmail.com or call 484-441-3308.

(Photo: Mariner East Pipeline construction through densely populated areas.)

NewsClips:

Delaware County Study: Pipeline Blast Could Be Devastating, But Risk Is Low

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Delaware, Chester Citizens Group Releases Final Risk Assessment Report On Mariner East Pipelines

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[Posted: October 18, 2019]

10/21/2019