Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, issued the following statement on Attorney General Shapiro announcement of criminal charges against the Mariner East Pipeline--

“In light of these serious criminal charges against Energy Transfer Partner, I am calling on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to halt the Mariner East pipeline project and issue a moratorium on all permits.

“These charges allege a pattern of behavior from Energy Transfer that put our environment, our communities, and our very public health and safety at significant risk.

“Worse yet, according to the charges, Energy Transfer repeatedly and willfully failed to oversee, notify, and report inadvertent returns, spills, and contamination of streams, waterways, wells, and sources of drinking water.

“It is now imperative that the project be halted and the investigation continue to determine the complete scope of the impacts of these alleged crimes. I thank Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan for working to hold Energy Transfer criminally accountable.

“And I am committed to working with the Attorney General’s office, DEP, local officials and stakeholders, and my colleagues in the legislature to ensure stronger oversight, tighter regulations, and stiffer penalties.

“Pennsylvanians have a constitutional right to ‘clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.’

“As Attorney General Shapiro expressed today and as is reflected in these charges and potential penalties, we need better laws, increased oversight, and more resources to protect those rights and to protect our communities, families, and natural resources.”

NewsClips:

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: AG Shapiro Announces Criminal Charges Against Mariner East Pipeline Owner For Leaks

-- PG - Anya Litvak: PA Attorney General Announces 48 Criminal Charges Against Energy Transfer In Mariner East Pipeline Construction

-- PA Cap-Star: Shapiro Files Criminal Charges Against Energy Transfer In Construction Of Mariner East 2 Pipeline

-- AP: Mariner East Pipeline Developer Charged In Connection With Contamination

-- Environmental Health News: Should Oil & Gas Companies Be Exempt From PA’s Hazardous Waste Laws?

-- S&P Global: PA Shale Gas Permits Drop 28% Month Over Month Despite Spiking Prices  [And Along With This Drop In Permits Is A Fall Off Of Revenue To DEP To Support Oil & Gas Well Regulation]

-- News5 Cleveland: Ohio Plans To Stop Using Deicer AquaSalina Made From Oil & Gas Drilling Wastewater

Related Articles This Week:

-- AG Shapiro: Charges Mariner East Pipeline With 48 Counts Of Environmental Crimes In 11 Counties 

-- Attorney General Shapiro's: Statement Announcing 48 Environmental Criminal Charges Against The Mariner East Pipeline In 11 Counties

-- Sen. Comitta: Calls For Hearings On The Failure Of Pennsylvania To Invest In Clean Energy Infrastructure

-- 17 Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling Operators Under Review By DEP To Determine If They Comply With Program Allowing Road Dumping Of Drilling Wastewater

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 19 To Hear Report On Radiation Decontamination Of Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Reactors, Waste Sites

-- 80 Organizations, 1,800+ Concerned Citizens To DEP: Ban Road Dumping Of Drilling Wastewater; Dept. Of Health Unaware Road Dumping Is Occurring

-- 65+ Groups Ask Biden Administration To Reclassify Oil & Gas Drilling Waste As 'Hazardous' To Prevent Road Dumping Of Wastewater And Other Practices

Related Articles:

-- House Environmental Committee Fails To Discuss Poor Compliance, Record $55 Million In Penalties Imposed On Natural Gas/Hazardous Liquid Pipelines In Last 5 Years

-- Natural Gas, Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Are NOT Required To Carry Insurance Or Show They Can Pay For Damages If They Explode, Leak Or Kill Someone

-- Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: Told A Federal Court Sunoco Cannot Hide Risk Assessment Data For Its Mariner East 2 Pipeline

-- DEP: Potential For Environmental Impacts From Spills Or Leaks Of Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste Materials Is Real; Health Dept. Not Aware Of All Chemicals In Oil & Gas Wastewater Making Risk Assessment Difficult

-- Senate Democrats, AG Shapiro Announce Legislation To Address Issues Raised In Grand Jury Report On Natural Gas Fracking

[Posted: October 5, 2021]

10/11/2021